Tea with a Taurus

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 exper...

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.

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 re...

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 did...

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...

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 some...

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 ex...

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 ca...

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 abou...

Are you consuming media… or is it consuming you?

In today’s episode of Tea with a Taurus, I share my experience participating in the “Anti Brain Rot Reading Challenge” created by Jananie from the YouTube channel This Story Ain’t Over.

While the challenge includes multiple guidelines, my focus has been on two major shifts:

• Building consistent, focused reading habits • Widening the range of books and ...

In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, we’re talking about a fear many of us quietly carry: What if I become like my parents?

After joining a library book club (yes, they read spicy romance 😌) and discussing Lights Out, a theme stood out — the fear of inheriting darkness, addiction, or destructive patterns from family.

If you grew up around addiction, emotional instability, anger, or unhealthy coping mechanisms, you may...

What’s the difference between a boundary and a habit — and why does it matter?

In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, I’m reflecting on a recent conversation sparked by a comment that questioned whether boundaries can exist without involving other people. Instead of getting stuck in definitions, we widen the lens and talk about how boundaries often begin internally — with our time, energy, and bodies.

We expl...

Public education — and caregiving work of any kind — asks for so much. It’s easy to keep giving, telling yourself it’s for the students, the work, the people who need you… until you realize you’re running on empty.

In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, I’m talking honestly about learning to set boundaries in small, steady ways. From stepping back when daily episodes became too much, to rec...

Why do we put things off — even when we know they would help us?

In this episode of Tea with a Taurus, a simple dinner conversation turns into a deeper reflection on procrastination, task paralysis, and what’s really happening beneath the surface — especially for those of us with ADHD.

We talk about why “just do it” isn’t always helpful, how overwhelm and perfectionism can freeze us in place, and...

This week’s episode is a deeply personal reflection on growth, parenting, and the moments that show us how far we’ve really come. Inspired by a conversation with my son—a conversation no sixteen-year-old should ever have to navigate—I found myself revisiting an old phrase from my days working in education: “Once you know better, you do better.”

In this episode, I share:

✨ A difficult moment my so...