Rediscovering Play—The Secret To Our Well-Being
As a kid, football was my first love. It wasn’t about winning or being the best—it was pure play. Whole-hearted, joyful, and alive.
But somewhere along the way, the magic faded.
The demands and pressures of success slowly suffocated the joy. Football became less of a game to enjoy and more of a burden to carry.
By the time I reached the NFL, it wasn’t about playing anymore—it was about surviving.
The relentless weight of expectation crushed the lightness and freedom I once felt.
Eventually, burnout led me to Canada (if you’ve heard me speak, you probably know this story).
It was there, as a janitor exchanging work for therapy, that I finally faced the inner discomfort I’d been avoiding in my pursuit of success.
And in facing it, everything began to shift.
That season catalyzed a transformation that renewed my life and restored my mental health. And, it became the foundation of the message I share today—the Leadership Expansion Process.
But recently, I’ve had an aha moment that has changed everything for me.
I’ve realized this journey hasn’t been just about growing in resilience or coming out stronger on the other side.
It’s been about rediscovering what I knew as a kid but lost under the weight of life...
When I say play, I'm not talking about a frivolous activity or a distraction from life’s pressures. It’s something far deeper.
It’s the presence, curiosity, and sense of aliveness we knew as kids but buried somewhere along the way.
To play is to fully engage. To be fully present. To feel fully alive.
It’s not about escaping the demands of life. It’s a shift from enduring our days to fully living them.
And why is this important for you?
Because whether we realize it or not, we’re all playing a game.
For some, it’s the game of leadership. For others, it’s business, parenting, or simply keeping up with the relentless pace of life.
But for many of us, the joy is gone. We’re tired, stretched thin, and just trying to make it through.
The truth is, the game isn’t slowing down. The demands aren’t easing. But when we rediscover play, we don’t need the game to change—we change how we play it.
Play reignites the part of us that fuels our best ideas, strengthens our relationships, and restores what life’s pressures have worn down—our mental health.
It’s not just something we deserve. It’s something we need.
In a world that screams bigger, faster, stronger, maybe what we’re searching for isn’t found on the other side of doing more, but in rediscovering what we already once knew: how to play.
I'd love to hear from you. As a kid, what brought you the most joy?