There is a moment as you're heading towards contact as a defender in rugby. You lock onto your target as they head towards you. You calculate your angle, power, and set balance. You prepare for contact, set up your frame, and engage. There's a split-second moment as you engage with your opponent, when your energy collides and there is a physical and spiritual exchange of power. Throughout the years, as I had ups and downs in rugby, this split-second exchange was the drawing factor that always pulled me back into the fold. It was both challenging, terrifying, and a profound experience for me. Sometimes I won that exchange, sometimes I didn't, but each one moved me and made me feel alive.

I’ve spoken to many people over the years who have told me about moments in their own worlds that are similar. One that stands out for me is a surfer I met in Byron Bay one night. He told me that when he's out in the surf and he feels a wave start to drag him towards it, his heart rate starts to increase, his energy heightens, the wave starts to lift, and as he stands up at the top of the wave, he drops down the face. During that moment, as he's moving down the face, he feels like he's connected to the earth and more alive than ever.

There are certain moments in life that make you feel alive. The saying 'makes you feel alive' may seem strange and somewhat difficult to explain, but it refers to feelings of deep connection, struggle, overcoming challenges, pushing your boundaries, or experiencing euphoria from passions that drive you. This can be achieved through a wide range of things, such as sporting achievements and moments of ecstasy, solving complex mathematical equations, profound paintings that touch your soul, closing a deal, or making someone's day with a simple smile, to name a few. These moments bring joy, connection, and create deep sources of happiness and direction towards happiness.

The thing about these moments, I believe, is that you can't simply find these moments; these moments find you. It may be instantaneous when you try something new and are instantly hooked, or it may take years to achieve a state of deep connection. Regardless, the ability to try new things, develop new skills and experiences, and always being open to the possibility that something outside your normal realm could contribute to your happiness is an important pathway in the search for happiness.

“You never know what you'll find in a place you've never looked.” - DC

Thanks,

Dean