Episode 216 – Advocating for Yourself with Taylor Santos

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:00

You are tuned into the Jackson hole, connection, sharing, fascinating stories of people connected to Jackson Hole.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:07

I am truly grateful for each of you for tuning in today and support for this podcast comes from:

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:15

Learning and reading is really important to me, and I'm gonna share a little quote with you today that I just recently found.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:22

I think it's applicable to today's topic, the quote is, it's your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life story will develop.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:35

That's from Dier f Porf.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:37

You are listening to episode number 216, and my guest today is a brave up and coming individual.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:47

Taylor Santos.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:49

I recently met Taylor at a Rotary club meeting.

Stephan Abrams: 00:00:52

She was receiving an award, and I'm not gonna reveal much about Taylor's story here in the introduction because I want you to hear directly from her.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:02

I'm very grateful to have met Taylor and that she was willing to come onto this podcast and share her story with you.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:11

I hope you learn from Taylor today and that you can find a way to help others in your community, because remember, what you see from your point of view may not be what is really actually happening to the person you're viewing or communicating with.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:28

So here's Taylor San.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:29

Taylor.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:30

Thank you for joining me today here at the Jackson Hole Connection.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:34

I am inspired and delighted to have you as a guest.

Taylor Santos: 00:01:39

Thank you so much for having me.

Taylor Santos: 00:01:40

it's an honor to be here.

Taylor Santos: 00:01:41

This is a big opportunity for me.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:45

Well, you recently were awarded, a student of the quarter or of the month through the school that you attend and the story that you shared.

Stephan Abrams: 00:01:57

Was very emotional, very real.

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:01

And afterwards I felt as though having an opportunity for you to share your story, in a little bit more depth, would be good for a lot of people, to hear the reality of what some people, go through in life.

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:14

So Taylor, let's start off with why don't you share.

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:20

With people that are listening in today, where were you born and where were you raised, but also tell them what is your age?

Taylor Santos: 00:02:29

All right, so I was born and raised in Jackson, Wyoming.

Taylor Santos: 00:02:32

I haven't lived anywhere else, and I am currently 18 years old.

Taylor Santos: 00:02:38

Okay.

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:39

And.

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:40

What school are you attending right now?

Taylor Santos: 00:02:44

I am a senior at Summit Innovations High School.

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:47

And would you like to describe what Summit Innovations High School is for so people have an understanding?

Stephan Abrams: 00:02:54

Yeah,

Taylor Santos: 00:02:54

so Summit is the alternative school.

Taylor Santos: 00:02:57

It's completely free, but.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:00

Has a different way of teaching.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:03

It's more students and teachers, like you have a more personal connection with everyone.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:08

It feels a lot like a family, which is really unique and cool.

Stephan Abrams: 00:03:12

And do you know how many students are at Summit Innovations?

Taylor Santos: 00:03:16

There might be like 50 kids right now.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:19

And that includes some kids who come over from the high school as.

Stephan Abrams: 00:03:23

some students are some classes at Summit and then the rest at the high school to where some students are all classes at Summit, correct?

Taylor Santos: 00:03:31

Exactly.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:32

Yeah.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:32

Okay.

Stephan Abrams: 00:03:32

So you were born here, you're 18, you're an adult now.

Stephan Abrams: 00:03:37

Yep.

Stephan Abrams: 00:03:37

And, what has it been like for you growing up here in Jackson?

Taylor Santos: 00:03:42

it's been difficult.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:43

I've always, when I was with my parents, we lived in a trailer.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:47

We were definitely lower class.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:49

I was lucky enough to never be low on food or anything like that growing up, but

Taylor Santos: 00:03:56

I guess my family life wasn't the easiest.

Taylor Santos: 00:03:59

There was a lot of fighting and like, Screaming every night, and that made it hard to really thrive in Jackson.

Taylor Santos: 00:04:08

it seems like not a lot of people would wanna help, or like the few times I did ask for help, I wasn't getting what I needed, if that makes sense.

Stephan Abrams: 00:04:19

It, it does.

Stephan Abrams: 00:04:21

Who were you asking for help from

Taylor Santos: 00:04:23

there have been times where like cops have been involved and it seemed like they never really looked at the issues that were going on.

Taylor Santos: 00:04:34

. Even talking to like my grandparents who live just down the road, they never really helped much with my home life.

Taylor Santos: 00:04:42

I did spend about eight months in the Van Black group home, and even though I got help there, my family didn't really get help.

