Once a rugby player, top model and actor, Brett Shuttleworth seemed to have it all. But beneath the red carpets and global adventures was a deeper calling – one that led him away from the spotlight and onto a path of purpose and inner peace.
Today, Brett is the heart behind Smiling Soul Creations, an organisation devoted to personal growth and healing. Through his Smiling Soul Retreats, he creates spaces for people to reconnect with themselves and rediscover joy. And this July, Brett returns to his KwaZulu-Natal roots to host his next Smiling Soul Awakening Retreat in Salt Rock.
Your journey from pro sport and Hollywood to spiritual teacher is extraordinary. What sparked your awakening?
I often say, “I was chasing my ego around the world – and trust me, it can run fast!” From rugby fields to movie sets, I had the success the world celebrates. But deep down, I felt empty.
Hollywood gave me the ultimate life – red carpets, wild experiences – but nothing filled the ache in my heart. A quiet whisper kept asking: “There has to be more than this.”
That whisper became a spiritual pilgrimage. I started asking, who am I, really? And what I found is this: our struggles aren’t here to break us – they’re here to wake us. Once you experience the truth of who you are, there’s no going back.
What advice would you give to someone who feels disconnected?
Take a breath. You’re not broken – you’re exactly where you need to be. I always say, “Cool the mind. Open the heart.”
When I feel off-centre, I don’t rush to fix anything. I get still – through meditation, walking, silence – and I ask, “what’s really going on?”
One of the practices I teach is moving from role to soul. Strip back the labels – parent, achiever, partner – and connect with the real you beneath all that. Even the chaos is part of your curriculum. So don’t fight the waves. Learn to surf them with grace.
You often speak about heart-led living.
What does that look like day to day?
It’s choosing love over fear, presence over performance. In every moment – whether making a decision or facing a challenge – I ask, “Am I acting from love, or reacting
from fear?”
When you live from the heart, life flows differently. It doesn’t mean things are perfect – it means you stop needing them to be.
It’s seeing every experience, even the hard ones, as sacred. Trusting that whatever’s happening, you’re held. You’re loved. You’re exactly where you need to be.
You’re hosting your next retreat back ‘home’.
What does that mean to you?
It’s a full-circle moment. I’ve shared this work all over the world, but returning to my roots – to where it all began – is deeply special.
Growing up on a farm near Newcastle, swimming in the Ncandu River, playing rugby for my province… those were my first spiritual lessons. They taught me about connection, spirit and being part of something greater.
Coming back to share what I’ve learned is an honour.
You’ve lived a life many dream of – fame, success, travel. What does success mean to you now?
Success is peace. It’s waking up with a smile in my heart. It’s knowing I’m helping others remember their light.
It’s not about what I can get – it’s about what I can give. And my biggest job now? Keeping my ego in check. Less me. More we.
If I help even one person find their joy, that’s success to me.
Details: IG: @brettshuttleworth
The Smiling Soul Awakening Retreat takes place in Salt Rock from 11-13 July 2025.
Visit: www.retreats.smilingsoulcreations.com/2025 for more info.
