A Magic box of joy

“If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; 
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; 
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster; 
And treat those two impostors just the same..”
​- 'If' by Rudyard Kipling 

As you all well know an actor’s life can be tough, there’s an enormous amount of rejection and frustration.   However the highs and moments of joy are so special and deserve to be cherished.  I believe that everyone, and not only actors, should have their own personal box of joy.  A place in your mind that you reserve for happy memories that you can access at times of sadness, worry, stress or rejection.  Or even just when you feel like giving yourself a little boost of positivity.   Remember the feeling when your agent called you to tell you you’d got the part, the moment when the curtain went down and the applause started and you knew that you had given your very best performance or when you are praised for your talent.  They don’t have to be major triumphs or even things that other people necessarily would find that amazing, just milestones in your career that bring a smile to your face.

I was especially reminded of this when I read a post on Laia Costa’s page on Facebook after her triumphant week winning a major award in Germany and her film “Victoria” opening to rave reviews from somebody saying “Hola Laia respecto el teu treball i el premi que t'an donat pero espero que no s'et puji al cap despres l'aterratje es molt dur” which roughly translates to “I respect your work and the prize you’ve been given but hope it doesn’t go to your head as the come-down afterwards is very tough”. 

I totally disagree – I truly believe that we should live the moments of triumph and joy in our lives to the maximum.  Celebrate everything that can be celebrated, dance with unbridled joy and savour the giddy heights of success.  Sure they may not last and sure life has its swings and roundabout but as an actor (or indeed anyone) knowing how to take the rough with the smooth is an important life lesson.  And when things go badly and you feel immersed in black clouds, remember that this too will pass and that the lows help us to appreciate the highs so also have value.