Taylor Santos: 00:04:51

So going back home was, Going back home to the bad place I left.

Taylor Santos: 00:04:58

Even though I had changed, nobody else did.

Stephan Abrams: 00:05:01

hey Lord, do you have any siblings?

Taylor Santos: 00:05:03

I do.

Taylor Santos: 00:05:04

I have one younger sibling.

Taylor Santos: 00:05:06

She is 10 years younger than me.

Stephan Abrams: 00:05:09

And what's going on with her now?

Taylor Santos: 00:05:11

she still lives with my parents, my mom and my stepdad, her dad.

Taylor Santos: 00:05:16

yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:05:17

And when you were able to get help from VanEck house, Do you want to share what transpired that, opened the doors to the van Black House?

Taylor Santos: 00:05:28

Yeah, so, when I was 12, I actually ran away from home with an older man, and from there I directly went to Van Black and I got the help I needed and, it just really changed me being there.

Taylor Santos: 00:05:46

It felt like a real home that I got to stay at I got support there.

Taylor Santos: 00:05:51

yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:05:52

And why weren't you able to stay at Van Black longer?

Taylor Santos: 00:05:56

I had completed the program, so I graduated.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:00

They thought I was ready.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:01

I thought I was ready to to go back home.

Stephan Abrams: 00:06:05

And then when you went back home, what was the reality of being ready

Taylor Santos: 00:06:10

and.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:11

even though I put in all this hard work on how to manage like my anger and, you know, my relationship with my parents and how I talked to my mom and all that, it still wasn't enough for them.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:26

And so when I went back home, it was, I immediately felt like I was a disappointment again and I wasn't good enough.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:34

And all my hard work kind of was for nothing.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:37

, which was rough.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:38

the screaming was still going on.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:40

The fights.

Stephan Abrams: 00:06:42

That's gotta be tough to be in a household where that's the way communication happens is screaming and yelling and.

Stephan Abrams: 00:06:50

Always having a, a fight, an argument versus let's talk.

Taylor Santos: 00:06:54

Yeah, exactly.

Stephan Abrams: 00:06:56

And how long did you last at your, with your parents after going back?

Taylor Santos: 00:07:04

after going back, I was there.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:08

Maybe for a few months.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:10

And they kicked me out and I went to live with my grandparents, which were in the same neighborhood.

Stephan Abrams: 00:07:19

Was it a, was that a better situation?

Taylor Santos: 00:07:22

Kind of.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:22

my grandpa has very,

Taylor Santos: 00:07:25

Unique or extreme.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:28

I don't almost extremist beliefs like very different from mine.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:33

so when I went there, I was on like antidepressants and all of that fun stuff and I got taken off my meds cold Turkey.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:45

And at the time my grandma wasn't there it was just hard to connect with him and talk to him about why I'm there.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:52

yeah, what I can think of for that.

Taylor Santos: 00:07:54

yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:07:55

so this is preteens and to early teens.

Stephan Abrams: 00:07:58

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:07:59

Did you ever have a place that you could go that felt safe and as though that you were welcomed and wanted and that you would try to spend more time?

Taylor Santos: 00:08:08

not really.

Taylor Santos: 00:08:10

Mm, After Van Black, I'd go there a lot and, you know, hang out with the staff and residents after like, counseling, cuz I'd still see the counselor over there.

Taylor Santos: 00:08:21

it was hard to hang out with friends just cuz I, I was embarrassed of my family and I didn't want anyone to come to my house and, Anything.

Taylor Santos: 00:08:32

and I also wouldn't go out a lot, which didn't help.

Stephan Abrams: 00:08:37

And where are you with, I mean, you're openly sharing this story now, so the embarrassment level is.

Stephan Abrams: 00:08:44

Probably a lot lower or non-existent.

Stephan Abrams: 00:08:48

I don't wanna put words in your mouth mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:08:50

, but how are you able at this time to now share what you've gone through to where you don't see yourself as an embarrassment or that it shouldn't be hidden?

Taylor Santos: 00:09:02

I guess it, it took me a while to realize, but it wasn't my fault and I didn't deserve.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:08

The stuff that I was going through, which took a lot to realize and it was really painful.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:15

But, kind of just having to tell myself like, none of this was really my fault.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:19

I did everything I could.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:21

and I found how to speak up for myself, which was something I wasn't ever able to do as a kid in that house.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:29

, I could never speak back or, try to explain why I did something wrong, which

Stephan Abrams: 00:09:35

is weird.

