July 28, 2025 • 18 mins
Jess and Claude break down what affirmations really are (and aren’t), how to use them without the cringe, and why positive self-talk can meaningfully shift your mood, confidence, and boundaries—at work and beyond. From overcoming negative thought loops to writing affirmations that actually sound like you, this episode gives you practical language and everyday practices to support your emotional well-being and productivity.
What You’ll Learn
- What affirmations are—and how to make them feel authentic
- How positive self-talk rewires unhelpful narratives at work and at home
- Ways to use affirmations to set boundaries and prioritize self-care
- Simple, repeatable scripts to reduce stress and anxiety
- How sharing affirmations with your work bestie reinforces healthier beliefs
Chapters
- 00:00 The Power of Self-Affirmation
- 01:12 Understanding Affirmations
- 03:24 Personal Experiences with Affirmations
- 06:08 Affirmations in the Workplace
- 08:19 Leveraging Support from Others
- 10:30 Practical Affirmations for Daily Life
- 12:53 Creating Your Own Affirmations
Quick Takeaways
- Affirmations are short, intentional phrases that reframe negative thoughts.
- They can be written, spoken, or silently repeated—do what fits your life.
- Personalization matters: make them sound like you.
- Use them to set boundaries, reduce stress, and build confidence at work.
- Consistency turns affirmations into mindset shifts.
Try These (and Tweak Them to Fit You)
- “I can handle this one step at a time.”
- “My boundaries protect my energy and my impact.”
- “I am proud of the progress I’m making—even if it’s not perfect.”
- “I speak to myself the way I speak to someone I love.”
- “I trust myself to choose what I need today.”
If this episode helped, follow, rate, and review Work Besties Who Podcast. Share your go-to affirmation with us on Instagram @workbestieswhopodcast and tag your work bestie!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jess (00:00):
Before we get into it, pause for a second and check in
with yourself.
What's something you need today?
Is it support?
Is it focus, permission to rest?
Today's episode is yourreminder that when you say to
yourself, things matter and youget to choose your own story.
Claude (00:17):
But don't worry, we are not making you stare in the
mirror and chant.
We are just saying maybe yourbrain deserves a bit of pep talk
.
Hi, I'm Claude and I'm Jess.
We are corporate employees byday, entrepreneurs by night and
work besties for life.
Jess (00:34):
Join us as we explore how work besties lift each other up,
laugh through the chaos andthrive together in every
industry.
Work besties.
Okay, claude, let's be honest.
How would you feel if I handedyou a sticky note that said I am
radiant and powerful and toldyou to read it every single
(00:56):
morning?
Claude (00:56):
I would laugh at you.
I would totally laugh and Iwould say really Thank you.
But not, I'm not doing that.
I would feel weird to putmyself in in front of the mirror
and say I'm beautiful.
You know, I don't know, it'snot I, I can't do you do that?
Jess (01:12):
all right, everyone.
So today we're talking aboutaffirmations.
I love them and, as you justsaid, from claude.
Claude (01:17):
Well, she's not exactly using a one set well, yeah,
because it's not that I don'tlike them to each to your own or
whatever the thing is, but Ijust I can't do it.
I don't see myself.
I'm sure it would be great if Icould do it but I don't know.
Jess (01:37):
A part of me wonders if you really know what
affirmations are.
Maybe not.
Claude (01:41):
For me, affirmation is what you say, what is on your
sticky note.
I am beautiful, I am smart, allthat that for me is, but I'm
sure there's other kind.
Jess (01:52):
Right, so so affirmations usually are short, intentional
phrases that you put down.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe in a sticky note, but it's
good to write them down orrecite them in your mind.
Things like I am capable, I canhandle this.
Take a deep breath before yourespond.
There's science really behindrepetition and helping you
(02:13):
rewire negative thoughts intopositive ones.
That's, at the end of the day,a way to help you overcome those
patterns.
But there isn't a specific.
You have to look in a mirror,you have to write it down so
many times or doing things it'sall what you feel most
comfortable with but at the endof the day, it's to help you
reframe patterns.
Claude (02:30):
Okay, it's talking to yourself in a positive way.
Yeah, okay, yeah.
Jess (02:35):
All right, it's helping you overcome whatever you feel
is something you want to work on, right, okay, and people say it
in different ways or do it indifferent ways.
I tend to be the one who writesit down.
I don't sit there and look in amirror and say it to myself and
I do tend to try and do it inthe morning and then in the
nighttime before I go to bed.
