May Is Mental Health Awareness Month, and to further the conversation, we asked Team USA sport psychologist Caroline Silby (PhD, MEd) for tips to help athletes strengthen the relationship they are building with themselves. 

Mental health isn't an "either-or" thing — it's a fluid continuum. We move between thriving, struggling, coping and needing support at different times.

R – Regulate Your Emotions
What this means: Emotional regulation is not about eliminating emotion or pretending everything is fine when it's not. It does mean learning how to relate to tricky feelings like – uncertainty, pressure and fear — without becoming overwhelmed by them. When these feelings steal the spotlight, calm your body down first before trying to address your thoughts.

Hints:

• The Ice Trick: Splash freezing cold water on your face or hold an ice pack against the back of your neck to reset your nervous system.
• Ear Pulls: Gently tug your earlobes diagonally down and outward to activate your vagus nerve, which naturally signals your body to calm down.
• Box Breathing: Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four, breathe out for four and hold for four. Repeat a few times.

I – Invest in Connection
What it means: Build and invest in developing strong social support and meaningful connections with family, friends, mentors, teammates and health providers with whom you can share experiences, seek feedback and support one another in maintaining healthy habits and choices. Community and social support often inform and bolster purpose and perspective and are among the most significant protective factors for your mental health. Remember: reaching out for a helping hand is a sign of awareness and strength not a judgemet about competency.

Hint:

• Give Back: Volunteer in your community, do a small favor for a family member, write a thank you note, offer a simple act of kindness or appreciate someone. Giving a moment of your time to someone else strengthens well-being and connection.

S – Study Your Success
What it means: Recognize the personal qualities, behaviors and choices that contribute to your growth, well-being and performance. Many people can easily identify their worries or stressors but struggle to identify personal actions that consistently contribute to their positive mental health outcomes. Awareness of personal strengths, habits, effort and progress provides you with a solid foundation to launch lofty dreams and ambitions.

Hints:

• Try having family discussions that identify actions that contribute to each person's positive outcomes — be them emotional, physical or mental.
• Note daily:
  • One thing you are proud of — even something very small counts
  • One thing you learned
  • One thing you want to let go of and leave behind

E – Empower Yourself Through Self-Awareness and Self-Care
What it means: Self-care is more than temporary self-soothing through a phone scroll or a scented candle. It is about building sustainable habits, routines and resources that support your well-being over time. Pay attention to changes in mood, motivation, sleep, appetite, energy, concentration and withdrawal from others. These patterns can help you to identify when additional support may be needed.

Hint: Before making a choice, Pause daily to ask yourself questions that build self-awareness and self-responsibility — two key drivers of empowerment and meaningful self-care. 

• Will this help my mind and body feel better or worse later?
• Will this make my responsibilities easier or harder to manage?
• Am I taking care of myself, or avoiding something I don't need to avoid?
• What choice would my future self-thank me for?