Hi, I’m Taylor

Whether I’m painting or coaching, I’m all about helping women build a better relationship with their thoughts and emotions

I believe that our lives are predominantly shaped by 3 things: what we notice, what we make it mean, and what we decide to do about it.

When we’re living by default, this happens beneath our conscious awareness. We are out of touch with how our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs are driving our behavior, and we engage with the world reactively, acting by instinct and learned control patterns.

We make decisions based on our whims, fears, and the expectations of others. We feel overwhelmed, anxious, and uncertain.

However, when we learn to live with awareness and intention, we feel empowered, peaceful, and whole. Instead of getting trapped in reactivity, we can thoughtfully respond to what’s going on in and around us. We can rest, knowing that we’re showing up as the best version of ourselves, no matter our circumstances or challenges.

EMOTIONAL UNDERDEVELOPMENT

Living by Default

Being resistant to—or completely ruled by—our emotions
Relying on external validation to feel good enough
Feeling trapped by survival patterns developed in childhood

Living according to the opinions and expectations of others, even when it feels wrong for us (living by oughts, shoulds, and musts)
Falling into judgmental thoughts and critical self-talk
Hiding or overcompensating for our weaknesses and limitations out of shame
Wasting energy through excessive worrying, people-pleasing, or perfectionism
Blaming or projecting our struggles onto others
Subconsciously attempting to meet our needs through manipulation or control vs. honest communication
Trying to change or fix interpersonal differences instead of learning from them

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Living with Awareness

Learning to experience, reflect on, and thoughtfully respond to our emotions
Operating with a foundational sense of self-worth
Practicing the freedom to choose new approaches to handling our environment
Cultivating purpose and meaning through living congruently with our values
Overcoming fear and self-sabotage by challenging fear-based thoughts
Embracing our gifts and limitations in a spirit of wholeness
Accepting personal responsibility for our thoughts and actions
Communicating respectfully and non-judgmentally
Building and maintaining appropriate boundaries
Honoring interpersonal differences instead of fearing them
Addressing and resolving conflict instead of trying to avoid it

The Unexamined Life

I’ve spent a lot of my life living reactively and trapped in fear-based patterns.

Stuck in shame and afraid of not being good enough, I spent all my energy focusing on my external world. I trusted others’ opinions over my own. I sought validation and attention from people around me in unhealthy ways. I made choices from a place of instinct and scarcity—making the easy or obvious choice instead of the right one. And I fell hard into perfectionism, which inevitably resulted in procrastination and self-sabotage.

Because I didn’t know how to notice or manage my inner life, it inevitably affected my relationships with those around me. I attracted people into my life that reinforced my insecurities. I became incredibly defensive when challenged or criticized—focusing on blaming and evading to protect my ego instead of listening and growing. And I struggled to set boundaries that could protect my well-being (hello, people pleasing).

After a string of unfulfilling jobs, chronic relational conflict (or avoidance of conflict), and years of listening to my relentless inner critic, I realized that something needed to change, and it wouldn’t be changed by simply changing my situation or trying to change others.

I had to do the inner work to change me — my mindset, my beliefs, and my habits.

Building Emotional Health

To do that, I focused on two things: awareness and intentionality.

I started asking myself questions like these:

Do I know what I'm feeling at any particular moment?
Do I recognize the impulse from which my actions spring?
Do I notice if my values and behaviors are congruent?
Do I know what needs or desires I may be trying to satisfy?
Is the life I'm living one I accepted uncritically from others, or is it genuinely of my own choosing?
Do I know what I'm doing when I like myself and when I don't?

Once I developed the practice of observing myself and noticing, without judgment, what was going on in my mind and body, I became more able to express what I was noticing to others in healthier ways.

I learned to:

Share my feelings without making others responsible for them
Ask directly for what I want or need, instead of using passive-aggressive hints or expecting others to mind-read
Say no without guilt
Risk being vulnerable, because being true to myself is more important than trying to control how others see me
Listen deeply and with less judgment
Refrain from giving advice, and instead help others tap into their own wisdom
Resolve conflict with maturity and compassion
Receive feedback without letting it destroy my sense of self
Apologize when I'm wrong instead of making excuses
Amend previous statements when I realize I've changed my mind or the statement is no longer true

I began to make decisions that supported the life I wanted to build. I experienced a new kind of inner peace from living in alignment with my nature and my values, and the difference it’s made for me has been astounding.

The truth is, I want the same transformation for you.

Let’s Grow Together

If you desire to build a healthier and more intentional life, and you feel like you could benefit from a guide and partner in growth, I would love to work with you in my private coaching program. Over 12 sessions, we'll work together to set and achieve goals for how you'd like your life to change, learning and adjusting along the way as you deepen in self-discovery.

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