(02:55):
Are they the same Sameaffirmation you mean yes, so I
usually try and focus on no morethan two things, because
otherwise it's just too much.
But there are sometimesaffirmations that I do
throughout the day to help justcalm my nerves down, but ones
that I'm really trying to aspireto accomplish, things like one
of them has to do with being apart of the work bestie crew and
(03:18):
how we can make this continuedmomentum going, and that's the
one that I actually do focusconsistently on writing down in
the morning and the nighttime.
But there are ones like rightnow I'm trying to get back into
running, so I have those thatare a little more newer.
That makes sense.
I kind of layer some otherthings in there, okay, so when
(03:40):
you think about it, it doesn'thave to be something you look in
a mirror.
It doesn't have to be a planner, it could be whatever you do to
kind of reframe your mindset.
Claude (03:47):
Okay.
So where I come from?
We don't.
I mean not where I come from,you come from France.
We don't do that.
France is a no Okay, becauseI'm sure in France people do
that too.
Like I don't say to myself oh,I want to win the Lotto.
I don't say it because I writeit down I want to win the Lotto,
(04:09):
it's going to happen.
Jess (04:12):
Yeah, that's a fantastic one.
I think that reminds me of whenthe Secret came out.
Yeah, I feel like that's whateveryone was like.
If I have money in my wallet orif I put a picture of a million
dollars in my bank account, itwill just happen.
Maybe that happens to somepeople.
That's not how I useaffirmations.
It could be I do it more so forlevel setting, negative
patterns and okay, that isdifferent.
(04:34):
Yeah, it's for me, it's moremodeling of myself and how I can
help keep my mind on track forthose things that I do have
power over changing.
I like that.
That's the difference.
Claude (04:44):
That's where okay, I mean we were talking a little
bit before what it was exactly.
Yes, I quit smoking, I'm veryproud and I talk about it Right
Right.
So I guess it's an affirmation,because I'm going to say I'm
not going to have a cigarettetoday.
Jess (05:01):
Right, I think you're saying it as an unintentional
way of reminding yourself not todo it.
So that is a form of it.
For sure, I think that's a goodone to say.
You could do it with a workvest.
It doesn't have to be somethingyou formally or make into a
(05:24):
formal thing.
It could be during those timeperiods that you are chatting
with somebody.
Them guess what?
I'm now, however many monthswithout smoking.
Yeah, it is because you'regiving yourself the positive
encouragement to keep thatmomentum going.
Eight months, but who'scounting might be more by the
time.
This episode, yeah, but I thinkin in memory when you
originally did quit, you werelike I'm not gonna make a big
thing about it.
Yeah, and that was another wayof you reframing in your mind.
(05:45):
If I put less pressure onmyself, I have an easier time to
get to focus on this.
So you're unintentionally doingit.
Claude (05:54):
So yeah it's.
It must be a bit different fromlike I will never say to myself
I'm beautiful, I'm young, youknow when I'm looking in the
mirror or whatever, because,yeah, god, I'm so happy.
Jess (06:07):
Insert SNL skit from way back in the day.
I can do that, but I can't.
You wouldn't feel weird andtherefore it wouldn't happen or
change your mindset, becauseyou'd be giggling at yourself.
Claude (06:18):
Yeah, no.
Jess (06:19):
All right.
Well then, I have a questionfor you.
So when you think about thework environment, people do so.
I also do affirmationsthroughout the day, at times
when I get a stress.
How do you do a day?
No, it's just impairing somethings.
So if I get a stressful emailor I get like in a stressful
situation, and instead ofreacting negatively sometimes I
sit there and just say like youcontrol the narrative, you
control the narrative just tohelp calm myself down.
(06:42):
Do I sound crazy?
Claude (06:43):
no, it helps me.
I was thinking what I wassaying in my mind when I see her
stress, when you see, her.
Jess (06:51):
She was stressed when she wrote this one.
I know you do not love gettingup and doing public speaking,
but you are in a lot of meetings.
I'm sometimes in some of thosemeetings where you have to get
up and public speak.
How do you prepare yourself forthat?
Claude (07:04):
I prepare the crap out of it.
What do you mean?
I will learn the script topresent.
I will first write a script,okay.
Then, when it's a bigpresentation, right, I will
write the script and then learnby heart Even the jokes which
you think it comes out of it.
(07:24):
Cause the laughter here?
Yeah, no, but it's true, whichat the end, because I learned so
much, and say to myself andlook in the mirror, yeah,
actually look in the mirrorpresenting and everything Like
jokes, people think that it wascame out of the moment.
