(NEXSTAR) - U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says the integration of her mental and physical health has placed her in the "prime" of her career as she prepares for her first Olympic competition in Milan. Glenn arrived at the games following a successful performance at the U.S. National Championships, which she described as a major step forward in her career. The 26-year-old skater is navigating a late-night competition schedule and adjusting to life in the Olympic village alongside her teammates. Glenn is using her platform in Milan to advocate for mental health awareness, emphasizing the importance of being viewed as a "whole person" rather than just an athlete focused on perfection. Glenn described her current competitive state as the most balanced of her career. While she noted that her technical skills might have been sharper several years ago, she credited her current success to the alignment of her mental and physical preparation. "Physically, I probably was in my prime like four or five years ago. Technically, it probably would have been easier back then, but since I have that mental side now, I am definitely in my prime, the best I've ever been, because those two came together," Glenn said. She added that she now advocates for other athletes to find that balance earlier in their careers. Glenn acknowledged that being a prominent representative for various communities carries a specific weight. "It's pressure because I want to do my community and what I represent proud, but it's also reality," she said. She emphasized that she wants to humanize the experience of elite competition by being open about her own struggles. "I want to, of course, accomplish things on the ice, but I also want to live," Glenn shared. "So I think I'm really trying to show that. You don't have to be just one thing. You can be a whole person and an athlete." In the Olympic village, Glenn has focused on maintaining a sense of normalcy by training alongside teammates Isabel and Alyssa. She noted that her first time on the Olympic ice felt more familiar than expected. "Honestly, you want to hear the answer and be like, oh, it was magical. I got on the ice, and I was like, okay, here we go." Glenn said. Beyond the rink, Glenn has participated in the Olympic tradition of pin trading. She brought approximately 200 custom pins to Milan that feature her personal motto, "believe and breathe." She also briefly explored the city during a sunny afternoon to see local art and eat gelato with a teammate before returning to her strict training and recovery schedule. Glenn also addressed the decision by her federation to change the name of their headquarters from the "Ice House" to the "Winter House." She described the change as a necessary response to the negative associations with the "ICE" acronym regarding domestic issues in the United States. "It's the least we could do in these trying times," Glenn said. She noted that while it is disheartening that the term for her sport's surface has taken on negative connotations, she remains focused on the "atrocities that people are facing back home." Glenn has a scheduled day off on Feb. 4 before beginning her final preparations for the competition. She stated she will spend the remainder of the games focused on training and resting while staying in contact with her family in Colorado. Glenn has a scheduled day off on February 4 before beginning her final preparations for the competition. She stated she will spend the remainder of the games focused on training and resting while staying in contact with her family in Colorado. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published