Columnist Sarah Swainson writes:

In a recent conversation with an up-and-coming young dancer from a challenging background, I asked, “How does it feel when you’re dancing?”

Without hesitation, he smiled broadly and replied, “It gives me BIG happiness.” Those words stayed with me. In a world often fixated on comfort and predictability, we seldom pursue what lies outside our comfort zones – the choices that might truly change us, challenge us and make us uncomfortable. Instead, we settle for small pleasures and avoid the discomfort of growth.

BIG happiness isn’t found in convenience; it’s discovered off the beaten path, through effort and determination. For me, that often means a challenging, and often foolish, idea. This past weekend, I went trekking in the mountains with friends, armed with just a map and compass, deliberately avoiding the well-trodden trails. We got lost, laughed through the confusion, and ended up sleeping in a cave that wasn’t on the plan. We shared a dehydrated meal and had rich conversations, fully present to the experience. That’s my BIG happiness.

I also have a love-hate relationship with cold-water swimming – well, as cold as KZN water gets. The first plunge always shocks the body, takes my breath away and demands focus. Each small, challenging action builds a resilience muscle that doesn’t stay in the water. It carries into life, helping me face bigger challenges with a little more confidence, or perhaps a touch of delusion.

In his poem “The Road Not Taken” Robert Frost writes:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

The roads we choose, particularly the difficult ones, shape our lives. Trekking unknown paths, plunging into icy water, or taking creative or business risks all require effort and determination.

Choosing to do something difficult every day, whatever form that takes for you, cultivates resilience and, I believe, can lead to moments of BIG happiness. I don’t have a scientific study to point to, just a life lived with a few hair-brained ideas.

In previous columns, I’ve explored joy in movement and courage in everyday decisions. Chasing BIG happiness, however, asks more: It asks us to lean into discomfort, take risks and break free from the mundane. These choices lead us to the less-travelled path, where the rewards are often the richest.

So, I ask you – what is your BIG happiness? And are you willing to take the road less travelled to find it?

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