Not at all.
So that's what I do I work tocrap out of it like a lot.
Jess (07:48):
So you're kind of modeling affirmations then.
But how?
Because you're sitting thereand practicing and you're
getting yourself in the mindsetto consistently feel comfortable
.
So you went from the pattern offeeling nervous and that you
would get in this room and makemistakes to now.
I've talked about it so much,I've looked at myself in the
(08:09):
mirror so I know what theoutcome is going to be.
I know when I feel comfortableto say those jokes.
You're modeling that pattern.
So when you get in the room,you feel more comfortable.
It changes your perspective andit changes your level of
heightenedness.
When you get in the room, youfeel more comfortable.
It changes your perspective andit changes your level of
heightenedness when you're there.
Right, yeah, I guess.
So you don't seem convinced, Ican tell.
(08:30):
Well, I do think, as you justcommented on, another area of
affirmations is, instead ofhaving to say in front of the
mirror, you could leverage yourwork, work, bestie.
So there are times to bementioned with the cigarettes,
but like you do that for work, Ido it a lot of times for work,
not just with you but otherpeople on my team.
I will do either role-playing,saying like, hey, let's help me
(08:53):
walk through this presentation.
What are the things that comeat me?
With the questions, I feel moreprepared.
Yeah.
Claude (08:59):
Actually, what I do like is when people do the
affirmation for me.
Give me an example.
So, for example, oh my God, Idid a presentation, it was
horrible.
I was horrible.
Then my work, bestie orwhatever will say no, it was
fine.
Is that?
No, it's past.
Jess (09:19):
I feel like it makes you come across negative.
I understand where you'recoming from, because I think, in
essence, what you're saying iswhen somebody comes to you and
says I'm working on apresentation, I am trying to
figure out ways to make itsuccessful, and then somebody
talks you up and is like lasttime I saw you present, you were
amazing, you were glowing andpeople were all enamored by
(09:43):
everything you were saying andeating up every word, like that.
Claude (09:46):
That, I think, is Exactly and that actually is
going to be not.
I am good, I am this, butso-and-so say that I was good,
so I can still be good.
That's an affirmation, right?
No, yeah, my way of saying thatis the third person that said
that I was good, so I'm going tobe good.
Jess (10:08):
Well, but you want to do it for you, I think, if you say
I have confirmation that I'veheard from others, but it's
still, at the end of the day,how you want to be reflected,
yes, yes, and Can that be ananswer?
All right, so I know, for me,there are times that I have, as
(10:29):
I said before, commented about,I do, affirmations throughout
the day.
Some of the things that I thinkcalm me down are saying things
like I am not my unread teammessages or my unread emails,
because there's been times wherethat number's gotten way too
high for me to fully admit on arecording.
But there are things like thatthat help level, set my
(10:49):
mentality, because there's dayswhen you get on a your computer,
your phone, and you see thosenumbers and it does spike your
your levels yeah, so that helpsme.
And then there's also the onesthat I know I've been working on
the most is around.
While I can do it all, I canalso delegate, because I am one
(11:10):
who tends to take it all inversus leveraging the power of
my team, and my team is amazing.
So those are things that Isuggest helping your work best.
Claude (11:20):
To remind them of that, I think I like that one.
I don't have to do everything.
I can delegate that.
I can take that information.
Jess (11:29):
Yeah.
Claude (11:29):
I like this one.
Jess (11:30):
See every day, you can say that to yourself.
I like this one See Every day,you can say that to yourself.
Claude (11:32):
and then we take one.
Jess (11:37):
My God, I got her into affirmations.
So yeah, so those are somethings that we could do.
I'm glad you like that one.
I had thought of one for you aswell.
Do you want to hear what minewas for you?
If it's truly important, theywill follow up.
Claude (11:52):
Actually do that Sometimes on emails, except that
my boss or like the importantoh yeah, they are in like a
special color Right.
So I know that I have to look,but a lot of time I'm like it's
so busy or whatever.
If it's really important, theywill come back and ask us.
See, Ask me.
(12:13):
There you go.
Jess (12:14):
All right, I am.
You don't necessarily need todo that one, but maybe that's
one you can say to me, becausethere are a lot of times where
I'm like I'm better atdelegating, then I'd be.
What's my email?
Where is that?
What's my email?
Oh, it's truly importantUnderstood.
I know you were laughing at meearlier, so I'm going to say it
again.
