LUXE Serendipity magazine

By Donna Richardson

Former England and British & Irish Lions legend Jonny Wilkinson is no stranger to pressure. His iconic drop goal in 2003 sealed Rugby World Cup glory and etched his name into sporting history. But more than two decades on, Wilkinson says true fulfilment came not from winning everything — but from learning how to be present.

I met Jonny at the Old Wimbledonians Rugby Football Club, where he launched One Living – One Shot, his new range of functional wellness drinks, ahead of the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia. Calm, thoughtful and refreshingly open, he spoke candidly about life after elite sport, mental health, and why connection — to ourselves and to others – matters more than achievement.

“It’s about caring for each other,” he said. “That’s when the magic really happens. The Lions will do well if they focus on looking after one another, rather than chasing outcomes.”

“When we won the World Cup, I’d never felt so empty,” he admitted. “There was no sunset to walk into. I became obsessed with control and terrified of the unknown. It took its toll on my mental health.”

By the end of his career, the joy had drained from the game he once loved. Stepping away from rugby, and from the identity that came with it, forced him to confront who he was without achievement. It was there, away from the spotlight, that he found something deeper.

“I realised that getting rid of the idea that I was an important person opened up a whole new world,” he said. “Now, wherever I am, I want all of me to be there.”

That philosophy underpins One Living, his wellness brand developed alongside nutritionist Sofie Goncalves. Built around fermented drinks such as kombucha and water kefir, the range is designed to support gut health, energy, immunity and mental clarity.

Watching Jonny kick that winning drop goal in 2003 was a defining moment for me. It was the year I graduated from university, and the surge of collective national joy felt life-changing. Yet while that moment transformed so many lives, Jonny later revealed that for him, success came at a personal cost.

That insight resonated deeply. I once shied away from opportunities that pushed me beyond my comfort zone, but now I actively seek them out — almost believing that if something doesn’t scare me, it isn’t worth doing. So when the invitation arrived to attend the launch of Jonny’s innovative wellness brand, One Shot, I was reminded of its simple mantra: You only get one shot — so take it.

I wholeheartedly resonated with the notion that in life, you sometimes get just one shot—one opportunity to create something meaningful, so on a sun-drenched evening at the Old Wimbledonians RFC, I attended the One Living launch and awaited Jonny’s arrival with palpable anticipation, engaged with his team, and uncovered the unique story behind his venture. When I interviewed Jonny, I was unprepared, but he candidly shared his struggles, even after achieving fame, and he was so highly relatable that my nerves melted.

“After scoring that winning drop-goal, I often felt overwhelmed by the spotlight and the fears of what lay ahead,” he shared.

“When I was part of the World Cup-winning team, I had never felt so empty as I did afterwards. “When we won a couple of championships, at Toulon, I left, and there was no sunset waiting for me to stroll into.

“I found that getting rid of this idea that I was an important person, I could have a brand new world. “I look at rugby and think, ‘Would I go back?” Not a chance.”

Nowadays, he likes to be “fully engaged in whatever I’m doing and exploring how alive I can be.”It wasn’t until he stepped away from rugby that he discovered the true essence of happiness.

“I love my life, but it’s not tied to my past accomplishments,” he asserted. He likened that iconic moment in 2003, when Mike Catt kicked the ball into touch to end the game and confirm his team as world champions, to standing in a shop filled with endless possibilities. “You’re on the brink of greatness, yet you haven’t stepped through the door,” he explained.

“That’s the most beautiful feeling. But after that winning streak, my career took a downturn. I began to crave control, and I dreaded the unknown. It had an impact on my mental health, so I stepped away from the game.

“Now, as a coach and founder of a health company, my life is rich with unknowns, and it’s exhilarating,” said Jonny, who fully dedicates himself to being fully present in every endeavour, seeking to explore the breadth of life’s experiences. “Wherever I go, I bring my entire self,” he emphasised. His motivation for launching One Living stemmed from a disconnection he felt within himself and with the world.

“Kombucha taught me how to slow down,” Jonny explained. “It helped regulate my nervous system and reminded me what real connection feels like — internally and with others.”

“With age, challenges may multiply, but the key is to focus on your feelings in each moment.” “What we’re gonna do here is hopefully going to bring people out of their comfort zone. I always want to bring out the best in myself and others, so we can enjoy the shots and new experiences together.”

The idea of today is connection. he opened with:

“I want you to reflect on how you feel as you walk around. If you find yourself feeling really nervous, you won’t be able to connect.

“I started to realise there was so much more to me. We have this funny idea that health and wellbeing are the side room to go to when we are unwell, instead of understanding that they are the fuel for constant growth and possibility. When we shut the door on them, it is almost like shutting off battery power.

