Tea with a Taurus

What are you choosing to cultivate in this season of your life?
As a new school year begins, I’ve been thinking about growth—not just for my students, but in every part of my own life. I want to grow as an educator, continue building my pet-sitting business, nurture Tea with a Taurus, become stronger and healthier, and still make room for my family, creativity, rest, and the life happening in between.
That’s why my word for this school year is Cultivate.
In this episode, I’m exploring what it means to intentionally tend to the things that matter without feeling like everything has to grow at once. We’ll talk about creating the conditions for growth, redefining balance, recognizing progress that happens beneath the surface, and remembering that cultivation sometimes requires pruning, too.
Because maybe the goal isn’t to build a bigger life.
Maybe it’s to build a life that feels more like yours.
So grab your tea and join me as we ask: What am I cultivating—and does it support the life I’m trying to build?
I don’t have to grow everything. I get to choose what I tend.

Perimenopause entered the chat… and apparently, she brought mood swings, brain fog, thinning hair, fatigue, and a whole new set of rules with her.
In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, I’m talking about the moment my doctor casually told me, “It looks like you’ve entered perimenopause”—and how suddenly so many of the changes I’ve been experiencing started to make sense.
But for me, there’s another layer to this transition: ADHD. After being diagnosed later in life and finally beginning to understand how my brain works, perimenopause feels a little like someone changed the rules just as I was learning how to play the game.
We’re talking about the overlap between ADHD and perimenopause, brain fog and changing hormones, and the frustration of trying to figure out whether it’s ADHD, hormones…or both. I’m also sharing some of the ways I’m learning to support myself through this season, including strength training, walking, supplements, and—perhaps most importantly—giving myself a little more grace.
Because maybe our bodies aren’t betraying us.
Maybe they’re changing.
And maybe this season is asking us to learn ourselves all over again.
So grab your tea and join me for an honest, slightly humorous conversation about hormones, ADHD, aging, movement, and navigating a version of yourself you’re still getting to know.
☕ One walk. One deep breath. One cup of tea at a time.

In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, I’m talking about what happens when the plan suddenly changes—and why those unexpected transitions can feel especially overwhelming for people with ADHD. I share my very real first reaction (yes, I briefly wanted to crash out), why I needed a minute to process before I could move forward, and what this experience reminded me about the students we serve.
If unexpected change can throw us off as adults, imagine what it can feel like for kids navigating new classrooms, teachers, schedules, routines, and expectations at the beginning of a school year.
We’ll talk about ADHD and transitions, emotional regulation, giving ourselves permission to be frustrated, supporting students through change, and the difference between toxic positivity and simply having perspective.
Because sometimes being flexible doesn’t mean the change doesn’t bother you.
Sometimes flexibility simply means:
This bothers me, but I can adjust.
So whether you’re a teacher heading back to school, a parent helping your child navigate a new year, someone with ADHD who struggles when the plan suddenly changes—or you’ve simply been handed a situation you didn’t ask for—grab your tea and join me.
You’re allowed to need a minute.
Then, we build a new map.

How do you hold on while also learning to let go?
As parents, we spend years teaching our children to become independent, confident, and capable. But when that independence starts to show up—when they begin driving, making their own plans, and needing us a little less—it can bring a mix of pride, gratitude, and unexpected heartache.
In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, I'm sharing a personal reflection inspired by a recent trip to the beach with my sixteen-year-old son. It's a conversation about the bittersweet beauty of watching our children grow, the "little goodbyes" that happen throughout parenthood, and the importance of being fully present in each season before it quietly becomes the next.
Whether you're raising little ones, navigating the teenage years, or watching your children build lives of their own, I hope this episode reminds you that while we can't stop time, we can choose to be present for the moments we have.
In this episode, we'll explore:
Why parenting is a lifetime of "little goodbyes"
The challenge of letting go as our children become more independent
How to embrace each season instead of wishing for the next
Why love sometimes looks less like holding on—and more like trusting them to find their own way
Journal Reflection:How can you be fully present for the season you're in today, instead of worrying about the one that's coming next?
Pour yourself a cup of tea, settle in, and join me for a gentle conversation about growing up, letting go, and loving deeply through every season.