For me, affirmations,especially in the workplace, are
(12:34):
like workplace poetry.
I think it's so funny, I loveit, I think it's so cute.
Claude (12:39):
It's like saying self-love is turning off
notifications right, oh my God,you know what we should do.
That is a carousel, yeah.
Jess (12:48):
Workplace poetry.
There you go.
I love it.
One of them could be and thisis why I think affirmations work
so well is it's anotherreminder to put on your oxygen
mask, yeah, which we've now saidthat, maybe just as much as
we've said yin and yang, butit's true and I think it's
something that all of us cancontinue to work on, especially
from a wellness perspective.
So self-love is saying nowithout apologizing, and that
(13:11):
right there is an affirmationHold on.
Claude (13:14):
I forgot already what was the affirmation that I liked
.
Jess (13:17):
Yours was about the delegation.
I can do hard things, but I canalso delegate them.
Yes, yeah, you could do it all.
You just sometimes do do it all, but you don't need to.
No, that's yours.
Claude (13:29):
All right.
So now let's create some thatyou, our listeners, can actually
use.
What you, we want you?
Right, it's the poster we wantyou.
Jess (13:43):
We will put.
Claude (13:43):
Uncle Sam on top.
Whether you say them out loud,write them out or just think
them before a stressful meeting,there are a few you can take
with you, and please put it alsoin the you know reply.
Jess (13:59):
Share back with us.
Claude (14:00):
Because obviously I need some.
Jess (14:06):
So okay.
So some work besties.
Okay.
So I came up with some because,as we know, clyde currently
doesn't think she uses them, butshe does, right, I mean just
clarifying, she does, but theones ones that I came up with,
and they're a little bit moregeneric, so think about
customizing them for yourself.
But things such as I don't needto have all the answers, I just
need to be present, becausethat's a lot of things that we
(14:26):
deal with, right, we're in amillion meetings and people
assume that we all need to bethere.
Sometimes you don't have to bethe one to jump, especially for
teams there.
Let them answer first.
Claude (14:35):
And you don't want to mansplain, that's true.
That's the worst thing you cando.
Jess (14:42):
This next one is a callback to last week's episode.
It's okay to pause beforeresponding.
Claude (14:50):
So it's actually a good one, because if you say to
yourself it's okay to pausebefore responding, you actually
paused.
Jess (14:57):
Yeah, and my favorite about this is somebody actually
responded to us in our feedbackfrom last week's episode about
this and said well, what happenswhen you're pausing and someone
jumps in?
And our answer to that wasstated I need to pause for a
second, but I will respond andmake them known that, like it
should be paused for everybodyin the room.
That's okay too, cause that'shelping you to set boundaries
(15:21):
with all of the people in theroom, and especially the person
who came and asked the questionor is expecting a response.
The other one that I came upwith because I feel like this is
one that I have to challengemyself on a lot with the
boundary setting is I can beboth professional but also a
human with a personal life.
I think it's a good one toremind yourself of.
You can balance Pretty hardthis one.
Claude (15:43):
Yeah, I know, I know.
That's why you need tore-affirmation.
Jess (15:46):
That's why you do them right, and this one kind of
aligns to that one as well.
Taking care of myself helps meshow up for others, and this is
the one that you are doing withthe no smoking anymore that's
very fancy.
Claude (16:00):
Taking care of myself helps me show up for others.
Jess (16:04):
Yeah, because I won't die as early, exactly see, and it's,
it's also with the swimming,with us doing our exercise.
Routines, like those types ofthings are helping us not just
to survive longer, but ourmental grace every day, and then
therefore, it helps us show upfor others.
Love it, see.
(16:25):
So I turned to you Affirmations.
Tell me a little bit.
They're not necessarilysomething that are… Like
chanting, like I said at thebeginning it's not woo woo
talking into Amir but it's fine.
Claude (16:38):
It's fine for people, it's not for everybody.
Jess (16:42):
I write them down, but maybe some people just like to
say them their commute into workor say them as they're doing
their exercise or whatever.
It's just something that kindof just helps ground you again.
Yeah.
So affirmations for me help mestop the spiraling.
And again, you don't have tosay them, you can write them
(17:04):
down, you can just think them.
It's one that you want toconsistently come back to.
So, whether you speak it orwrite it or live it,
affirmations really are aboutreminding yourself who you are
and what you need.
Claude (17:18):
And if you forget, that's what your bestie is for,
so you always remind me.
I will.
Jess (17:24):
Now I'm going to Did you delegate today.
