#6 Hi! I’m Dana!

I realized I forgot to introduce myself… better late than never!

Welcome to basically my public journal called “Ruckin’ Around the World!!” This all started when I was sitting in my stereotypical suburban PA hometown bedroom and received a message from an old coach:

I had recently been military evacuated out of Arequipa, Peru from my one month Fulbright experience because of COVID. I really had no solid plans and I was a bit nervous about leaving home in fear of well… a few reasons including everything COVID and that I’d be military evacuated and brought right back again. But getting payed to play rugby off the coast of Spain??? I literally had just written in my journal about my ideal day (a prompt I had gotten from a book I was reading at the time), which included both rugby and the beach. Ever heard of manifestation?? ANYWAYS, badabing badaboom plus a whole lot of paperwork and I’m in Basque Country! 

As I’m writing this I really feel like I woke up in my dream life. I just got done belting out High School Musical’s, “Start of Something New.” I know there is so much room for growth in this life, for my business and for me personally, as a player, as a coach, as a person. I feel challenged, excited, captivated, and just like I am freaking living the life that I really want. Obviously not all days are “good” days but even the bad days have their good moments and lessons. I am so overwhelmingly grateful to have gotten where I am.  

This blog is an honest recollection of some of my most memorable moments navigating new people, places, things, and freaking adventures. I hope to bring you all smiles and maybe even inspire you to get out there take a risk and CREATE the life you want for yourself. In Kevin Elko and Duane Thompson’s “Seeing is Believing” they reference a story about a woman dying of cancer who’s husband apparently straight up asked her “What’s it feel like knowing that you’re dying?” and she responded, “What does it feel like pretending you’re not?” BOOM! Speaking the FACTS. So yeah, we’re all dying out here, we might as well live a life we love. 

I decided to call my blog “Ruckin’ Around the World” because I plan to continue playing rugby around the world - truly down to go WHEREVER. The only thing I know is I’ll be bringing my business, my blog, and my cute ass self with me. So grab some popcorn (maybe mail me some too?) and follow along. 

Fun Fact: I love popcorn and have been told that I eat it with great “velocity”