I’m heading down to Melbourne this weekend to catch up with some mates. We’re heading to the MCG to watch the AFL this arvo and then to Wu Tang and NAS tomorrow. I’ve never been to Melbourne before (have heard lots about the vibe though) so am pretty pumped.

I’m sitting on the plane at the moment and it’s funny how you can be so excited for something but still somewhat anxious about leaving home. It’s a pretty easy topic to elaborate on in terms of happiness and there are so many different aspects that I could dive deeper into, which no doubt I will along the way, but Family is a corner stone foundation of my happiness.

I’ve been married for 9 years now, have 2 beautiful young children, a boy and a girl and would consider us a strong family unit. Throughout the years that I’ve been with my wife we’ve had many adventures, created amazing memories all over the world, have achieved many goals together and look to grow and achieve many more.

The way I feel about my family is hard, and easy to explain. The love and deep sense of connection is obviously a great contributor to my happiness but there is this invisible blanket of energy that connects us on an unknown level and through every experience we share together, up or down we learn a bit more about each other, and regardless of the emotion grow a deeper connection.

A sense of community, of family, of connection is a fundamental element of the search for happiness. I have always been lucky enough to have strong connections amongst friends and family. Sometimes it’s easy to take this for granted but as my family grows older and our unit becomes stronger, I see more and more just how important both having someone and being there for someone is.

Love them or hate them, there is a deep-rooted instinctual connection to your own blood and developing these connections through time is an important step in growth and creating a true sense of purpose. I think a lot about my blood, my ancestors, the people who have paved the way before me and through a deep-rooted connection and with strong family and community ties you can almost live forever in a way.

Everyone is made up of a vast array of ingredients and family, friends and those closest to you contribute greatly to helping shape your mind into the person you become. Love and care for one another, be there for one another, strive to pursue goals where everyone wins and always have each back. Wanting the best for someone is a great contributor in the search for happiness but knowing and feeling love from those closest to you is an incredible feeling, one that makes me very happy.

Thanks,

Dean