Claude (17:26):
Yeah, I didn't.
They were all on vacation.
Jess (17:30):
All right, we'll start that one Monday.
So before you log off, sendyour work, bestie, that
one-liner affirmation, somethinglike you're doing better than
you think or your calendardoesn't define your worth.
Claude (17:42):
Yeah, or just you got this.
I mean, I love that one.
You know, for me it's the best.
Short and simple.
You got this.
Jess (17:49):
Short and simple, all right, see y.
Short and simple.
Short and simple, all right.
See y'all next time.
Besties bye.
Remember.
Whether you're swapping snacksin the break room, rescuing each
other from endless meetings orjust sending that perfectly
timed meme.
Having a work bestie is likehaving your own personal hype
squad.
Claude (18:06):
So keep lifting each other, laughing through the
chaos and, of course, thriving.
Until next time, stay positive,stay productive and don't
forget to keep supporting eachother.
Before we get into it, pause for a second and check in
with yourself.
What's something you need today?
Is it support?
Is it focus, permission to rest?
Today's episode is yourreminder that when you say to
yourself, things matter and youget to choose your own story.
Claude (00:17):
But don't worry, we are not making you stare in the
mirror and chant.
We are just saying maybe yourbrain deserves a bit of pep talk
.
Hi, I'm Claude and I'm Jess.
We are corporate employees byday, entrepreneurs by night and
work besties for life.
Jess (00:34):
Join us as we explore how work besties lift each other up,
laugh through the chaos andthrive together in every
industry.
Work besties.
Okay, claude, let's be honest.
How would you feel if I handedyou a sticky note that said I am
radiant and powerful and toldyou to read it every single
(00:56):
morning?
Claude (00:56):
I would laugh at you.
I would totally laugh and Iwould say really Thank you.
But not, I'm not doing that.
I would feel weird to putmyself in in front of the mirror
and say I'm beautiful.
You know, I don't know, it'snot I, I can't do you do that?
Jess (01:12):
all right, everyone.
So today we're talking aboutaffirmations.
I love them and, as you justsaid, from claude.
Claude (01:17):
Well, she's not exactly using a one set well, yeah,
because it's not that I don'tlike them to each to your own or
whatever the thing is, but Ijust I can't do it.
I don't see myself.
I'm sure it would be great if Icould do it but I don't know.
Jess (01:37):
A part of me wonders if you really know what
affirmations are.
Maybe not.
Claude (01:41):
For me, affirmation is what you say, what is on your
sticky note.
I am beautiful, I am smart, allthat that for me is, but I'm
sure there's other kind.
Jess (01:52):
Right, so so affirmations usually are short, intentional
phrases that you put down.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe in a sticky note, but it's
good to write them down orrecite them in your mind.
Things like I am capable, I canhandle this.
Take a deep breath before yourespond.
There's science really behindrepetition and helping you
(02:13):
rewire negative thoughts intopositive ones.
That's, at the end of the day,a way to help you overcome those
patterns.
But there isn't a specific.
You have to look in a mirror,you have to write it down so
many times or doing things it'sall what you feel most
comfortable with but at the endof the day, it's to help you
reframe patterns.
Claude (02:30):
Okay, it's talking to yourself in a positive way.
Yeah, okay, yeah.
Jess (02:35):
All right, it's helping you overcome whatever you feel
is something you want to work on, right, okay, and people say it
in different ways or do it indifferent ways.
I tend to be the one who writesit down.
I don't sit there and look in amirror and say it to myself and
I do tend to try and do it inthe morning and then in the
nighttime before I go to bed.
(02:55):
Are they the same Sameaffirmation you mean yes, so I
usually try and focus on no morethan two things, because
otherwise it's just too much.
But there are sometimesaffirmations that I do
throughout the day to help justcalm my nerves down, but ones
that I'm really trying to aspireto accomplish, things like one
of them has to do with being apart of the work bestie crew and
(03:18):
how we can make this continuedmomentum going, and that's the
one that I actually do focusconsistently on writing down in
the morning and the nighttime.
But there are ones like rightnow I'm trying to get back into
running, so I have those thatare a little more newer.
That makes sense.
I kind of layer some otherthings in there, okay, so when
(03:40):
you think about it, it doesn'thave to be something you look in
a mirror.
It doesn't have to be a planner, it could be whatever you do to
kind of reframe your mindset.
Claude (03:47):
Okay.
So where I come from?
We don't.
I mean not where I come from,you come from France.
We don't do that.
