All Posts

Two wild horses stand alert on open sagebrush plains in McCullough Peaks, Wyoming, gazing toward a woman in a red jacket sitting calmly in the distance with a camera, capturing the moment as morning light spreads across the vast landscape

Pancakes, Wild Horses, and a View That Never Ends: Our Escape into Beauty

When the pandemic hit, we lost work and gained an unexpected gift: a journey west that brought wild horses, roadside diners, and priceless memories. In this story-driven blog, I take you from our first trip in 2020 to this summer's adventure, sharing what we've learned about freedom, perspective, and how to find beauty in both the wilderness and a pancake. Photos, memories, and moments that shaped us.

Tami West

Aug 65 min read

A peaceful watercolor-style image of a woman with long brown hair standing outdoors under a soft pastel sky. She holds a clipboard and a pen with pink, sparkly ink flowing from it in a magical swirl. The quote reads, “The real world is a story someone else wrote. You get to edit the script.”

When the “Real World” Writes Your Script (And How to Take the Pen Back!)

If your life feels like one long to-do list written by someone else, you're not alone. Many of us are living scripts we never chose—defined by pressure, productivity, and what others expect from us. In this blog, I share how the “real world” can hijack our identity and how going outside, slowing down, and rewriting the narrative can help. Plus, grab the free “Rewrite the Script” guide in the Resource Vault.

Tami West

Jul 303 min read

“That’s Just How I Am”: Rewriting the Stress Story We’ve Been Sold

Rewriting the small phrases that keep us stuck in stress mode. It’s time to say something new—because you’re not “just like that.”

Tami West

Jul 233 min read

Watercolor illustration of a smiling woman with long brown hair eating a salad, set against a soft lavender background with floral accents. Text reads: “Micro-rituals, major shift: A breath. A bite. A pause. That’s the beginning of healing.”

“I’m Exhausted” — And Other Ways We Bond Over Burnout

Feeling exhausted? Discover 5 gentle rituals to reclaim calm, including the surprising power of actually chewing your food.

Tami West

Jul 164 min read

A watercolor-style illustration of a young woman standing in falling snow, wearing only a short-sleeved T-shirt and shivering with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her eyes are closed and her face is flushed, conveying discomfort from the cold. Overlaid on the image is the soft, feminine text: “Don’t just regulate emotions—layer your strategies.” The background features pastel hues of blue, lavender, and peach, creating a gentle, airy, and emotional atmosphere.

Feeling Overwhelmed? The Secret Power of Layering Emotional Strategies

Emotional layering isn’t about stacking emotions—it’s about layering strategies that help you manage them. In this post, I unpack five practical tools from James Gross’s emotion regulation model that help you respond to stress, overwhelm, or conflict with intention. Based on my 6-day social media series, this blog shows how to build support from the inside out. Plus, grab your cheatsheet free in the Resource Vault.

Tami West

Jul 93 min read

A digital illustration of a woman sitting calmly on a stone bridge. On one side of the bridge is a stormy scene with dark clouds, wind, and rain; on the other side is a peaceful, sunny landscape with clear skies and gentle greenery. The image symbolizes the emotional shift from reactive to responsive thinking. The quote reads: "Reacting is automatic. Responding is power. Awareness is the bridge." – Tami West.

Reacting vs. Responding: Thought Tools That Build the Bridge

Stop spiraling thoughts with simple tools: pattern interrupts, reframes, and emotional resets for peace, not perfection.

Tami West

Jul 24 min read

A motivational quote card with the text "Joy isn’t a personality trait—it’s a practice" in bold dark green font on a light beige background. To the right, a smiling woman with long brown hair walks outdoors on a sunlit path, wearing a green sweater and jeans. The scene evokes calm, warmth, and the peaceful practice of everyday joy.

🛠️ From Annoyed to Aware: Building Your Emotional Toolkit

This week I dove into some surprisingly simple but powerful mental health tools: the happiness formula, visualizing vs doing, naming my triggers, and even talking to myself in third person. If you’ve ever thought “Ugh, why am I so annoyed?”—you’re not alone. Let’s explore the difference between annoyances and triggers and build an emotional toolkit that helps us respond (not react). Don’t forget to grab your download from the resource vault!

