This qualitative study reports on what was learned from two former teacher candidates, who engaged in self-affirmation writing exercises in an education seminar during their final semester in a teacher education program. Self-affirmations, as presented here, are brief psychological interventions designed to enhance the self-integrity of teacher education candidates, so they can persist and overcome challenges and demands encountered during their field placement teaching assignments. The research questions guiding this inquiry are: a) to what degree do self-affirmations minimize stereotype threat among teacher candidates; b) in what ways do self-affirmations help candidates remain optimistic in their roles as teacher candidates; and c) how can candidates apply self-affirmation writing with their own secondary students? A central finding from this case study is that self-affirmation writing sustained the teacher candidates through the challenges they encountered during their field experience teaching. The research participants describe how self-affirmations helps them focus on their own positive inner voice, or whispering self, that encourages self-acceptance and a belief that they are good persons who care for themselves and others. Additionally, candidates apply, or envision how they might apply self-affirmation writing exercises in their own middle and high school classrooms.