France is a no Okay, becauseI'm sure in France people do
that too.
Like I don't say to myself oh,I want to win the Lotto.
I don't say it because I writeit down I want to win the Lotto,
(04:09):
it's going to happen.
Jess (04:12):
Yeah, that's a fantastic one.
I think that reminds me of whenthe Secret came out.
Yeah, I feel like that's whateveryone was like.
If I have money in my wallet orif I put a picture of a million
dollars in my bank account, itwill just happen.
Maybe that happens to somepeople.
That's not how I useaffirmations.
It could be I do it more so forlevel setting, negative
patterns and okay, that isdifferent.
(04:34):
Yeah, it's for me, it's moremodeling of myself and how I can
help keep my mind on track forthose things that I do have
power over changing.
I like that.
That's the difference.
Claude (04:44):
That's where okay, I mean we were talking a little
bit before what it was exactly.
Yes, I quit smoking, I'm veryproud and I talk about it Right
Right.
So I guess it's an affirmation,because I'm going to say I'm
not going to have a cigarettetoday.
Jess (05:01):
Right, I think you're saying it as an unintentional
way of reminding yourself not todo it.
So that is a form of it.
For sure, I think that's a goodone to say.
You could do it with a workvest.
It doesn't have to be somethingyou formally or make into a
(05:24):
formal thing.
It could be during those timeperiods that you are chatting
with somebody.
Them guess what?
I'm now, however many monthswithout smoking.
Yeah, it is because you'regiving yourself the positive
encouragement to keep thatmomentum going.
Eight months, but who'scounting might be more by the
time.
This episode, yeah, but I thinkin in memory when you
originally did quit, you werelike I'm not gonna make a big
thing about it.
Yeah, and that was another wayof you reframing in your mind.
(05:45):
If I put less pressure onmyself, I have an easier time to
get to focus on this.
So you're unintentionally doingit.
Claude (05:54):
So yeah it's.
It must be a bit different fromlike I will never say to myself
I'm beautiful, I'm young, youknow when I'm looking in the
mirror or whatever, because,yeah, god, I'm so happy.
Jess (06:07):
Insert SNL skit from way back in the day.
I can do that, but I can't.
You wouldn't feel weird andtherefore it wouldn't happen or
change your mindset, becauseyou'd be giggling at yourself.
Claude (06:18):
Yeah, no.
Jess (06:19):
All right.
Well then, I have a questionfor you.
So when you think about thework environment, people do so.
I also do affirmationsthroughout the day, at times
when I get a stress.
How do you do a day?
No, it's just impairing somethings.
So if I get a stressful emailor I get like in a stressful
situation, and instead ofreacting negatively sometimes I
sit there and just say like youcontrol the narrative, you
control the narrative just tohelp calm myself down.
(06:42):
Do I sound crazy?
Claude (06:43):
no, it helps me.
I was thinking what I wassaying in my mind when I see her
stress, when you see, her.
Jess (06:51):
She was stressed when she wrote this one.
I know you do not love gettingup and doing public speaking,
but you are in a lot of meetings.
I'm sometimes in some of thosemeetings where you have to get
up and public speak.
How do you prepare yourself forthat?
Claude (07:04):
I prepare the crap out of it.
What do you mean?
I will learn the script topresent.
I will first write a script,okay.
Then, when it's a bigpresentation, right, I will
write the script and then learnby heart Even the jokes which
you think it comes out of it.
(07:24):
Cause the laughter here?
Yeah, no, but it's true, whichat the end, because I learned so
much, and say to myself andlook in the mirror, yeah,
actually look in the mirrorpresenting and everything Like
jokes, people think that it wascame out of the moment.
Not at all.
So that's what I do I work tocrap out of it like a lot.
Jess (07:48):
So you're kind of modeling affirmations then.
But how?
Because you're sitting thereand practicing and you're
getting yourself in the mindsetto consistently feel comfortable
.
So you went from the pattern offeeling nervous and that you
would get in this room and makemistakes to now.
I've talked about it so much,I've looked at myself in the
(08:09):
mirror so I know what theoutcome is going to be.
I know when I feel comfortableto say those jokes.
You're modeling that pattern.
So when you get in the room,you feel more comfortable.
It changes your perspective andit changes your level of
heightenedness.
When you get in the room, youfeel more comfortable.
It changes your perspective andit changes your level of
heightenedness when you're there.
Right, yeah, I guess.
So you don't seem convinced, Ican tell.