What happens when the reset you've been looking forward to doesn't go as planned?
After weeks of teaching, house sitting, and pet sitting, I finally carved out a few days to recharge at the North Carolina coast with my youngest son. But before we even reached the beach, our trip took an unexpected turn when we were involved in a hit-and-run accident.
Thankfully, we were safe—but the questions, frustration, and uncertainty didn't disappear when the weekend began.
In this episode, I'm revisiting one of the most meaningful topics I've ever shared: self-compassion. Together, we'll explore what it means to protect your peace when life doesn't go according to plan, why we don't have to wait for every problem to be solved before we allow ourselves to experience joy, and how choosing to stay present can be one of the greatest acts of self-love.
If you're carrying uncertainty, navigating disappointment, or simply feeling stretched thin, I hope this conversation reminds you that peace isn't found in perfect circumstances—it's found in the way we choose to meet imperfect ones.
Journal Reflection:What would change if you stopped waiting to experience peace until you had every answer?
Pour yourself a cup of tea, take a deep breath, and join me for a gentle conversation about finding comfort again—one steady step at a time.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I'll be happy when..."?
When the debt is paid off. When the business grows. When life finally slows down. When you reach that next big milestone. 
In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, we're talking about the space between here and there, the season of becoming that so many of us rush through while chasing what's next. 
If you're someone with big dreams and ambitious goals, this episode is a gentle reminder that you don't have to choose between building the future and appreciating the present. Most of life isn't lived at the finish line. It's found in the quiet, ordinary moments along the way. 
So pour yourself a cup of tea, take a deep breath, and join me as we explore what it means to stay present while continuing to move forward, one steady step at a time. 

After a few months away from the microphone, I'm back. Not in the way I originally planned. 
In this episode, I share why recording felt impossible for a season, what happened after my last episode on burnout, and how I finally found my way back to this space. Between finishing another school year, building side businesses, paying off debt, house sitting, pet sitting, and chasing long-term dreams, life got loud. 
But somewhere in the middle of that noise, I learned an important lesson: you can't force reflection. 
Join me as I talk about creating pockets of calm in busy seasons, letting go of the pressure to restart perfectly, and why sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply begin again. 
If you've ever felt disconnected from a goal, a passion project, or a version of yourself you miss, this conversation is for you. 
Grab your favorite cup of tea, get comfortable, and let's catch up. 

When the noise of life gets loud, how do we stay aligned with the values that guide us?
In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, Ashley reflects on a question that sparked a deeper conversation about educator wellbeing. After weeks filled with snow days, testing schedules, field trips, guest speakers, and even a power outage, the constant schedule changes have made it difficult for both teachers and students to stay focused.
Ashley explores how context switching and disrupted routines impact our brains—especially for neurodivergent learners—and why it’s so important for educators to take time to reset before burnout takes hold.
Through personal reflection and research-backed insights, this episode reminds us that sometimes the best way to show up for others is to first take a breather for ourselves.
Whether that means a quiet hike, baking sourdough, or simply stepping away for a moment, finding ways to reset helps us return to our work steadier and more present.

When I saw a campaign sign in town that read “Common Sense and Local Values,” it made me pause. What does common sense actually mean — and is it truly something we all share?
In this episode, I explore the idea of common sense through the lens of lived experience, education, and critical thinking. We’ll discuss how judgment is developed, why shared experience isn’t always universal, and how language can sound strong while remaining undefined.
This is a thoughtful, steady conversation about leadership, representation, and the importance of asking better questions.
Grab your tea and let’s go deeper than the slogan.

This week I had to tell my son to wait.
He’s starting college prep and, like most big life transitions, it comes with forms, deadlines, and decisions. The catch? Every time he needed help, it was right when I was sitting down to write or record. And I realized something important: I can only hold three things well in a day. The fourth one? That’s when I start to unravel.
In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, I talk about the quiet guilt of adulthood, the myth of daily balance, and why modern life feels like an equation that never quite adds up. We’ll explore cognitive load, productivity culture, and why “steady” might mean rotation instead of perfection.
If you’ve ever felt stretched thin trying to juggle work, creativity, family, movement, and rest — this one is for you.
Pour something warm and let’s talk about choosing your three.