Editor Self-Care: How to Use Affirmations in Your Business

Welcome to The Modern Editor Podcast, where we talk about all things editing and what it’s like to run an editorial business in today’s world. I’m your host, Tara Whitaker. Let’s get to it.

Hello. Hello. Today we are going to talk about affirmations, or what I personally call anchor thoughts. I put affirmations in the title because I think that’s more recognizable than anchor thoughts.

So not to trick you! Some people call them affirmations, some call them anchor thoughts, some call them mantras. But whatever you call them, they are short statements that help, boost, or remind you—or anchor you—in the present moment.

So with what I’m going to talk about today, as always, use what resonates with you and leave the rest, because when you come up with your own anchor thoughts, it’s really important to make sure that they align with you and not someone else’s anchor thoughts.

So I decided to talk about this because I have found myself using anchor thoughts more and more often lately, probably because #theworld. So I thought maybe you might be in the same boat. Maybe you need a little boost or a little reminder to help you get through some of the things we’re going through right now.

And I know affirmations, anchor thoughts, mantras can sometimes have a bad rap because people think they’re silly or they’re not impactful or they’re too pie in the sky, and they certainly can be without a purpose behind them. So we’re going to talk about that purpose today, and then I’m going to share five of my favorite anchor thoughts that have helped me for a while, but especially lately.

So let’s dive right in. So what is the point of an anchor thought? Our brains are really good at keeping us safe. They don’t want us to do new things because the unknown is scary, right? That’s that primitive part of our brain that has kept us safe for millennia, right? It was what kept us safe from prehistoric animals and the elements and other humans.

And obviously our environments have changed quite a bit since then, but that part of our brain has not, and short of like, drastic not-good things, that part of our brain is here to stay. So it’s up to us to work with that part. To help overcome some of these thoughts that we have. Otherwise, we’re not going to try new things.

We’re not going to elevate, we’re not going to expand, and we’re never going to get out of our comfort zones. Change is not going to be possible, and it’s finding the right tools and strategies for you to help you overcome those.

So my favorite way of processing thoughts and emotions is the TEARA process.

No, it really wasn’t named after me. It’s T-E-A-R-A. I learned it from my coach and my coach instructor, Jessica Stong. It’s actually the TEAR process, but then I added the A, which I’ll talk about in a second, but it’s an abbreviation. So it’s our thoughts create our emotions that drive our actions that produce results.

That’s the TEAR part. And then that last A is what I put on there that stands for the anchor thought, and that’s the statement we create that serves as that reminder and grounds us when we’re going through the action. I go over this a lot in episode three if you want like, the deep dive into the TEARA process, but I’m just gonna briefly go through it here in terms of anchor thoughts.

So let’s say you want to offer a new editing service, but of course you’re terrified. I was too when I started offering copyediting. So you work through the TEARA process and then an anchor thought could be “I’m proud of myself for expanding my skill set.” Or maybe something like “When I start feeling anxious, I’ll remind myself that I’m capable and always learning.”

Do you see how those examples can bring you back to yourself and serve as a reminder that you are rocking it out? They’re not far-fetched. They’re not anything like, “I’m the best editor that’s ever lived,” or, “Clients would just be the luckiest people in the world to be able to work with the amazingness that I am.”

If that works for you, great. But for me, and for a lot of us, your brain has to believe the anchor thought or it’s useless. And that’s why I think sometimes affirmations, mantras, et cetera, can get that bad rap because it’s not anchored in reality. Maybe you are the best editor that’s ever lived; however, I’m going to guess that’s probably not something your brain’s gonna be like, “Absolutely.” Your brain is going to be like, “Really? Do you really think that? Are you sure?” Mine would automatically be like, “Wow, Tara, let’s scale it back a little bit.” 

So that’s why one of the reasons I like anchor thought more than affirmation is just because it serves as that anchor and grounds you back in the present without something that is so wild that your brain cannot handle it.

Now, I highly recommend working through the TEARA process yourself and coming up with your own anchor thoughts. That’s the only way you’re going to come up with things that actually resonate with you. But if you need some examples to get the creativity and the juices flowing, I’m going to share five of my favorites.

Now, I use tons of different anchor thoughts, or I have different iterations of them, but for here, these are the five that I use most often.

Number one, my nos give power to my yeses. This is obviously something helpful when I have to turn something down or if I have to say no to something. My nos give power to my yeses. 

Number two, if something isn’t in alignment with my values, it’s an automatic no. Again, makes saying no easier. Maybe there’s a theme here with those first two now that I’m talking about it out loud. I can have a hard time turning things down, so I have to remind myself of both of those very often. If something isn’t in alignment with my values, it’s an automatic no.

Number three, if it turns out a new decision needs to be made, I will do so without judging my past self. That gives me permission to pivot or change my mind because sometimes I have a very hard time trusting myself that I’m making the right decision. So I won’t make a decision for a very long time because I’m afraid that it’s going to be the wrong one. So again, if it turns out a new decision needs to be made, I will do so without judging my past self.

Number four, mistakes mean I’m learning and expanding outside my comfort zone. This one is especially helpful when you’re doing something new, like starting a new business, offering a new editing service, starting working with a new client. All of those mistakes mean I’m learning, expanding outside my comfort zone

And number five, I am not pushed by my problems; I am led by my dreams. Phew. That one always makes me feel good and really helps me focus in on the good, the dream part, because I know for me, I can focus on the problems or the things that are not how I want them to be too much. So I’m not pushed by my problems; I am led by my dreams. Oof.

All right, that was the quick-and-dirty episode on anchor thoughts. I hope it’s got you thinking about anchor thoughts, creating them for yourself, makes you want to look into the TEARA process. It’s my absolute favorite. I need to talk about it more honestly, but I talk about it a lot in my coaching.

We all need some true, deep self-care these days, and keeping ourselves grounded and focused is really high on that list because if we’re not at our best, our businesses aren’t at their best either, right? And we have to take care of ourselves so then we can pour into our businesses, our family, our activism, and all the things that are important to us.

And I know that there’s a balance there, of course. It’s not all about self-care to the extreme, but anchor thoughts is a really easy, simple way of starting to incorporate that self-care on a regular basis that actually makes a big impact.

So I would love to hear some of your anchor thoughts if you have created some, or if you call them affirmations or mantras or another word. We’re accepting of all terms here. Feel free to email me at hello@tarawhitaker.com, or if you need help creating some, I love, love, love coming up with anchor thoughts for others. Like, it’s one of my favorite things to do, so please let me know if you need some help with that.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Nadia Pupa has affirmation cards for editors available, which is incredible. I love them. I have a set of them. The one that I have out right now on my desk is “I am a creative thinker who finds innovative ways to enhance content.” I put that out there because I’m in the process of launching a new membership tier in the Freelance Editors Club, which I’m very excited about. Stay tuned for that. But I’ll put a link to the affirmation cards on Nadia’s website in the show notes so you can grab a set for yourself.

So until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and remember to create the anchor thoughts that align with you.

Thank you so much for tuning into today’s episode. If you enjoy The Modern Editor Podcast, I would be so grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes. And as always, you can head to tarawhitaker.com to connect with me and stay in touch. We’ll chat again soon.