(08:30):
Well, I do think, as you justcommented on, another area of
affirmations is, instead ofhaving to say in front of the
mirror, you could leverage yourwork, work, bestie.
So there are times to bementioned with the cigarettes,
but like you do that for work, Ido it a lot of times for work,
not just with you but otherpeople on my team.
I will do either role-playing,saying like, hey, let's help me
(08:53):
walk through this presentation.
What are the things that comeat me?
With the questions, I feel moreprepared.
Yeah.
Claude (08:59):
Actually, what I do like is when people do the
affirmation for me.
Give me an example.
So, for example, oh my God, Idid a presentation, it was
horrible.
I was horrible.
Then my work, bestie orwhatever will say no, it was
fine.
Is that?
No, it's past.
Jess (09:19):
I feel like it makes you come across negative.
I understand where you'recoming from, because I think, in
essence, what you're saying iswhen somebody comes to you and
says I'm working on apresentation, I am trying to
figure out ways to make itsuccessful, and then somebody
talks you up and is like lasttime I saw you present, you were
amazing, you were glowing andpeople were all enamored by
(09:43):
everything you were saying andeating up every word, like that.
Claude (09:46):
That, I think, is Exactly and that actually is
going to be not.
I am good, I am this, butso-and-so say that I was good,
so I can still be good.
That's an affirmation, right?
No, yeah, my way of saying thatis the third person that said
that I was good, so I'm going tobe good.
Jess (10:08):
Well, but you want to do it for you, I think, if you say
I have confirmation that I'veheard from others, but it's
still, at the end of the day,how you want to be reflected,
yes, yes, and Can that be ananswer?
All right, so I know, for me,there are times that I have, as
(10:29):
I said before, commented about,I do, affirmations throughout
the day.
Some of the things that I thinkcalm me down are saying things
like I am not my unread teammessages or my unread emails,
because there's been times wherethat number's gotten way too
high for me to fully admit on arecording.
But there are things like thatthat help level, set my
(10:49):
mentality, because there's dayswhen you get on a your computer,
your phone, and you see thosenumbers and it does spike your
your levels yeah, so that helpsme.
And then there's also the onesthat I know I've been working on
the most is around.
While I can do it all, I canalso delegate, because I am one
(11:10):
who tends to take it all inversus leveraging the power of
my team, and my team is amazing.
So those are things that Isuggest helping your work best.
Claude (11:20):
To remind them of that, I think I like that one.
I don't have to do everything.
I can delegate that.
I can take that information.
Jess (11:29):
Yeah.
Claude (11:29):
I like this one.
Jess (11:30):
See every day, you can say that to yourself.
I like this one See Every day,you can say that to yourself.
Claude (11:32):
and then we take one.
Jess (11:37):
My God, I got her into affirmations.
So yeah, so those are somethings that we could do.
I'm glad you like that one.
I had thought of one for you aswell.
Do you want to hear what minewas for you?
If it's truly important, theywill follow up.
Claude (11:52):
Actually do that Sometimes on emails, except that
my boss or like the importantoh yeah, they are in like a
special color Right.
So I know that I have to look,but a lot of time I'm like it's
so busy or whatever.
If it's really important, theywill come back and ask us.
See, Ask me.
(12:13):
There you go.
Jess (12:14):
All right, I am.
You don't necessarily need todo that one, but maybe that's
one you can say to me, becausethere are a lot of times where
I'm like I'm better atdelegating, then I'd be.
What's my email?
Where is that?
What's my email?
Oh, it's truly importantUnderstood.
I know you were laughing at meearlier, so I'm going to say it
again.
For me, affirmations,especially in the workplace, are
(12:34):
like workplace poetry.
I think it's so funny, I loveit, I think it's so cute.
Claude (12:39):
It's like saying self-love is turning off
notifications right, oh my God,you know what we should do.
That is a carousel, yeah.
Jess (12:48):
Workplace poetry.
There you go.
I love it.
One of them could be and thisis why I think affirmations work
so well is it's anotherreminder to put on your oxygen
mask, yeah, which we've now saidthat, maybe just as much as
we've said yin and yang, butit's true and I think it's
something that all of us cancontinue to work on, especially
from a wellness perspective.
So self-love is saying nowithout apologizing, and that
(13:11):
right there is an affirmationHold on.
Claude (13:14):
I forgot already what was the affirmation that I liked
.
Jess (13:17):
Yours was about the delegation.
I can do hard things, but I canalso delegate them.
Yes, yeah, you could do it all.
