Conversations with Gaffney Taylor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gaffney Taylor.

Hi Gaffney, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my journey to becoming a creative coach and interdisciplinary artist as a little kid interested in drawing the manga characters that aired on TV every weekend, while living in my own inner world. My younger self dared to dream so big that she believed anything was possible. What is the difference between that girl and who I am now as a holistic creative coach and interdisciplinary artist in my 30’s?

Along the way, I believed in the limiting thought patterns of others and held on too tightly to what others thought I ought to be, do, say, and believe in. I thought I knew my “why,” or my life purpose—and looking back over the many creative careers I’ve done, I’ve come to see how everything is slowly integrating and nothing is lost in a beautiful, magical, and cyclical way. Each skill became honed on its own timeline—two degrees in photography, an MFA in fiction writing, multiple certifications in life coaching and the arts—and now I am integrating everything into a holistic creative business while continuing to be a student of life. The idea of influence has been on my mind lately, and that has truly pivoted my life towards uncovering future goals. I’ve gotten to a unique place where I dream as big as I used to when I was the innocent little girl drawing manga characters. Anything is possible with the right thinking to drive your actions. I know this now, and I hope you can come to believe that through mindset work, you can arrive at a wonderful place too.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth for me—from managing a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, being homeless several years ago, having 3 psychotic breaks and almost not surviving, losing my mom to cancer, and more, I’ve come far. I live a sober lifestyle, continue to achieve my business goals through commitment and consistency, have friends, feel connected to my purpose of healing others through art, and know that, although it has been a bumpy road of trials and errors, I have never failed. I do not believe in failures or mistakes; I believe in learning from the past, being mindful in the present, and planning for the future. I know I make it sound easy. It is one thing to write these words and another to have consistently built a resilient state of mind that enables taking positive action when the going gets tough, and the tough gets tougher. But it is possible. Remember that anything is possible for the best. And I do not believe in comparing myself to others. Everyone has something difficult they deal with. As the saying goes, “Don’t compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter ten.”

I believe in giving kindness to others, even when people still perpetuate mental health stigmas. I love dreaming big, and I also love taking action and helping others get tangible results—whether that’s a moment of clarity, an acknowledgement they’re not alone, or a shoulder to cry on or someone to celebrate wins with.
Through spending large amounts of time in isolation–reading, thinking, forcing myself to be bored so I could confront what I was afraid of acknowledging and processing, I became aware that the opinions of others don’t matter. Negativity washed away, my mind freer, my spirit lighter.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a creative individual, and I wholeheartedly believe that anyone can be creative—it is a skill that everyone can learn and hone with practice, and it’s fun and healing as well. That said, I coach others through expressive arts, mindset work, meditations, and more to help them find their “why,” and achieve sustainable results. It is one thing to say, “I’m going to achieve x, y, or z,” and another to have a roadmap to get you there that works for your individual needs. My goal is to one day open an academy where people who feel like they have given up on life can have a second chance to learn how to heal their pain through art, find their purpose, and in turn heal others with their stories. If I do not take radical responsibility for my dreams and life, then who? And if not you to heal your life, then who? We got this.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] for business inquires or interest in learning my process for creative and academic life coaching.