Stephan Abrams: 00:09:36

Hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:09:37

So you said you've learned how to speak up for yourself.

Stephan Abrams: 00:09:41

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:09:42

What happened when you started learning how to speak up for yourself?

Taylor Santos: 00:09:45

a lot of good came out of it.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:47

I got out of the house.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:48

I was able to live on my own and ask for the help that I needed and actually get that help, which helped me tremendously.

Taylor Santos: 00:09:57

yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:09:58

And when you started speaking up for yourself and realizing it's not your fault and.

Stephan Abrams: 00:10:06

You were able to leave home and find a different place to live.

Stephan Abrams: 00:10:12

How old were you when you left home?

Stephan Abrams: 00:10:15

Because I'm, When you say leave home, you were no longer with your grandparents either, correct?

Stephan Abrams: 00:10:20

Yeah.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:21

okay.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:22

So a week after sophomore year ended, My grandma was outta town.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:27

It was just me and my grandpa, and I'm not really gonna get into why I was kicked out, cuz it wasn't, I didn't do anything wrong this time.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:37

It was something against his own beliefs and he wanted me to read an ideological book on freedom.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:46

And it was like 300, 400 pages.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:49

And if I didn't read it, I'd have to leave.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:52

And so I left and I was 16 at the time.

Taylor Santos: 00:10:57

And where'd you go?

Taylor Santos: 00:10:57

I talked to my boss earlier that day and explained what was going on, and she had employee housing with a bunch of other girls who were working for her, so I went and stayed with them for about a week.

Taylor Santos: 00:11:12

And then what, it didn't really work out there since I was so young.

Taylor Santos: 00:11:17

Everyone else was older than me and I don't know if that made them uncomfortable having me around, but they were asking me when I was leaving and so I left and I went to go stay at my best friend's house.

Taylor Santos: 00:11:30

however, Most of the summer I was camping, not because I didn't feel safe or comfortable at my friend's house, just because it, it worked for me, I guess.

Taylor Santos: 00:11:43

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:11:44

So you're 16 and out on your.

Stephan Abrams: 00:11:48

You're working?

Stephan Abrams: 00:11:49

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:11:50

Are you going to school regularly

Taylor Santos: 00:11:52

or is this summertime?

Taylor Santos: 00:11:53

this is summertime.

Taylor Santos: 00:11:54

So I'm, I was just working

Stephan Abrams: 00:11:57

mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:11:58

and then when summer was over and no more camping than what,

Taylor Santos: 00:12:02

then I was lucky enough, my boss had a little apartment for about a.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:08

And I was able to stay there.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:10

And that was my first time really living alone.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:14

Alone.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:15

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:16

so that was a little rough.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:18

And then from there I went to my mom's old friend's house.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:24

she kind of became my friend through everything.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:28

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:29

and I stayed there for quite a few months.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:33

Well through January I think, and after that I tried to go back home and live with my mom and my stepdad again.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:44

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:44

I was there for

Taylor Santos: 00:12:47

one night before me and my stepdad got into our first, I guess, bickering.

Taylor Santos: 00:12:53

and by the second night he threw me on the ground and he was drunk and we got into a fight and, my mom actually took me and my little sister to the women's shelter the next day and we all stayed there for about a month.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:11

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:12

. And then she took my sister back home.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:16

And they're still there.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:18

So from there I stayed at a cabin that my teacher helped me find for about a month.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:26

it was really just a lot of in between, going between different houses, between like my friend's house and whatever I could find.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:36

and then I got lucky enough to find the place I'm at now, which is more stable.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:41

I get to pay rent, which is nice.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:43

just knowing that I'm not gonna have to find a somewhere to live next week.

Taylor Santos: 00:13:48

I'm not gonna have to look for where I'm gonna sleep.

Stephan Abrams: 00:13:52

I'm happy to hear that you found something stable and.

Stephan Abrams: 00:13:56

Secure.

Stephan Abrams: 00:13:56

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:13:58

And you have some at some at high school.

Taylor Santos: 00:14:01

Yeah, and I, yeah.

Taylor Santos: 00:14:03

I can't even describe how much they've helped me through this.