You just sometimes do do it all, but you don't need to.
No, that's yours.
Claude (13:29):
All right.
So now let's create some thatyou, our listeners, can actually
use.
What you, we want you?
Right, it's the poster we wantyou.
Jess (13:43):
We will put.
Claude (13:43):
Uncle Sam on top.
Whether you say them out loud,write them out or just think
them before a stressful meeting,there are a few you can take
with you, and please put it alsoin the you know reply.
Jess (13:59):
Share back with us.
Claude (14:00):
Because obviously I need some.
Jess (14:06):
So okay.
So some work besties.
Okay.
So I came up with some because,as we know, clyde currently
doesn't think she uses them, butshe does, right, I mean just
clarifying, she does, but theones ones that I came up with,
and they're a little bit moregeneric, so think about
customizing them for yourself.
But things such as I don't needto have all the answers, I just
need to be present, becausethat's a lot of things that we
(14:26):
deal with, right, we're in amillion meetings and people
assume that we all need to bethere.
Sometimes you don't have to bethe one to jump, especially for
teams there.
Let them answer first.
Claude (14:35):
And you don't want to mansplain, that's true.
That's the worst thing you cando.
Jess (14:42):
This next one is a callback to last week's episode.
It's okay to pause beforeresponding.
Claude (14:50):
So it's actually a good one, because if you say to
yourself it's okay to pausebefore responding, you actually
paused.
Jess (14:57):
Yeah, and my favorite about this is somebody actually
responded to us in our feedbackfrom last week's episode about
this and said well, what happenswhen you're pausing and someone
jumps in?
And our answer to that wasstated I need to pause for a
second, but I will respond andmake them known that, like it
should be paused for everybodyin the room.
That's okay too, cause that'shelping you to set boundaries
(15:21):
with all of the people in theroom, and especially the person
who came and asked the questionor is expecting a response.
The other one that I came upwith because I feel like this is
one that I have to challengemyself on a lot with the
boundary setting is I can beboth professional but also a
human with a personal life.
I think it's a good one toremind yourself of.
You can balance Pretty hardthis one.
Claude (15:43):
Yeah, I know, I know.
That's why you need tore-affirmation.
Jess (15:46):
That's why you do them right, and this one kind of
aligns to that one as well.
Taking care of myself helps meshow up for others, and this is
the one that you are doing withthe no smoking anymore that's
very fancy.
Claude (16:00):
Taking care of myself helps me show up for others.
Jess (16:04):
Yeah, because I won't die as early, exactly see, and it's,
it's also with the swimming,with us doing our exercise.
Routines, like those types ofthings are helping us not just
to survive longer, but ourmental grace every day, and then
therefore, it helps us show upfor others.
Love it, see.
(16:25):
So I turned to you Affirmations.
Tell me a little bit.
They're not necessarilysomething that are… Like
chanting, like I said at thebeginning it's not woo woo
talking into Amir but it's fine.
Claude (16:38):
It's fine for people, it's not for everybody.
Jess (16:42):
I write them down, but maybe some people just like to
say them their commute into workor say them as they're doing
their exercise or whatever.
It's just something that kindof just helps ground you again.
Yeah.
So affirmations for me help mestop the spiraling.
And again, you don't have tosay them, you can write them
(17:04):
down, you can just think them.
It's one that you want toconsistently come back to.
So, whether you speak it orwrite it or live it,
affirmations really are aboutreminding yourself who you are
and what you need.
Claude (17:18):
And if you forget, that's what your bestie is for,
so you always remind me.
I will.
Jess (17:24):
Now I'm going to Did you delegate today.
Claude (17:26):
Yeah, I didn't.
They were all on vacation.
Jess (17:30):
All right, we'll start that one Monday.
So before you log off, sendyour work, bestie, that
one-liner affirmation, somethinglike you're doing better than
you think or your calendardoesn't define your worth.
Claude (17:42):
Yeah, or just you got this.
I mean, I love that one.
You know, for me it's the best.
Short and simple.
You got this.
Jess (17:49):
Short and simple, all right, see y.
Short and simple.
Short and simple, all right.
See y'all next time.
Besties bye.
Remember.
Whether you're swapping snacksin the break room, rescuing each
other from endless meetings orjust sending that perfectly
timed meme.
Having a work bestie is likehaving your own personal hype
squad.
Claude (18:06):
So keep lifting each other, laughing through the
chaos and, of course, thriving.
Until next time, stay positive,stay productive and don't
forget to keep supporting eachother.
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