The Incidence of the Path: Mental Illness and Keynote

After five years of recovery, I’m more proficient in my management. anxiety and Bipolar disorderI was a nice and tidy job as a receptionist at a small graphic design company. However, in the process of working there, my acting bug passed away. That’s when I began writing an excerpt from my experiences with mental illness. Psychosis.

I succumbed. I scratched that creative itch. Writing didn’t drive me crazy from my comfort even a bit boringOffice work, is that so?

While still working as a marketing– Assistant slash recipient (focusing on the slash part), I read an excerpt from the Kickstart Disability Arts Festival. Three invitations followed: England. new zealand. Calgary.

They all asked, “Was this an excerpt from a one-man show?”

“Do you want that?” I thought.

What else can I do? Of course, I said yes! But I only had a handful of scenes. Not near the complete solo show. I had to do what I wrote.

It was lively from the presentation at Kickstart. I was hooked. I decided to find more time to write and be creative.

Immediately after the kickstart, my boss at the graphics company had to fire me. Is it just a coincidence? Or perhaps synchronicity? Or a company that is not managed in a strict market. I want to believe it is synchrony.

Of course, I still had to make money, but I wasn’t trying to waste this layoff. I started working as a background extra for film sets. It was the perfect “hurry-waiting” job that had to be given time to finish stage play before performing at other festivals.

Bring your second-hand laptop to the place, set yourself up like your own little home office, tap on the key. Scene-by-scene, after a background acting gig, after performing a gig, I got what was written!

But I needed the opportunity to see how it landed before leaving the state or abroad. If I flop abroad, God will help me. If it’s not a set up for the depression stage, I don’t know what.

I rehearsed, memorized, and ran the show until it became bones.

When I felt unprepared, but just I called to see who knows who knows me, whoever I knew, where I knew my stories would be welcomed with weapons opened by a warm audience. There was no way to go to traditional theatres and their audiences. my Self-esteem It’s easily broken.

The Vancouver Canadian Health Association (CMHA) in the north and west was alone. The British Columbia Mood Disorders Association was another. Both are encouraging and I am pleased to have performed for their members.

Richmond CMHA helped me get Career The ball rolls further. They didn’t just hold events where I played them. Crazy for life, But Dr. Harry Carlinsky saw me there.

He then invited me to perform at the event he was organizing: first Heart frame Screening of films at Pacific Cinematheque. I was supposed to be the opener before he released the documentary. Returning from insanity: A struggle for sanity.

And it went – built on their own. I continued to get invitations to perform either by someone sitting in the audience or by someone with word of mouth. And get rewards for it. It’s a small amount at first, but it’s paid in the same way.

People ask how and what I do and how I was able to do it for a long time (25 years). I will give theatre keynotes and workshops virtually and in person at conferences, nonprofit glass, and corporate mental health initiatives.

Well, it’s a lot like managing my bipolar disorder and anxiety. This is a combination of slow and careful steps, always looking for the path with the least resistance. Where is the door to the lowest possible opportunity to friction? That’s the direction I’m turning.

More importantly, I am in a mental, physical and financial state of health. If my financial stability becomes unstable, my mental stability isn’t too late. And I can have a strong circle of support that encourages me when my knees feel weak and my heart helps me move forward.

I was working on the call as an extra, so I kept receiving requests to run the show. At each event, I always networked. I asked people who invited me if I knew of a colleague who might be interested in coming to my area.

The snowball effect has occurred. One engagement led to another. I was playing more than I did in the background. I’ve probably realized I’m working on something.

to be continued…

This is part two of a series about being a mental health keynote speaker, sharing my story about bipolar disorder and psychosis.

©Victoria Maxwell