Taylor Santos: 00:14:07

It's, it's been amazing.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:10

You're, you're very courageous to share your.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:14

Your experience and your your story here today.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:19

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:20

And how many other students here in town do you think are going through what you have gone through and are going through right now?

Taylor Santos: 00:14:31

I think it's way more common of a issue than we'd like to see.

Taylor Santos: 00:14:37

Personally, I know a few people who also are minors and are having to live on their own or having to stay at friends' houses, and it's a harsh reality and it sucks to hear about and see.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:52

Hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:53

Do you offer support to those students?

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:55

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:14:56

connect

Taylor Santos: 00:14:56

with them.

Taylor Santos: 00:14:57

I try, at least with the ones I'm close to, and I know, I give them as much support and advice as I can.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:05

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:05

, uh, they saw me go through it and it, it made it so they knew it was possible and, Might have gave them the courage to work harder and accept that they can do it on them on their own.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:21

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:22

, if that makes

Stephan Abrams: 00:15:22

sense.

Stephan Abrams: 00:15:23

It does.

Stephan Abrams: 00:15:24

And Summit High School has been a game changer for you and are you still have access to, To support to having a counselor?

Taylor Santos: 00:15:34

right now, not, I'm not sure.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:37

I haven't talked to my counselor in a while.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:39

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:40

, but I'm thinking of talking to a new one or something, so, mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:44

. Stephan Abrams: Well, when you went from being a minor to being an adult Yeah.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:47

Did the resources change for you?

Taylor Santos: 00:15:50

Yeah, I think so.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:52

I was seeing someone through Van Black.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:55

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:15:56

so

Stephan Abrams: 00:15:57

yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:15:57

Were they able to help you transition from receiving services from them to receiving services as an adult?

Taylor Santos: 00:16:04

not yet.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:05

I also haven't asked or advocated on that one.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:10

Mm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:16:11

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:16:12

So you just said something Advocat.

Stephan Abrams: 00:16:14

What have you learned about advocation for yourself?

Taylor Santos: 00:16:17

it, it was scary.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:18

It's scary, this thing that I can do, but also it's really powerful and you can get a lot out of it.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:27

It's once you learn what you actually need, it's easy to say that.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:32

It always just makes me feel better and accomplished versus what?

Taylor Santos: 00:16:38

Versus before I was suppressed and I never shared anything.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:43

everything was a big secret.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:45

Even my own emotions to myself.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:47

Mm-hmm.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:48

. I never let myself feel that.

Stephan Abrams: 00:16:50

Do you have an outlet of how you.

Stephan Abrams: 00:16:52

Share your emotions and your feelings, your thoughts.

Taylor Santos: 00:16:56

Yeah, so I write poetry a lot and I draw or paint kind of whatever I can do.

Taylor Santos: 00:17:06

Creativity.

Taylor Santos: 00:17:07

Creativity.

Taylor Santos: 00:17:08

That word creatively.

Taylor Santos: 00:17:10

Yes.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:11

Oh, I'm the king of messing up words, . So don't you worry.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:17

It happens.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:19

It, it does happen.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:20

I totally mess up words.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:21

what a big relief to maybe a way to feel free.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:26

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:26

Not that the issues go away, but you're not, you're not just anchored down by them.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:33

Exactly.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:33

Cause you can own it, but still share it.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:37

and you said you don't know where you would be today without Summit High School?

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:41

Yeah, I'm, I don't,

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:43

would you mind sharing a little bit of depth what Summit High School has done for you compared to if you were just attending?

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:53

Jackson Hole High School.

Stephan Abrams: 00:17:54

And for some people who are listening, they're very familiar with Summit and Jackson Hole High School cuz they live here.

Stephan Abrams: 00:18:00

But for some people they live in larger cities or in, in another country.

Stephan Abrams: 00:18:06

And granted, Jackson's a beautiful place and you hear how magnificent it is, but there's real stuff that's happening.

Stephan Abrams: 00:18:13

Where do you think you would be today if you had had to attend Jackson Hole High School versus

Taylor Santos: 00:18:17

Summit?

Taylor Santos: 00:18:17

I definitely wouldn't have any passion for growing plants and rigid of agriculture, which is my number one goal in life now.

Taylor Santos: 00:18:27

I also wouldn't have the connection I do with my teachers, They're really like best friends to me.

Taylor Santos: 00:18:34

they teach beyond just the books and beyond, like the lessons they add in whatever, whatever the class is interested in, they'll tailor it to the student, which I think is really cool.

