Tuning out external noise was, and still is, key for Sam. “For me, it’s not buying too much into what the public thinks,” he says. “A lot of my teammates told me, Mike, I don’t think no one could’ve done what you’ve done at this early of a stage. And what I think they meant by that is that I wasn’t perfect, but at the time I was the right person for this because I didn't care what people thought of me. And there was a lot of derogatory words, a lot of hate thrown at me, and still is. But I didn’t care, I focused on what I had to do. Because, you know, I fell in love with a guy.”

Sam’s story went viral again earlier this summer when NFL player Carl Nassib came out as gay. Sam’s fans and the media were quick to bring up his story and remind people of his legacy. “When Carl came out, there were a lot of people saying, well what about Michael Sam? But they forget the bigger picture which is: at least it’s happening,” he says. “Yes, Carl took the baton and now he’s carrying that and it’s a weight off my shoulders. I feel like I did my part and now I just have to stand on the side lines and cheer him on.” Soon after Carl’s announcement, Sam did just that, tweeting a heartfelt thanks to Carl for “owning [his] truth” and donating to The Trevor Project. And then, a few moments later, he sent out a more broad message: “To anyone young or old, black or white, straight or gay are being bullied by others please know this, I stand with you in your time of need and in your hour of triumph. I am your friend and your brother. Even though I may never see you, hug you, or even kiss you, I love you.”

Loving kindness is at the core of Sam’s character. He finds joy in seeing strangers smile and hold hands in the street, regularly encourages his followers to take care of themselves, and practices community care by working with the Dallas Resource Center, an LGBTQ+ non-profit that, among other impactful services, raises money for HIV and STI awareness and prevention. “I’ve been a part of that for some time now, but really got involved recently this past summer,” he explains. “The work they do is to empower the community. We have dental, we have a food bank, we have programs like FUSE [an HIV prevention program for young gay and bisexual men], and UBE to empower our Black citizens. It’s a great organization and we do need more help so if anybody wants to volunteer or donate, we can surely appreciate it.”

As for his own self-care, Sam employs a thoughtful mix of mental and physical exercises like stretching, working out, yoga, and meditation. “I try to meditate everyday,” he says. “Just sitting down for 10 or 20 minutes and taking a break from everything really helps. You gotta find some time for yourself to do things just for you. Even when other people are doing one thing, you can say, ‘No I’m going to do this. This is a reward for me.’” For Sam, those rewards include reading. He counts fantasy series like George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Fireas favorites and quotes Don Miguel Ruiz’sThe Four Agreementsas a stand-in for a life motto. (“Always do your best, don’t make any assumptions, and be impeccable with your word.”) Currently, he’s diving intoA Promised Landby personal hero Barack Obama. “I just read the part where he was in California for the 2000 Democratic National Convention,” he says. “He didn’t have enough money to get from LAX to his hotel and once he got to the convention center they didn't have his credentials. The whole trip was bad. He was basically broke and on his way back to Chicago and he was just like, this isn’t for me. He was thinking he should end his career in politics at this time. And just reading a man like him being so vulnerable, so open in this book, I’m almost falling in love with him again as a human being.”

Thanks in no small part to Sam’s own vulnerability, more and more athletes are choosing to take a step back to prioritize their mental health, setting a new stage for their sports and creating a powerful example for us all. Sam’s advice? “When you’re trying to find balance, especially nowadays, just take it day by day. You gotta make sure that you’re in a good place mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. And love yourself! It’s so easy to say that, but it’s actually hard to do. You give your love to the wrong people and people who don’t deserve it, but the person who deserves it the most is yourself. You gotta love yourself.”