Podcast #100
Affirmations for High Performers in a Toxic Workplace
Constant nitpicking. On everything.
I’ve been there. And here’s what nobody tells you: it doesn’t just annoy you. It gets into your head.
As a type A high performer, I never wanted to make mistakes. So when I made a small one, a totally human one, I blamed myself way harder than I needed to. Was it a big deal? No. But after weeks of nitpicking, it felt like proof.
That’s the moment your toxic boss’s narrative starts becoming your own. And honestly? That’s the most dangerous part. Because that’s when your confidence drops and everything gets so much harder than it has to be.
So for episode 100 of the Corporate Warriors podcast, I made you something different. A full episode of affirmations, written for high performers in toxic workplaces.
Not the fluffy kind. I’m not going to tell you this is easy, because it’s not. But you can find your strength anyway.
Why your boss’s story sticks
Whatever your boss says to you on the daily, or suggests without ever saying it directly, gets repeated. In meetings. In feedback. In the way they look at you when you speak up.
Hear something often enough and it starts to sound like the truth. Even when you know better.
That’s why you need a counter voice. One that reminds you of the actual truth, every day, until it’s louder than theirs.
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How to use these affirmations
- Listen daily. On your commute, on a walk, before you open your laptop.
- Save the episode so it’s there on the hard days. In my experience, the more you listen, the deeper these messages go.
- Pick the 3 lines that hit you hardest. Put them on a sticky note or your phone’s lock screen.
- Before a big meeting, read one of them quietly to yourself.
When you’re in the middle of it
Let’s be honest. This is a hard chapter. These lines don’t pretend it isn’t.
- “Yes, this is a difficult moment in my career. I fully acknowledge that. And I also acknowledge that this is just a chapter.”
- “I know that not every boss is toxic.”
- “Deep down I have this knowing that I can come out of this with clarity and confidence.”
- “Every day I trust myself a little bit more to navigate this strategically and calmly.”
- “I don’t fight the survival mode. I acknowledge it. It’s my system trying to inform me about a threat. I know it, and I take action.”
- “I don’t need full certainty before taking action. I prepare in silence.”
- “I believe in my ability to figure things out.”
Still in it right now? I put my free tools for you at the end of this post.
Stop abandoning yourself
High performers are experts at putting themselves last. Your boss’s mood, the deadlines, everybody’s expectations. And somewhere in there, you stopped listening to you.
- “I no longer abandon myself, because my opinion of myself matters the most.”
- “I don’t need to prove my worth to anybody. What matters is that I know I am worthy.”
- “I am a child of God. I am here because I am worthy.”
- “I deserve honesty. I deserve a respectful relationship with my boss.”
- “I deserve career success without selling my soul. I know it is possible.”
- “I refuse to shrink. I refuse to give up on my career. I refuse to give up on myself.”
- “I am enough, even when I am still growing.”
- “I can feel uncomfortable and still move forward.”
Listen to the full episode!
Let go of what you can’t control
This one is hard for us justice seekers. You can’t control your boss. And every hour you spend trying is energy you need for your next move.
- “If a thought comes up about something I can’t control, I tell myself: I detach. I release. I let it go.”
- “I only control the controllables. Everything else I release.”
- “I welcome uncertainty as a doorway to possibility.”
- “Peace is available to me right now. I can do this. I’ve done harder things before.”
- “Hard seasons never define my future. They never have and they never will.”
- “I bend without breaking. I adjust to the situation without making it mean anything about me.”
Their projections are not your identity
This is the one I want you to hear most.
- “Other people’s projections are not my identity.”
- “Their behavior says more about them than it says about me.”
- “I release the need to change these people.”
- “I stop chasing validation from people I don’t look up to. I choose peace over proving myself.”
- “I refuse to carry anybody else’s emotional baggage. It is not mine. It is theirs to carry.”
- “I protect my energy.”
Protect your energy
- “Healthy boundaries create healthy relationships.”
- “I don’t need everyone to like me. My value is not determined by one person’s opinion.”
- “This is just one chapter. This is not the full story.”
- “Better opportunities already exist. The right people will appreciate all that I bring to the table.”
Episode 100 needed to be celebrated, so I made something for you. Here on the podcast we talk strategy and dynamics every week. But you can’t out-strategize a toxic boss on an empty tank.
Protect Your Energy is my collection of audio tools for exactly these moments at work. Not a course, not more work. Open it, pick one, press play.
👉 See what’s inside Protect Your Energy
Listen to the full episode!
Become the leader you are meant to be
- “I continue becoming the leader I am meant to be.”
- “Every lesson becomes wisdom, and I trust the timing of my career and life.”
- “I keep my promises to myself. Discipline creates freedom.”
- “I choose progress over perfection, because perfection does not exist.”
- “Small steps compound. I become who I practice being.”
- “My skills are valuable.”
- “I choose courage over comfort. Courage doesn’t mean I’m not afraid. It means I act anyway, because I trust myself enough.”
Quiet confidence
- “I walk into every room with quiet strength.”
- “True confidence and competence don’t need to be announced.”
- “I trust my voice. My presence matters.”
- “And if that makes other people feel insecure, so be it. That is not in my control.”
- “I become the person my younger self needed.”
- “I forgive myself, and I move forward treating myself the way I deserve.”
- “My best chapters are still ahead of me.”
This is how powerful you are
The episode ends with this line, and I want you to keep it:
“By becoming everything I once hoped I could be, I create that life and career for myself. This is how powerful I am.”
Thank you for being here for episode 100. You being here needs to be celebrated. ♥️
Save this one. Come back to it on the hard days.
I am rooting for you,
Fela
Listen to the full episode!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do affirmations work in a toxic workplace?
Affirmations won’t change your boss. What they can do is help you remember what’s true about you when someone keeps telling you a different story. Use them alongside the outer game: boundaries, preparation and support.
What if the affirmations feel fake?
Start with the lines that already feel a little true, like “this is just a chapter.” You don’t have to believe every line on day one. Pick one and repeat it until it sticks.
When should I listen to affirmations for work?
Whenever you need them. The morning, your commute or the minutes before a hard meeting all work. In my experience, listening often matters more than the time of day.
Disclaimer: This article and the linked podcast episode are for educational and informational purposes only and reflect general career coaching perspectives. Fela Rosa is a certified coach, not a licensed therapist, doctor, lawyer or financial advisor. Nothing here is legal, HR, medical, financial or mental health advice. If you’re going through a hard time with your mental or physical health, please reach out to a licensed healthcare professional. If you believe you’re experiencing discrimination, harassment, retaliation or other unlawful conduct, seek advice from a qualified professional. Read our full Disclaimer.
Running on empty?
You can’t out-strategize a toxic boss on an empty tank. Protect your energy first. Then play the game.
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments. Do you agree, disagree, or have something to add?
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About Corporate Warriors
Corporate Warriors helps high performers and leaders build career success without selling their soul.
Founded by Fela Rosa, a former tech high performer turned conscious career coach, the company guides professionals to break free from toxic workplaces, rebuild confidence, and create careers rooted in self-trust and alignment.
Follow @Corporate_Warriors on Instagram or visit corporatewarriors.io for more free tools, courses, and coaching resources.
Where are you right now?
Still stuck with a toxic boss?
Reclaim your power, even if you can’t quit (yet).
Already out of the toxic job?
You thought you’d finally be free. But you can’t stop thinking about it, and you feel like a broken version of yourself.