Taylor Santos: 00:18:50

There's just an insane amount of care that everyone has here for each other.

Taylor Santos: 00:18:56

It's like a close community, which is awesome.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:01

Wow.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:02

I'm, I'm very grateful that our community recognizes the need to have a campus, such as some of its.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:08

Innovations.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:09

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:10

And that you found that campus to help you?

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:13

Who turned you onto Summit?

Taylor Santos: 00:19:15

I don't really know.

Taylor Santos: 00:19:16

I just, from middle school I was scared of the big high school and I didn't wanna be around everyone.

Taylor Santos: 00:19:22

So, I took a tour here and it seemed like it would, would work

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:27

for me.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:28

Okay.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:29

That's, Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:32

Hey Taylor.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:32

We're gonna take a break to get a word from our sponsors, and then I want to hear more about your regenerative, agriculture that you're thinking about.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:42

Taylor, welcome back you are sharing, yourself today.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:47

And I am so grateful for you and hearing your story encourages me to be a better person and be more aware of what's going on in our c.

Stephan Abrams: 00:19:56

And now you are an adult and you're attending Summit Innovations High School and they're, they've helped you realize that there's a future and to figure out what is next for Taylor.

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:12

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:12

And you've discussed regenerative agriculture.

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:16

Would you like to describe what that, what regenerative agriculture is to people

Taylor Santos: 00:20:22

Yeah.

Taylor Santos: 00:20:23

So, regenerative agriculture is farming or planning your food in a way that,

Taylor Santos: 00:20:29

Returns the earth back to like a self-sustainable forest.

Taylor Santos: 00:20:34

So I will be planning my crops and years from now I'm not gonna have to deal with them.

Taylor Santos: 00:20:41

They're gonna be fully self-sustainable and I'm not taking away from the land I'm giving back.

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:49

It's a pretty cool process.

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:51

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:51

How did you learn about regenerative agriculture and why does it speak to you?

Stephan Abrams: 00:20:57

Why, why is it called to you?

Taylor Santos: 00:20:58

my teacher here, he science teacher, has a agriculture class and that's kind of where I first discovered plants and all of that fun stuff.

Taylor Santos: 00:21:11

But once we got into.

Taylor Santos: 00:21:14

Different agriculture, like sustainable agriculture versus regenerative.

Taylor Santos: 00:21:19

it kind of just really opened my my eyes to we plant food and we don't pay any attention to the soil that we're planting it in, and we're killing off the soil and killing off the things that we do need, like, Need weeds, we need other crops other than, you know, just corn or just potatoes in a field.

Taylor Santos: 00:21:42

it just really changed my thoughts on the world and how we

Stephan Abrams: 00:21:47

should eat.

Stephan Abrams: 00:21:48

So, You're interested in regenerative agriculture, you, you're taking a class on it and a multitude of classes, I'm sure.

Stephan Abrams: 00:21:56

have you identified some places where some place or places that you want to go to begin this process of learning regenerative agriculture?

Taylor Santos: 00:22:07

Yeah, so, actually right now I'm doing a class with.

Taylor Santos: 00:22:12

The college, and I'm getting my master garden certificate before I graduate.

Taylor Santos: 00:22:18

And then after I graduate, I'm planning on moving to Dexter, Oregon and there there's a permaculture class and it's called Lost Valley Educations.

Taylor Santos: 00:22:30

And so I hope to go there, get my certificate, and then work from

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:36

there.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:37

That's awesome.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:38

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:38

You've got a plan.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:40

I do.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:41

How does that feel to, to know that you've thought out what, where you want to go next, and you're right now, every day working towards that?

Taylor Santos: 00:22:52

it's a relief.

Taylor Santos: 00:22:52

but I'm also really proud of myself.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:55

I bet there's a lot of other people who are proud of you too.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:58

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:22:59

You've had a difficult journey to be where you are.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:02

It could have gone a different direction.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:04

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:04

Have you ever thought about where you could be and where your life could be if, if you hadn't taken a different path?

Taylor Santos: 00:23:11

yeah, for sure.

Taylor Santos: 00:23:12

but also I then have to remind myself that I wouldn't be here and.

Taylor Santos: 00:23:19

I like where I'm at now and I like what my future looks like, and I don't think that would be the same if I wasn't faced with the challenges I was faced with.

