In recent times, I decided to rebel against the usual state of mind of worrying about everything there is to worry about in the world. I have been a worrier since I was a child and through all those years, I mistakenly mixed up the meaning of caring, with worrying.
After being hugely inspired by the wonderful magazine- "The Happy Newspaper" by Emily Coxhead, I decided to focus my energy more on the happier parts of the world, rather than the dank, dark, depressing bits and thus, #focusonthehappy is born. Whilst the horrors of the world are no less important, I realised, particularly as someone with a mental illness (I have suffered with depression and anxiety for several years) that I was using so much of my time and energy worrying about, getting worked up about and even having depressive episodes about the world, that I had no time or energy left in myself to actually do something about it all.
I realised then, that it was OK to be happy, to focus on the good things, to allow myself to be OK with being happy and sharing good things, as well as caring about the bad. The only way I could make an impact on the world and make it better, was by doing good things and stop indulging the bad.
Focus On The Happy is a new "thing", a "hashtag", a "movement" a "state of mind" whatever you want to call it. It's just there to remind all of those around me and myself, that sometimes it's good to focus on the happy, because far more will be achieved if this is done.
I run a Stage School and Youth Theatre Company in Hertfordshire, and the main reason why I started working in theatre, was because it made me happy. And it made the actors happy. And it made the audience happy. Since then, yes I have found artistic development, creative choices leading to satisfaction, a deeper meaning in my work, a purpose, a need to explore serious issues within my productions. But when it comes down to it, theatre is an art form, created and developed initially to entertain. To bring laughter, nourishment and entertainment to its audiences (and creatives). With so many of my students now struggling with mental health issues themselves, it's crucial being happy is allowed again. So 10 years after I first began my career as a director, I am celebrating by welcoming back the want to entertain my audiences first and foremost, and in short, #focusonthehappy.