Tami West

Jun 253 min read

A split-screen digital graphic with two vertical halves. The left side has a teal background with the text "Mental Health Awareness Month" in white and "MAY" in bold yellow. The right side has a lavender background with the text "Mental Health Trivia Month" in white and "JUNE" in bold yellow. The design uses clean, modern typography to highlight the transition from awareness in May to trivia-focused engagement in June.

Mental Health Trivia Month: TikTok Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss!

After joining TikTok in May for Mental Health Awareness Month, I launched a daily Mental Health Trivia series for June. Each video delivers quick, research-backed insights on anxiety, mindset shifts, and emotional health. In this blog, I recap what you’ve missed, offer deeper takeaways, and preview upcoming trivia topics—plus free downloads and tools to support your mental well-being.

Tami West

Jun 183 min read

woman with long dark hair, gray shirt, eyes closed looking relaxed over the words "the amygdala reacts. You respond. That's growth."

🎈“It’s Fine. Everything’s Fine.” — But Is It?

This month, we explored mental health through trivia, stories, and science—from balloon demos to Monica Geller and Tesla. If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” when you weren’t, this blog’s for you. Revisit my favorite lessons and grab free downloads from the Mental Health Resource Vault—panic tools, depression help, OCD facts, and more.

Tami West

Jun 113 min read

sunset over a beach with gentle green/blue waves and quote You don't have to b eperfect to be loved. you just have to be real

From Awareness to Action: Mental Health Trivia Month Begins! 🧠

Mental Health Awareness Month may be over, but the conversation continues! Join me for June’s “I’m Fine. It’s Fine. Everything’s Fine.” Mental Health Trivia Month — a daily series blending fun, education, and real talk. Learn surprising facts (like when anxiety first appeared in the DSM), discover how celebs like Adele cope, and grab a free anxiety mini-guide at tamiwest.com/vault.

Tami West

Jun 44 min read

brunette woman smiling with hand over heart and other hand raised orange shirt with text confidence, boundaries & apologies powerful tools for mental health

Week 4 Mental Health Recap: Confidence, Boundaries, & Apologies: 🌟

Discover how scent, support, sleep rituals, faith, and reframed fear can boost your wellbeing in this week-in-review post. Learn about the neuroscience of aromatherapy to elevate mood and reduce stress; explore the simple Notice→Ask→Listen Mental Health First Aid framework to support loved ones; adopt three restorative bedtime rituals for deeper sleep; find encouragement through faith-centered compassion; use a seven-step Fear-Fire Formula to turn anxiety into action. Mental

Tami West

May 283 min read

woman in various states of relax blue and orange colors peaceful with the words mental health matters

This Week’s Mental Health Recap: Scents, Support, Sleep & Strength 🌿🧠💤🔥

Tami West

May 213 min read

orange flowers and green leaves with a quote inside

🌿 Embracing Mental Health Awareness Month: A Journey of Self-Compassion and Growth

Explore how to transform mental health awareness into actionable steps this May. Discover strategies to break the comparison cycle and embrace self-care.

Tami West

May 74 min read

A yellow pencil beside a seedling plant with the words"Lifelong learning isn't always pretty - but it's work it."

Lifelong Learning Isn’t Always Pretty — But It’s Worth It! ✏️🌱

In this honest, funny, and reflective post, I share what happened when I finally listened to Let Them by Mel Robbins — with a lot of judgment and a little traffic jam. From resistance to revelation, I explore what it means to learn from voices that challenge us, why tough love doesn't work for everyone, and how lifelong learning can be messy, emotional, and totally worth it.

Tami West

Apr 304 min read

😅 ER, Vertigo & a "Banana" Catheter – Just Another Saturday 🚑

A dizzying ER visit, a banana-shaped catheter, and a whole lot of humility. One woman’s real (and funny) story about vertigo, vulnerability, and finding laughter after the storm.

Tami West

Apr 163 min read