TAYLOR ENGLE ANDERSON BRAIN

We’ll look for love in the aisles of the grocery store, the pump at the gas station, the friend of the friend, the hell-on-earth APPS before ever thinking to look in a mirror. Without confronting that reflection , I don’t think we can even begin to understand what we want, let alone what we deserve. So let’s start here. In honor of Love Month and at the risk of being a little embarrassing, I want us to write a love letter to ourselves, because we deserve it more than anyone.

“We accept the love we think we deserve” is one of the hardest-hitting lines Paul Rudd ever delivered. Thirteen years later, this simple but powerful piece of cinema still resonates with so many of us, especially as we develop a deeper understanding  of the law of attraction and the role our thoughts play in the outcome.  Historically, we’ve been drawn to this statement because we were deeply emo in the early 2000s and 2010s, and romanticizing pain was in. Today, we’ve moved

Do you find keys to connection and understanding in astrology? You’re not alone. Like other spiritual baddies before me, I’ve utilized astrology as one of my many tools for learning about myself and increasing my empathy and awareness of others.  If the zodiac has never resonated with your way of thinking, I’d like to introduce you to a new way of looking at it—especially if you’re an artist looking to up your empathy and connectivity in your work. Whether or not you resonate

Sometimes it just feels good to break a rule. Creating something the “right” way is rewarding, but the ability to flip “right” on its head and stand on the decision? That’s the first and most necessary step to evolution, and it’s happening in every art form you know and love. Think: jazz improv, abstract Pollocks and Rothkos, Pulp Fiction- esque films that reject chronological storytelling, the so-bad-it’s-good singing style of punk rock. While every art form begins with a fo

As the year comes to an end, I’m reflecting on every blessing that came from it. That’s how I choose to see everything that happens to me: as a blessing that was meant to occur.  It’s a choice, and sometimes a difficult one, but if you challenge yourself to see the blessing in everything that happens, especially experiences you perceive to be negative, your brain starts to look for the blessings more and more. From there, you call more positivity and enlightenment into your l

“I’m going to count you down from ten, and when I snap my fingers, you’ll open your eyes and be filled with an overwhelming sense of joy as soon as you see the color red.” You hear the words from a distance, but your body is limp and leaden. You struggle to conceive of a time when you were able to move. “Ten.”  But the state you’re in doesn’t concern you; you simply observe it. Nothing concerns you right now. Some might say at 11, you’re too young to have experienced real con

It goes like this: I’ll be writing some email about some human system we made up to soothe our own egos and decided status as the superior species on earth—automated workflows, KPIs, growth hacking —and then, BOOM. Something tangible happens, and I remember I’m inhabiting flesh that bleeds. Sometimes, it’s in the form of someone unabashedly cutting through the echoing jargon.  You’ve been pre-approved to feel again!!! I get on a call with someone I’m interviewing for an artic

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your cannabis-loving friend or relative, or trying to put a beginner onto something with training wheels (a.k.a., low-THC, high-CBD)? You’ve come to the right place.  I’ve been writing about the industry for 10 years, and I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy samples from beloved brands along the way. That being said, here is my roundup of top picks for stuffing your favorite stoner’s stocking with something sweet (and infused).  Top 9 p

The coffee is toasty and naturally sweet, and my mouth is coated in its caramel essence. I regret having eaten before I got here, but I’ve made it my mission to stay long enough to build up an appetite. The Bombay-inspired small-batch bakery looks too mouthwatering to resist, and the flavors remind me of my husband’s Turkish latte: a delicious espresso adorned with cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, oat, and crushed pistachio.  I was on the hunt for a place to hunker down and writ

This year’s third annual Repurpose Your Life  retreat was the best one yet—although as a vendor, I might be biased. Either way, this was...

The woman, the myth, the legend. These are the words that come to mind when I think of Isabel Varela , a visionary entrepreneur who...

I'm always on the hunt for scary good treats, especially when Halloween is around the corner. This year, I looked no further than Mavricks from Muha Meds , the street-certified LA brand that is one of my personal favorites. With their premium, solventless extracts (no chemical additives!), Muha Meds brings you a pure, clean experience every time. Whether you're craving the citrusy vibes of Mimosa, the heavy hit of Fatso, some savory Donnie Burger, or the pungent punch of Garl

I love writing about Shaun. I’ve been doing it for almost two years, and through this act—which is as natural as taking a breath—I’ve finally discovered the power of having a muse. Writing about our connection has helped me move closer to my center as a writer. From noir and surrealism to gothic and transgressive fiction, I can always get down with exploring the darkest limits of human emotion, but the stories I find myself most often returning to—and wanting to emulate mysel

It all started with a dream.  If you really needed me to, I could spend half a day scrolling up through my text thread with Shaun until I found the message—the one where I told him I loved him, I hope he’d have a great day, and I just had a fantasy of us lazing around together on a boat in Italy. It’s something we do often and out loud: dream back and forth of a daring and luxurious sweetness, visions of future experiences to amplify the sweet life we’re already blessed with.

I was recently blessed with a four-day trip to Italy: two days in Milan, one day in Como, and one in Venice. Although quick and unexpected, we made the best of our time there—especially when it came to eating.  Day one: Espresso, too much pasta, and more espresso The day we landed, it was about noon in Milan, and we’d been traveling for around 20 hours. By the time we got to our hotel , it was still an hour too early for us to check in, but the staff was kind enough to hold o

Functional mushrooms have changed my life. Integrating them into my routine has made me more grounded, energized, and empathetic with the world around me. So when I was introduced to Dialed Moods , a groundbreaking energy drink that combines Kratom  with a variety of non-psychedelic powerhouse mushrooms for a natural physical and cognitive boost, I was pressed to learn more. I’m not a fan of energy drinks at all. I had my first and last dalliance with Rockstar when I was work

In a world where most people follow the path laid before them, My Private Professor  founder Sona Shah chose to forge her own. Leaving behind a years-long career in law to pursue her true passion for tutoring and education, her unlikely journey is a testament to the power that can unfold when a woman fearlessly follows her true calling. Photo Credit: Teresa Renee Rogers Photography From law to education: A journey rooted in passion Shah began her professional career as an att

A good amount of the fitness community seems to be convinced that lifting weights in a gym is the only way to get in shape, and that’s great for anyone who is truly passionate about the practice—but what if the concept of picking up heavy shit and putting it down over and over again bores you to tears?  What if racing along a moving platform like a hamster on a wheel makes you want to scream ? Photo credit: What Is My Health A few years into recovery , I was still going to th

It’s been seven years since I started recovering from anorexia and exercise addiction . In honor and celebration of this near-decade of healing and self-discovery, I want to share my story with you. My history with anorexia and exercise addiction Like many girls and women, I began experiencing body dysmorphia at a young age. I spent adolescence standing in front of so many mirrors , yanking at my skin and feeling a rage bubble up inside me. I shouldn’t have been able to grab

I started recovering from anorexia  in 2017. It was a grueling process, and one of the biggest lessons I had to learn was how to self-care. I’d spent years working myself into the ground because I thought punishment and sacrifice were necessary for success, but I’ve since learned that true success can only come from balance, consistency, and letting your inner child thrive. It turns out living a fruitful life has nothing to do with work. Still, most of us have to do it if we