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Posted By: Lisa LowCarb Building a Bolstering Area - 03/09/13 08:09 PM
How do you celebrate your achievements, and build the strength to tackle future projects?

Do you have a binder of certificates? A bulletin board with thank-you letters and diplomas? A corner of your office with memorable items?

Share your thoughts here!
Posted By: GtownmaGenealogy Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/09/13 08:31 PM
Most of my achievements in the last years have been writing and genealogy. But, my family tend to "roll their eyes" at the mention. But, I have a few close friends that I go eat dinner with and celebrate. It's good to have someone to share those moments, and that is also where I find Facebook helpful. My friends that live far away can still celebrate with me in my happiness and success.
Posted By: Lisa LowCarb Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/09/13 09:12 PM
Tina -

I think many editors are in that situation, where their immediate family does not "get" the projects they are working on. So the environment is neutral at best, and at times it's actively negative. That is definitely why Facebook and other external groups help. But even there one is reliant on "outside people" for that bolstering, which isn't necessarily reliable.

If you create an internal bolstering mechanism, where you can in essence pump yourself up to take on your project, that is always within your control.

Do you have any way to celebrate your writing and genealogy triumphs?

For example, when I look left, the shelf right there at eye level has my 10 medieval novels, my prototype copy of my new Aspen Allegations, and my non-fiction wine / low carb / wedding books on it. So right there I see the tangible results of my efforts. They remind me that I can do this. I love the covers my friend Debi designed for my medieval novel series, so just looking at those covers can make me quite happy.
Posted By: GtownmaGenealogy Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/09/13 09:37 PM
Honestly I don't have anything like that set up, but I can see value in it. I could sit here and write a "pity" paragraph, but I am proud of what I've done, whether my family understand it or not. Thank you so much for forums like this to get support.

I have often thought of doing the "vision boards" the editors do at the conferences, and maybe now I will do that with the other examples you gave above.
I love this topic! In my case, I have had my business for almost 6 years now. I am fortunate that we have unit meetings where we (including me) are recognized for our achievements. I have put the ribbons and awards on a bulletin board in my scrapbook room and I see them quite often. I also have a wallpaper on my computer that is very artsy and says "let yourself be amazing" I see that several times daily.

I think part of the problem with the negativity is that it comes from people so close to us, that we want approval or support from. We sometimes hear criticisms more often than recognition. I KNOW I've had jobs with no recognition and I'm not sure how I survived them!!

I'd love to hear some more ideas about doing this for ourselves! If I think of other ideas (or find them searching the net) I'll post them here.
You could even do a vision board on Pinterest! I have one of those and I go check it periodically or add something to it.
Posted By: Lisa LowCarb Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/09/13 11:27 PM
Tina - I think most people don't have any "support visual area" set up - it's not something we think about. And yet we are often surrounded by negative images - clutter, stacks of email, undone projects. So we have the "drain" in our life but not the "bolster".

It's well worth it to invest some time in creating that energy source, to keep your spirits charged.

Vision boards are absolutely great, I have made several of them over the years. They're fun to make and then they keep you focused on your goals!

I was recently digging through my scrapbooks etc. to find a newspaper clipping for the Animal Farm play I was in during high school. I wanted to post it on Facebook for some friends. While I was in those piles I pulled out all the certificates and diplomas and such and put them all into a binder. It was very nice feeling. Now I have a binder of all the things I "earned" over the years. When I page through it I remember how much effort I put into earning the certificate, and how proud I am of having done that. It energizes me to tackle current projects.

It also reminds me of all the things I did NOT earn a certificate for. For example I have no certificate for BellaOnline. But I certainly could make a certificate for myself! It is only for me after all. It would become a focal point, to help me soak in that energy for what we have done and then apply it to what we are doing to move forward.

It's all about activating brain cells and filling them with energy.
Posted By: Lisa LowCarb Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/09/13 11:31 PM
Kathleen - Pinterest is a great idea. It's all about organizing visual images. If you organize images of your accomplishments, you can easily pop there and draw in from their energy.
Posted By: Georgia, AK Tatter Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/10/13 02:47 PM
I am sometimes overwhelmed by the responses I get from tatters. They are so passionate about tatting and so grateful to find tatting patterns and tutorials listed here on BellaOnline.com and on my personal website. I seldom keep the cards or emails that come in but I treasure all the bits of tatting that adorned them and all the many hankies and towels and even a tablecloth sent my way. The real treasure come when one of my students or colleagues shares the news that they have taught a new tatter! Ripples on a ponds, tatting spreads even more quickly these days over the internet.

Some of the tatted gifts I have received I have placed on my wall where they are bound to generate a smile every time I pass by.
Posted By: Jilly Re: Building a Bolstering Area - 03/12/13 11:29 PM
Georgina, that is so freaking cool.
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