“You plug into this amazing thing and you feel that you are downloading all these connections and when you disconnect it is like a battery pump, maybe you think when you get home you feel, blimey what a day, but if someone showed you a video of the day, it would look like you didn’t do anything bit because there isn’t a possibility just to rest and download then we feel overwhelmed. Health and Wellbeing is about plugging in and having the power to respond to anything and everything.

“We are here together, and everything is present, everything is whole. “This way, the next time we think, I need to get through this, we realise that there is another way, not just survive your life, but truly live. Tap into that. When it comes to genius, there are three types of criteria you have to fill, one is to see things others don’t, the second is that they seem to have ridiculous time, and they make it look graceful. They don’t abide by our rules. You see them hit the ball, and they hit it like it’s nothing. It is, to some extent, about timing, but more than that, it is about being present in the game.

“We are looking to discover everyone’s inner genius and uncover new levels of awesomeness through relaxing and engaging activities that help my brain find more ways to do this, leading to you becoming even more engaged and furthering your progress. When we see something exciting, it allows us to tap into a new ability.

“So, don’t worry about it, and it is your choice how far you go, but the key thing is you bring your all. “If I tell the ball where I want it to go, the ball will go anywhere but where I want it to. Today, we will explore the relationship between you and the ball, and how you want to feel a connection. In survival, no one builds anything, so with that in mind, we need to begin to open the door of feeling so we can begin to communicate with the ball.”

He says he never leaves the house without his full attention. “Wherever I am, I want all of me to be there. “The reason I launched One Living is because I experienced a disconnection with me, myself, my body and the way the world looked because of that.

“All of that started to change from the inside out, and by examining what I was putting in my body, I began to bring them together from that perspective.

“Kombucha was that big team talk that you sometimes need, as it taught me, as a star player on a team, how to slow down and calm down, while also fostering a sense of team spirit.”

“When we view the outside as fixed and strive to handle everything, we attempt to change the inside. However, opening up and reconnecting will allow new experiences to come in.

“Just engage and feel rather than do. When you go for a run, think about how that feels, and when you do weights, think about the feeling.

“Any time you try a new sport, think about how that feels and what you can get from it. This is all about empowerment. There’s always someone better, bigger, faster, but it is about you and how you feel in the moment.”

I At the launch, Jonny guided us through exercises focused on breath, awareness and movement — tools he believes are essential for navigating modern life. His message was simple but powerful: stop surviving, start feeling.

“We treat health and wellbeing like a side room we visit when something goes wrong,” he said. “But it’s actually the fuel for growth and possibility. When you disconnect, it’s like running on empty.”

As someone who has spent much of her life battling anxiety and self-doubt, his words resonated deeply. Early in my journalism career, the idea of interviewing a sporting legend would have terrified me. Back then, I was grieving the loss of my parents, navigating motherhood, and learning to rebuild my confidence.

Twenty-two years on, I found myself standing on a rugby pitch with one of my childhood heroes – nervous, yes, but grounded.

So 22 is somewhat of a magic number for me. In my 44th year, this Rugby World Cup even was half of my life ago, yet still so vivid in my mind. I’ve grown and matured, and life experiences have shaped me, so I was determined to bring my all to this opportunity. The nerves were undeniably there, but the excitement surged within me, reminding me that age is just a number, and I was resolute in bringing my absolute best to this opportunity.

Now, in this field all those years later, Jonny illuminated how we can all access our inner genius by choosing presence and engagement.

He shared insights on dismantling self-doubt and emphasised the power of genuine connections, urging us not to burden ourselves with too many expectations.

Being in the presence of such a legend heightened our self-consciousness. However, by the end of the experience, he had us walking around as if no one was watching, and we began to relax.

During my first walk, I attempted to engage in conversation with another journalist to mask my nerves.

By the second walk, I focused on channelling my thoughts and became more aware of my arms and legs.

By the third walk back, I felt as if I was flying; all my inhibitions and concerns about looking cool vanished.

Much like my interview with Jonny, which was unexpected and less nerve-wracking than hyping myself up for it.

I noticed that when I can anticipate events, the nerves tend to overwhelm me. It was fascinating to witness this shift in mindset.

He taught us how to calm our nerves before catching the ball and emphasised feeling it rather than fearing it. For kicking, the act should flow from a confident stride, rather than trying too hard or being critical when things don’t go as planned.

He said, “The warm-up I am going to suggest will help you open up and communicate your feelings more effectively.”

He explained that it’s all about walking and breathing and how to escape from the fight-or-flight response. “Your job is to feel present when you leave,” he said.

He then showed us how to calm our nerves before catching the ball and how to feel the ball as we see it, encouraging us not to be afraid of it and adopting a confident stride while allowing the kick to be an extension of our movement to aid us in overcoming discouragement when things don’t go as planned.

His encouragement extended to overcoming anxieties about meeting new people and being wholly present.

