How Inner Workout Founder Taylor Morrison Is Making Self-Care More Inclusive And Accessible – Forbes
Taylor Elyse Morrison is the founder of self-care startup, Inner Workout, the new platform dedicated to making self-care more inclusive and accessible. Inner Workout is a 60 minute wellness class format that helps participants actually practice self-care through a blend of movement, breathwork, meditation, and journaling. As Morrison explains, It’s designed to help people build the skill of listening within and responding with love.
Here, she answers my questions about self-care and her entrepreneurial journey.
Taylor Morrison is the founder of self-care startup, Inner Workout, the new platform dedicated to … [+]
Jess Cording: I love how you make self-care more accessible. What do you think are some of the most common barriers to self-care?
Taylor Morrison: I think that the biggest barrier to self-care is the misconception that you have to buy something in order to truly experience self-care. There are so many effective self-care practices, like breathwork, that cost nothing.
Another barrier to self-care is the idea that it has to take a lot of time to be effective. It’s incredible what a few minutes of intentional self-care can do.
The final barrier I’ll highlight is the belief that self-care can only include certain activities such as a facial or a bubble bath. Self-care looks different for everyone. Cooking or rock climbing might be your self-care. Playing an instrument or knitting might be self-care for someone else.
Cording: What was the inspiration behind Inner Workout?
Morrison: The idea of Inner Workout came to me just before a yoga class. I wanted to create a practice that helped people actually build the skill of self-care. Don’t get me wrong, I love practicing yoga. I’m also sometimes a competitive perfectionist. I can focus so much on getting a pose right or doing the most advanced variation of a pose that I forget to look inward.
Cording: What makes it unique in the wellness world?
Morrison: Inner Workout defines self-care as listening within and responding in the most loving way possible. It’s not about following along with a teacher’s instructions. Rather, Inner Workout is about helping you learn to listen to that voice within.
Structurally, Inner Workout blends movement, breathwork, journaling, and meditation into a single class. It combines the best pieces of each modality to create an impactful practice.
Cording: Did you experience any challenges during the process of creating Inner Workout?
Morrison: I had two major challenges, one internal and one external. Internally, I dealt with a lot of imposter syndrome. I know that’s common for female founders. Externally, I’ve had to figure out the best messaging for Inner Workout. It’s in an interesting space where it’s both similar and different to practices that people may have experienced before. I’ve done a lot of testing and learning.
Breathwork and meditation are just a few of the self-care tools that don’t have to cost a thing
Cording: Did you learn any self-care lessons in the process of growing your company?
Morrison: I’m pretty transparent about the fact that I’m passionate about self-care because it doesn’t come naturally to me. My natural tendency is to be a workaholic. I’m trying my best to live into Inner Workout’s values as I grow the company.
Recently, that’s looked like spending time on hobbies, prioritizing time spent with friends and my husband, and working as little as possible on Sundays. I’m realizing that few things are truly urgent.
Cording: What do you wish you had known when you were starting?
Morrison: I wish that I would have stopped waiting for someone to give me permission. I did a lot of tiptoeing around waiting to be dubbed a “real” CEO when, really, it was a role that I had to decide to step in to.
Cording: Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Morrison: Get clear on your definition of success. Well meaning people will give you conflicting advice. You’ll be presented with countless opportunities. You need to be able to sift through what’s actually aligned for you and for your company. Having a definition of success will help you do that.
Cording: What are some of your own self-care essentials?
Morrison: I know that I say self-care is more than bubble baths, but I love a good epsom salt bath. I’m a big fan of power naps and afternoon walks to clear my brain.
Cording: What do you wish everyone knew about self-care?
Morrison: I wish everyone knew that our self-care needs change because we’re dynamic beings. What served us in one season may not serve us in another, and that is okay.