Taylor Santos: 00:23:28

I wouldn't appreciate where I am as much as I do now.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:32

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:33

I heard once from.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:35

Somebody was asked a question, and you probably heard this question before, that if there was any one thing that you could have changed in your life, what would it have been?

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:43

And the individual answered by saying nothing because I wouldn't be who I am today.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:48

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:48

If life had not been what it was.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:51

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:51

In the past it's, but it's now up to me to determine.

Stephan Abrams: 00:23:56

What I do today and each day in the future, which will determine where my life goes.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:02

Yep.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:02

I thought it was a, a beautiful way to look at life.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:06

not to look at what we've done wrong or what's happened to us, but that now going forward we can take, each individual can take action to make life what we desire it to.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:18

Yeah,

Taylor Santos: 00:24:18

I like that.

Taylor Santos: 00:24:19

That's perfect,

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:20

And so you're gonna graduate, this fall, or are you graduating in the spring?

Taylor Santos: 00:24:24

I'm gonna graduate in the spring.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:28

In the spring?

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:29

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:30

Okay.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:31

And you're still working right?

Taylor Santos: 00:24:33

Yep.

Taylor Santos: 00:24:33

well, currently I'm off, I was working at the Playhouse, so seasonal closing, but yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:24:42

Did you find additional work or you're just focusing on school and enjoy being an 18

Taylor Santos: 00:24:47

year old?

Taylor Santos: 00:24:48

I'm gonna take the month off at least just to breathe.

Taylor Santos: 00:24:51

calm down and then I'll probably start up again in.

Taylor Santos: 00:24:57

. Stephan Abrams: Excellent.

Taylor Santos: 00:24:57

Yeah.

Taylor Santos: 00:24:57

how do you feel after talking

Taylor Santos: 00:24:59

today?

Taylor Santos: 00:25:01

I feel good.

Taylor Santos: 00:25:01

it was less scary than I was expecting, , but it was also good to get things out.

Taylor Santos: 00:25:06

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams: 00:25:08

and when?

Stephan Abrams: 00:25:09

You look at the future of what's gonna happen next, or, you, you spoke about at Rotary last week and how it's, you know, this is, this is you and the beauty of agriculture and, and what it'll bring.

Stephan Abrams: 00:25:26

What's your dream for the future?

Stephan Abrams: 00:25:27

What do you want?

Taylor Santos: 00:25:29

My dream, really just have a small little house, small little life, but also have my forest and my backyard and be.

Taylor Santos: 00:25:40

Self sustain, but also self-loving.

Taylor Santos: 00:25:43

I wanna spread happiness, and if that's through my garden, then that's perfect.

Taylor Santos: 00:25:50

I wanna just make sure that I touch people and I can teach people.

Taylor Santos: 00:25:56

How to farm and how to get through obstacles.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:01

yeah.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:02

Well, Taylor.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:03

I truly believe that if that you will accomplish what your dreams are, and what you've set out to accomplish.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:11

And I do know that there will be ups and downs in life going forward as well.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:16

There's gonna be more challenges ahead of you, and sometimes you'll feel as though, why me?

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:21

Why can't ever just be perfect.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:24

Not keep having this stuff happen to me.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:26

it's not you, it's just, it's just life.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:29

But with what the, you have learned in such a young age, you'll reach your, your dreams.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:35

For sure.

Taylor Santos: 00:26:36

Thank you.

Taylor Santos: 00:26:37

That's really

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:37

sweet.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:37

And you're a very courageous individual human being and.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:43

I hope more people can learn from you the beauty that you see for the rest of the world of how you want to just touch people and teach happiness and, have your little place and be able to make a difference.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:57

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams: 00:26:58

You, you will make a difference in the right ways and.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:02

. Other people can learn from you.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:03

I know they will.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:04

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:04

Thank you for joining me today, Taylor.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:07

Thank you for having me.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:09

I know that you will see great successes moving forward.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:13

Thank you so much.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:14

To learn more about Taylor and her life's journey, visit the Jackson Hole Connection, episode number 216.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:22

Folks, get out there and share this podcast on Facebook, Instagram, your phone devices, however you want it, digital assistance.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:31

Thank you everybody who helps keep this podcast going each week.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:36

Big kudos to Michael Mory for doing the editing and directing of this podcast.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:41

My wife Laura, my boys Lewis, and William Jim Brungard.

Stephan Abrams: 00:27:45

Thank you for listening, power, listening to all these episodes, and I appreciate you sharing your time with me today.