“It’s about letting go of self-doubt and ignoring preconceived limitations.

Jonny encouraged us to feel the ball rather than fear it, to move with intention rather than overthink.

“If you miss,” he said with a smile, “make it a beautiful miss.”

That mindset shift – from self-criticism to curiosity — was transformative. During a simple walking exercise, my initial self-consciousness melted away. By the final lap, I felt light, free and fully engaged. It mirrored my interview with Jonny: unplanned, honest and far less daunting than anticipated.

“In survival mode, no one builds anything,” he told us. “Resilience should take you down a positive path, not a critical one.”

That stayed with me long after the session ended. Reflecting on my own journey — grief, adversity, ADHD, career reinvention — I realised resilience isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about staying open, present and willing to say yes.

Jonny’s story is no longer about that famous kick. It’s about choosing presence over pressure, connection over control, and growth over fear. Through One Living, he’s inviting others to do the same.

After all, as his mantra reminds us: you only get one shot — so take it.

“This journey became a powerful exploration of self-discovery, not only for myself but for all who participated, as we navigated the essence of living authentically and wholeheartedly.”

Throughout my life, I have struggled with insecurity and anxiety, especially when it comes to being in the spotlight. I’ve had to work hard on my ability to stay present and not give in to my nerves.

Nowadays, I intentionally put myself in challenging situations to foster personal growth. When we took to the pitch, we had to collaborate as a team.

This was my first experience with rugby, and I felt extremely nervous, but I focused on the advice Jonny gave me.

Initially, I kept dropping the ball, which made me think I was letting the team down. However, Jonny ran up and assured me and rather than worrying about how I looked in front of him, I wanted to feel the feeling and passed the ball a lot more smoothly.

As I started to let myself respond to the ball, I felt more fluid with it, and him, and it helped my mindset.

Of course, the giddiness returned as Jonny’s magnetism made me feel even more connected to him, every time he came into focus my heart flip flopped but my professionalism also grounded me.

Jonny’s guidance helped me channel my anxieties. Initially, I struggled to keep hold of the ball, but with his assurance, I began to let go of my worries and focus on enjoying the moment. As I allowed myself to respond fluidly to the ball, a newfound confidence emerged.

Sure, he was an exceptionally handsome player. Still, more importantly, I resonated with him on a deeper level, overriding the urge to impress with a desire to grow and achieve something meaningful. I began to enjoy the game and to relax, and my professionalism also played a part. He said, “In survival, no one feels anything. If you are in a burning house and trying to get stuff out, you are not going to feel,” he said.

“Resilience should guide you down a positive path rather than a critical one, he said.

“Resilience should take you down a positive path rather than one that is super critical.”Jonny Wilkinson, Former England Rugby Champion

That comment resonated with me the most. I felt uplifted when I left the pitch. I started reflecting on all the challenges I’ve faced that were meant to instil fear in me: losing my mother in my twenties, standing up to my abusive father, finding self-respect in a bullying workplace, becoming a mother without support from my extended family, bouncing back from redundancy, and building my own freelance journalism business. I realised that my ADHD, which has always made me feel like a square peg in a round hole in traditional workplaces, also brings the superpower of hyperfocus, and that can be my unique strength. And you know what? I am proud that I took those chances and built my resilience. Now, I always say yes to experiences that I think will teach me something, rather than saying no out of fear.

It has taken Jonny years to overcome his self-doubt and embrace new opportunities outside his comfort zone. Now, he embraces them, very much like I do. The fear has lost its hold, and I see the value in experiences that promote personal growth. By the end of our time together, I reentered the feel-good zone that was Jonny’s goal for his new venture. My resilience story is one of embracing challenges. As I continue to say yes, I push the boundaries of my comfort zone and open myself up to new opportunities, enriched with possibilities. And I think my crush on Jonny just deepened as he is beautiful on the inside as well as the outside.

Jonny Wilkinson’s One Living launches the UK’s most advanced health shots – created to elevate your daily wellness rituals.

But this isn’t just another wellness drink. It’s the result of months of development by Jonny himself and nutritionist Sofie Goncalves — designed to support body, brain, and emotional wellbeing in one easy daily habit.

Meet the line up – Five functional targeted shots, five essential benefits: Energy, Gut, Immunity, Beauty & Brain

• 20+ super ingredients combining functional nutrients, fruits, fibres, ferments and plant extracts (no added sugar or ultra-processed nasties)

• Science-backed nutrients at meaningful levels, with EFSA-approved health claims using vitamins B, C, D, magnesium, zinc, biotin, and more
• A fermented water kefir base to aid digestion and nutrient uptake
• 100ml of real, functional impact — bigger and more potent than most on the market

Available online and within Tesco stores – £2.00 each.

One Living® – Buy Kombucha & Water Kefir Online | Feel at One

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