The Quality of Life

Interviewing Taylor Walston on

how taking a terrifying risk can be the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do!

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If you are looking for a sign to get out of bed, take a shower, walk outside, or a simple reminder that you are important: Here it is! This is your sign!

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*Disclaimer: this post discusses many deep topics as part of a very vulnerable conversation. This may trigger certain memories or experiences for some. It’s your choice to read this post.*

*Landscape and portrait photography done by Taylor Walston.*

How Moving (to an island in one weekend) Changed Her Life

Alright, welcome back to Becoming the Best Self! Today is going to be a little bit different than our normal posts!

A few weeks ago, I reached out to the beautiful Taylor Walston! (Her platforms are linked, so be sure to check them out!)

You may know her from TikTok, which is where I first found her! After following her on Instagram, I fell in love with her photography! (P.s.- if you are in HI, seriously check out her work! She’s uber talented!)

I digress. On TikTok, she has videos noting her move from LA to HI (which she did in one weekend, might I add). Sounds crazy, right?! She talks about how she has gained such a higher quality of living since her huge move to the island. So, of course, I had to know more!

As I said, I reached out to Taylor on Instagram a few weeks ago. I explained to her that I would love to share some of her story on Becoming the Best Self, and discuss how she has grown from her move! She sweetly accepted, and we’ve been talking back and forth since!

Now that you’re all up to date, let’s talk about what exactly this post is!

Today, we’ll be going through my interview (well, Instagram interview) with Taylor!

She shared her past, including her move, in an absolutely transparent and vulnerable way. She tells us how she found true happiness and an amazing quality of life! I am honestly honored to be able to share it with you! (Thanks for trusting me to tell your story, Taylor!)

I know what you’re thinking:

“Jess. How will someone else’s story on moving help me?”

Have we learned nothing?! First of all, part of self growth is learning and understanding other people and their stories! Secondly, Taylor’s communication with me has been very personal, and she’s expressed just how happy she finally is! Throughout this post, I’m hoping you’ll find this interview as encouragement to take risks!

By sharing Taylor’s story, we are hoping to inspire you to take those leaps that seem scary. Because that may just be exactly how you’ll find your best quality of life!

Our order for today is as follows: The Backstory, The Move, The Impact, The Message

 

The Backstory

Who is Taylor Walston?

Some of you may be on this post to learn more about her, or maybe this is the first time you’ve heard her name! As a brief introduction, she’s now a photographer thriving in Hawaii! She decided to move from Los Angeles to the island seemingly overnight. She currently has over 10k followers on Instagram and over 24k followers on TikTok!

Before I go any further, let’s show a picture (in case you are just now being introduced). She is absolutely gorgeous!

Her entire Instagram proves her beauty and constantly makes me want to drop everything and move to Hawaii as well!

(Hey, Taylor, can we be best friends if I move? Because I’m here for it.)

On a more serious note, throughout talking to her, Taylor explained to me that she hasn’t always been as happy as she appears to be.

Life of chaos

Prior to moving to Hawaii, Taylor thought she had her entire life planned out with her husband, while she was going to college in Idaho. But, about a semester and a half before graduating college, her (now) ex-husband left her. He had met someone else and Taylor’s world, understandably, came crumbling down.

She then backtracks to explain to me how she has “only ever experienced havoc” in her life. So this was, although shocking, not a new feeling.

Taylor then vulnerably discussed being sexually abused by her grandpa as she was growing up.

As having studied criminal justice and sociology for my degree, I’ve seen the statistics on sexual abuse continue to rise. Did you know that experts say 500,000 children, each year, will be impacted by child sexual abuse? Out of the number of cases, 93% of these victims know their abuser. This means the abuse is not coming from a stranger; it’s happening by friends and/or family. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. If you feel inclined, you can learn about ways to help, trainings, and give donations for programs working to end childhood sexual abuse at Darkness to Light.

She then told me that two years ago, her step-brother passed away by suicide, which was one month after her best friend also passed away by suicide.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US. Although the rate of suicide is highest among middle-aged white men, the US has an average of 132 suicides per day. If you are struggling right now, please call 1-800-273-8255 . This is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The calls are always confidential and the line is available 24/7. Please reach out.

We need you here. You are important. You are a crucial asset to this world. You are loved.

Life before moving

After college, Taylor moved to Los Angeles and began her job at LA Associates of Realtors.

She expresses that she was absolutely miserable, due to both circumstances at her job, as well as being alone once she got off. This soon led to an abundance of partying.

Even though she wasn’t drinking or using drugs, she talks about going out every night around 9pm, staying out until 4-5 a.m. and then being back at work at 8 a.m. She knew this behavior came from being alone, depressed, and overall sad, but everyday she repeated this routine.

One weekend, when Taylor had decided she needed a breathe of fresh air. Wanting a break from her everyday life, she took her second trip to Hawaii.

She said that as she was sitting on the body of the ocean floor during a scuba diving adventure, she thought to herself, “If I don’t move here, I will never be happy.”

 

The Move

How it happened

After Taylor came back from her weekend trip to Hawaii, she immediately gave her job a two weeks notice. That Friday, her property manager told her she could break her lease if she left that day.

