Power Slap athlete, BKFC athlete, model, lingerie football player, and electrician, Tai Emery, shared her candid thoughts on mental health and the importance of self-awareness in managing life’s challenges. Known for her toughness and personality, Tai Emery’s reflections offer insights into balancing chaos and calm, both inside and outside the ring.
Tai Emery
Tai Emery sat down with LowKickMMA’s Tim Wheaton to reflect on her journey. Emery emphasized the significance of understanding one’s strengths and finding environments where one can thrive. Drawing from her own experiences working with live wires as an electrician she explained how high-pressure situations often reveal a person’s true character. “People find out where they’re the most calm.”
Tai Emery also highlighted the importance of self-awareness and emotional regulation. She believes that identifying personal triggers and developing tools to manage them is crucial for mental well-being. Whether it’s journaling, exercising, listening to music, or spending time in nature, Emery advocates for finding personalized rituals that help maintain balance. “A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter,” she remarked, drawing parallels between mental health and peak performance.
“Sometimes when there’s a problem—whether it’s in the ring or out of the ring—you never solve the riddle in the same state you’re in. You know how you’ve lost your car keys and it’s always in the last place you look? No—it’s generally when you’re not looking that you find them. So sometimes just stepping away from something and chilling out—being in nature—can help. Like I said, there’s a small list of things people can do to stop thinking about the problem and actually solve it.”
For Tai Emery, maintaining balance amidst a demanding schedule, training, media commitments, social media responsibilities, and more, requires meticulous organization. She credits her use of a color-coded diary for helping her stay on track.
“I think a tool for people—whether they are fighters or not—is just trying to figure out: one, their triggers; and two, how they control them. Whether it’s having some self-isolation, allowing yourself to process something, writing it down in a journal, listening to music, reading books, talking with friends, dancing, working out—find your own tools. These tools also become meditation: going for a walk, playing with your dog, being with your kids. These are all tools you can use to calm your emotions or bring yourself back to awareness.”
However, she acknowledges that what works for her might not work for everyone: “Tracking my weight or using a diary might not work for someone else… Everyone has their own tools.” Ultimately, Emery’s message is one of empowerment through self-discovery. She encourages others to embrace their unique traits and find joy in their pursuits. “When you’re happiest, people can get the most out of you, and you can get the most out of yourself.”
“Obviously, people find out where they’re the most calm. People want to do something that they’re good at; that’s just the truth. You can do something you’re not good at, but as a job and where you fall into, you’re generally doing something you’re naturally good at or have worked hard to be good at.”
