Meet Amelia Taylor

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amelia Taylor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amelia , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I get my resilience from the Lord, He gave me the strength to face my cancer diagnosis. It was the hardest challenge I’ve ever had to endure. But ultimately God healed me and put me where I am today. I had to keep getting back up, again and again, and keep fighting for my life even when fear, pain, and uncertainty tried to take everything from me. Cancer gave me a kind of resilience I know I will never run out of. I learned how to sit with fear without letting it consume me, how to find hope in moments that felt impossibly dark, and how to stay gentle with myself while being relentlessly strong. I overcame negative emotions, learned how to choose light when darkness was louder, and discovered that resilience is not just enduring but the decision to keep going. It reshaped me into someone who knows her own strength, because she had no choice but to find it. From that season, I carry a resilience that does not fade with time.. It’s rooted in perseverance, prayer, and the quiet confidence that no matter what comes next, God has already carried me through what I thought I could not survive.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

The last four years have been the most challenging season of my life. During cancer I faced a severe fungal infection that spread through my nose, leading to multiple surgeries and the loss of my nose. I lived with a prosthetic for years, navigating not only physical recovery but the emotional process of learning how to feel like myself again. It was a long, quiet kind of fight… one that required patience, faith, and resilience every single day.

During that time, cooking became an anchor. When so much felt uncertain, the kitchen was where I could create, focus, and find comfort. Food reminded me that care can be felt, not just understood, and that nourishment extends beyond the plate. Even when I had to step back from professional goals to focus on healing, my connection with food never left.

I am still undergoing surgeries, but I’m finally beginning to feel encouraged and grounded again. Little by little, I’m returning to myself with a clearer sense of purpose. I’m a young chef with a long-term goal of being part of the Food Network, using that platform to tell meaningful stories through food.I run a small baking business and have catered a couple of companies, which has been an exciting. Alongside that, I’m in the early stages of developing my cookbook and can’t wait to share it. I’m deeply committed to supporting people going through cancer by helping make food feel more nourishing, accessible, and supportive during treatment and recovery.

Sharing my story is an important part of my work. I hope to encourage others facing illness by being honest about the challenges while showing that life, purpose, and creativity continue to unfold. Public speaking, including future TED Talks, is something I hope to pursue as a way to connect, advocate, and remind others that they are not alone.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I would say 3 qualities that were most impactful in my journey has been adaptability.
I became more adaptable as plans changed, especially knowing that illness, recovery, and creative work rarely follow a straight line. Learning to pivot without losing sight of my values allowed me to keep moving forward, even when the path changed.

Patience and self-trust were equally important. Healing, growth, and developing my skills as a chef all take time, and I had to learn that pausing was not the same as failing. Learning to listen to my body and my intuition changed how I approach both life and work. My advice is to focus on your own timeline and path, rather than comparing yourself to others or wishing you were where they are. Growth is not a race.

Faith functioned as a skill set for me, shaping how I responded to fear, patience, and setbacks. It helped me remain grounded during recovery and gave me the steadiness to keep moving forward when answers were unclear. It wasn’t always easy, but it strengthened my ability to trust the process even when progress felt uncertain and slow.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When I feel overwhelmed, whether it’s from having too many orders piling up or being medically out of the right headspace with appointments constantly adding up, I notice myself start to spiral. In those moments, I force myself to take a step back and focus on my breathing. I’ll distract myself with something fun to give my mind a break, or take a good old shower, which somehow always helps reset everything. Feeling overwhelmed is never easy, but I’ve learned how important it is to put myself first. Sometimes you have to pause, create space, and take time for yourself so you can come back feeling grounded, clearer, and more capable of handling what’s next.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://justapplyheat.my.canva.site
• Instagram: Justapplyheat