DESPITE playing 12 of North Melbourne's 13 games last year, Tess Craven was more worried about selection than the matches themselves.

Now in her fourth season and in career-best form, the 20-year-old has worked hard on her mindset over the off-season.

"It's funny that you say I've built confidence – I think I was really low on confidence last year. I was never nervous for games, I was nervous for selection. Then when I'd get picked, I wouldn't care as much. Obviously I care, but I was a bit of a shell of myself (compared to how) I am now," Craven told Credit to the Girls.

"I think I was very insular. I just withdrew. I felt very – not shy, but anxious, like I couldn't really give myself fully to the team. I wasn't in the greatest place. 

"I place a lot of my worth on football, which is never a good idea. But as a kid, your hobby is football, then your hobby becomes your job and you need to find a hobby outside your hobby. 

"It just all culminated to me not being the best player or person I can be. It was just me being inside my own head. I wish I had gone and talked to more people to get me out of it, but I've learnt that now. Should I ever be threatened by those feelings, I know what to do."

Craven has employed a number of tools to help maintain her mental health, and is feeling much more sure of herself in 2024. The outside runner – who was drafted as an inside midfielder – is averaging 11.4 disposals (up from 7.8 last year) and 11.7 pressure acts (up from 6.8).

"The big break from footy was really good for me, because each day I could focus on doing a session. And that's really important to me. I do really enjoy football and I do enjoy all the pieces that go into becoming a good footballer. While we all hate running, you don't in the long run, because it makes you a better footballer," Craven said.

"We were visited by the Resilience Project during the pre-season, we had a couple of sessions with them and that's really clicked for me. 

"I've been doing a gratitude journal for four months now, every night, and that's been really good for me to have a routine that I can go back to. 

"No matter what's happened during the day – did I train well, did I train bad – I have to go back and name something good that happened, or try and see (what) I can get out of myself to make someone else's time better. I think that's really good for me. 

"You are so important in your own story, but you can also be a positive part of someone else's. I think for me that's been really important, because I have to look outside of myself when I'm not feeling so great. And that makes me feel better, going outside of myself to do something nice for someone else."