Accomplishment Boards to Combat Discouragement
As someone with depression, anxiety, bipolar, and many physical issues, it's easy to get discouraged. It's easy to feel like nothing is going right, that no matter how hard I work, I'm never going to really be able to make this work.
So one day I took an idea a friend had and morphed it into my accomplishment boards. I bought a big magnetic whiteboard, one with a nice black wooden frame. On it I put credentials I had obtained, programs from events I shot and/or covered, tickets that were complimentary because of doing an article on someone, and similar items.
At first, it felt like it was futile. There wasn't much to put on there. There was a lot of white showing.
Then it started filling up. I had to layer items. I had to put multiple lanyards with credentials on hooks. I had to take some of the less noteworthy items off.
I decided to buy another matching whiteboard.
I divided my stacked items and placed them on the second display.
Once again there was a lot of white shining through.
But I went back and updated this post today. Now there are many, many items on my accomplishment boards. In fact, there are so many that it's almost impossible to put something new on without knocking something old off. I now have a basket I keep everything on.
I really need a new whiteboard but there's literally no space to hang it in my study. One day I might move things around and take down a picture or two to make space for another one.
But for now, my main goal is to at least occasionally take the time to remember about all that white showing through at first, and how much it's changed - one event/photoshoot/article at a time.
If you get discouraged easily, think about getting an accomplishment board, a star chart (I've done that recently too - to record workouts), or something else that is a reminder that even though there's not much to show of a goal at first, if you keep working on it, chances are good that it will fill up.
And so will you.
Some of my big accomplishments as of 8.18.23 (the last time I tried to list them)
Photography
- Over 150 original photos published online and in
print
- Had an
original photo featured in a national training book for Lifetouch/Shutterfly
- Featured photographer for local print magazine
- Received local and national recognition,
including two photos chosen as winners in The Birmingham View
Photo Challenge
- Noteworthy sporting event shoots:
o
The World Games
o USL and Women’s Premiere League soccer
o MLB major and minor league baseball
o MBA G-league basketball
o NCAA Division I and Division III football
o
USFL football
o
High school football
o High school volleyball
o IndyCar
o
NASCAR
o MotoAmerica
o WERA
o SPHL ice hockey
o Collegiate women’s gymnastics
o Paraclimbing Nationals
o Wheelchair Rugby International
o Local 5K races
o US floorball
-
Noteworthy performance shoots:
o
K-Love Fan Awards Weekend and Red Carpet
o
Darci Lynne, America’s Got Talent winner
o
Winter Jam
o
StarDome Comedy Club featuring Mickey Bell &
Eunice Elliott
o
Dancing with the Stars of the Magic City
o
Arangetrams and other local dance recitals
o
The Thorn
-
Noteworthy editorial shoots:
o
Southern Baptist Convention 2019
o
Baptist World Alliance and Baptist World
Alliance Women’s Conferences
Writing
-
Over 250 distinct articles published online and
in print
-
Won local and national awards, including a grand
prize award
-
Writing published in three books (might be four
soon)
-
Noteworthy interviews/articles:
o
Jinger Duggar Vuolo of 19 Kids and Counting
o
Darci Lynne, America’s Got Talent winner
o
Jon Erwin, award-winning producer, writer,
director
o
Simon Lythgoe, award-winning producer of So You
Think You Can Dance, American Idol
o
Michael Jr, comedian
o
Barbara Cross, child of 16th Street’s
Baptist’s pastor who lived through the bombing
o
Scott Wesley Brown
o
Chonda Pierce, comedian
o
Jeanne Robertson, comedian
o
Jake Rufe, Birmingham Legion USL soccer player
o
Sting Ray Robb, rookie IndyCar driver
o
Chris and Nik Nikic, 1st person with
Down Syndrome to complete a Triathlon
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