CHLEO’S BLOG OF SMILES
This week we sit down with funny girl actor Cleo Massey and talk about why it is important for people not to dwell on the small stuff YOU may have seen her face on H20: Just Add Water, Stage Mums or the Bureau of Magical Things.
Cleo Massey, 25, has starred in an extensive list of films and television shows since she was a little girl.
She always thought acting was the dream, but in the past few years she has discovered another passion — teaching others how to pass around a smile.
“I just loved it so much and really thrive being in front of the camera,” she said. “I want to do this for the rest of my life.
“But I’ve had other dreams come up which are just as important.
“The acting industry was getting me down a bit.
“You put your heart, soul, energy and money into becoming a film star and you’re constantly being faced with rejection.”
Cleo worked on set for H20: Just Add Water for five years, starting when she was 11-years-old and finishing at 15. She spent the next two years facing rejection within the industry and struggling with self-doubt.
About four and a half years ago, she started a blog called Pass Around the Smile.
“After so many years of acting, it felt almost suffocating,” Cleo said.
“I guess I made it to help myself. To make me feel better and try to take my own advice.
“But then people started reading it and really enjoying it.
“My blog is all about the law of attraction, positivity, self-love, meditating, journalling … all of the stuff that makes you feel really good.
“I thought it’s so good to help people and I’ve found another passion which is equal to acting and I thought I’d never find.”
She now aims to inspire, spread positivity and teach how to love yourself through her online words.
After it became a success, late last year, Cleo had the idea to combine her two passions.
She has started hosting Pass Around The Smile events which promotes happiness, self love and keeping positive.
“I didn’t know how to put on an event or had rarely spoken at events before,” Cleo said.
“But my acting experience and blog, it made more sense for me to speak it to people.
“So that’s what I did and I’m absolutely loving it.”
Since then she has
hosted three events, all which have sold out.
“Although I’m still acting, and getting a lot of work in acting now, I think it’s only because I listened to the universe and took risks. “I’m a happier person because of it.”
But it wasn’t always that way — Cleo had faced a number of rejections during her acting career. At the time, she took it to heart, but has learned it’s a part of life.
Part of her blog and motivation speak is encouraging others to do the same.
“It doesn’t matter how good of an actor you are … it’s if you are right for the role or not. It has nothing to do with you,” she said.
“The actual description for the (H20: Just Add Water) role was for a fat Greek kid — and I was blonde and lanky.
“I went in and their was lots of beautiful, tanned girls with long hair. But I ended up getting the role.”
Cleo left advice for Inspire readers, saying her favourite quote: “don’t sweat the small stuff”.
“I know it sounds cliche, but just believe in yourself.
“We are all capable of anything.
“If you say you can, you can. If you say you can’t do it, you can’t. If you feel like you’re worthy and deserving, go for it.”
To find out more about Cleo, visit
www.passaround thesmile.com