Find your anchor
TL;DR
Having an anchor can be a powerful way to connect with positive feelings and memories that can restore your confidence, focus and belief in yourself.
In my very first training weekend to become a coach, we were tasked with the assignment to identify an anchor object: a grounding item or a touchstone object that brings you back to your true self. Basically, anything that puts you in a positive frame of mind and reminds you of a time when you felt powerful.
I chose Wonder Woman.
I’ve always loved her, and what better iconic character of strength than Wonder Woman to help me as I grow my business?
For the assignment, we had to find a physical representation of our anchor.
I found a Wonder Woman magnet.
If you ask anyone from my team back then, they would surely remember that I had a metal filing cabinet underneath my desk where my Wonder Woman magnet lived — always an arms-length away from me to touch any time I was feeling shaky or unsure about something.
Ever since, I've found anchoring to be a useful way to connect with positive feelings and memories that can restore my confidence, focus and belief in myself.
I touched that Wonder Woman magnet so many times before important meetings or conversations with people, and definitely before big workshops, classes or events that I was leading. My Wonder Woman magnet remained a source of strength and support for me for so many of those early years running and growing my business.
Cut to a few weeks ago, my husband (who truly had NO idea about my connection to Wonder Woman!) got me THIS card the day of Capes Coaching’s 20th Anniversary:
I mean, can you believe it?!
I have to say, I’ve kept this card up on my desk as I’ve been working these past few weeks, and although it’s not the same as the magnet, I have found powerful moments of inspiration and connection just seeing this card as I have been working.
My point is that, just like mantras, anchors can work if you feel a connection to them.
Once you get into a simple habit with your anchor object (for me it was a quick touch of the magnet to plug me back into my strength and confidence), you will find that you can use it to navigate all sorts of challenging moments in your life or career.
Just like with a mantra, the anchor object you choose has to fit you like a glove.
The more personal the anchor, the more powerful it will be.
Okay, your turn!
Think about a person, character, place or thing that instantly helps you feel confident and strong and in-your-bones powerful. (Favorite quotes or mantras count too!)
Write it down.
Then look for an object that represents this anchor for you.
Once you have your anchor object, look at it and really take it in — everything about it. Soak it in and notice how you feel inside your body.
Put your anchor object in a place where it will serve you best going forward. Ideally somewhere in your sight or reach.
The more you use this anchor to help you during the challenging moments in your life, the more it will become a part of you, and, in turn, the more powerful it becomes. How cool is that?
Here’s to getting anchored in your strength and power this Spring!