She handed all of her unneeded belongings over to her supervisor’s family member. Once the big things were gone, she packed up and left for Hawaii!

(No worries about her things though! She wasn’t leaving without her camera in hand! I mean- come on, have you seen her photography?!)

Her expectations

  I asked Taylor what she expected to gain from moving in the beginning.

Her response:

“When you get married and have all these plans around this person and a projected life together, and that goes away, you kind of don’t really know who you are or what you’re doing anymore.”

She said she was just looking to find herself.

Previous to her divorce, everything she had planned was around him or their marriage. She hadn’t planned for life on her own.

So, she ultimately went to Hawaii to find out what she’s been doing for herself. She knew God, but was hoping to find what God’s purpose for her life was.

She was on a soul-searching mission!

 

The Impact

“But moving here, there’s this insane magic that exists on this island and it’s incredible!”

Finding happiness

Taylor says she has felt a huge shift in her heart, as a result from her move!

She notes that she’s more loving and she’s found her relationship with God! She isn’t blind to the fact that finding herself may be a life-long mission and she knows it isn’t perfect.

But, moving to Hawaii changed her quality of life. She expressed to me that her happiness is significantly different than it has ever been, especially over the last 6 years of her life!

Still Learning

One thing that she is currently working on is taking care of her physical body. She now also prioritizes taking care of the planet, herself, and other people!

As far as her mental health goes, she has learned to be more at peace with life! She explains how living fast paced and superficial (which is the heavily-portrayed LA lifestyle) isn’t meaningful.

Since her move from LA to HI, she so sweetly tells me about how her life, along with the world, now has meaning- in so many ways!

Spiritually, gaining that peace gave her the time to connect with the nature around her and find the relationship with God that she had been longing for! (She also includes that working on your relationship with God is a daily effort!)

In hindsight

I asked Taylor if, in hindsight, she would have done anything differently. Her very definite answer was, “No, I don’t regret a single decision in moving here.”

She said it was very, very scary at first and she often thought, “what the heck am I doing,” but that there was nothing she would change.

For the months prior to her move, Taylor states that she really just had no desire to live. Even though she wasn’t wanting to die, she said there was nothing she looked forward to in life.

Her move to Hawaii, even with a few days notice, changed her life.

The only thing Taylor says she wishes she had been able to do differently was figure herself out more before gaining new HI friendships. But, she also says that she doesn’t think we are “designed to take on life on our own,” so she is patient and understanding in her relationships and self growth!

 

The Message

So, how does Taylor’s story help me?

In all reality, her story isn’t going to help you in even the slightest bit if you don’t want it to. You may have read it as just another biographical interview. And, if that’s the case, I’m glad you enjoyed it thus far and that you are still here!

But, if you’re looking for a sign to take the risk: maybe this is it for you.

I did this interview in hopes of giving you inspiration. Her story was meant to give you reassurance that sometimes the scariest risks can be the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do.

I’m not saying you have to pick up and move just to find your happiness.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting a new job and you’ve just needed the right push. Here it is.

Maybe you’ve been looking for a reason to leave a toxic relationship you’re in. I know it’ll be hard, but here’s your sign.

Maybe the risk you should be taking doesn’t have all of the details figured out, but you have that gut feeling it’s what you should do. Do it.

Did you know that you gain confidence from taking risks? If it doesn’t work out, you’ll be proud that you gave it a shot. If it does work out, you’ll be confident going forward in every endeavor you come across!

Not only will you gain confidence from the risk itself, but you’ll also stand out. (How many people can say they decided to move from L.A. to H.I. in a weekend?) Taking a chance can show you, and others, that you trust yourself and have faith that things will work out. Those are really good qualities to have.

Now, don’t be reckless. Yes, you should take the chance, but not if the only outcomes you see are failures. You do have to put some thought into things before you do them. (Taylor had some clarity of why, when, and how she would be moving.) But, overall, if the risk seems worth it- it most likely is. I dare you to take it.

Ultimately, success isn’t going to fall into your lap. And, if you aren’t happy now, happiness isn’t going to just appear and stay. We have to work to have the quality of life we deserve.

So, how far are you willing to go?

I hope you were able to gain something, anything, from this post. I, once again, am honored to have been able to interview Taylor! (Thank you, girl! I loved sharing your story!)

I encourage you to drop a risk you’re considering, or maybe you’ve taken, in the comments!

If you know someone, or a few people, that could benefit from Taylor’s story or needs a push in the right direction, go ahead and share this post with them!

At the end of the day, it’s up to us to accomplish our success and find our happiness. You deserve the highest quality of life you can get. I hope you’re close to it, if not already there.

I am proud of you. I am proud of the chances you are even considering. I’m proud of the risks you’re taking.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store for you!

As always, if you need a sign to take care of yourself: this is it.

Take the leap.

Have faith.

Find your happiness!

Because as we all know:

you are the most vital character in your story!

RELATED ARTICLES:

Our Story: How Taking the Leap Can Change Your Life

Taking Risks for Success

Why We Take Risks

 

Peace out, girl scouts!

… and always aim to be the best self you can be.