Bryson White

I kept the promises I made to myself. If something was hard, I did it anyway. For years I would let my anxiety run the show. I pretty much decided enough was enough and challenged myself to do anything I was scared of. For me, that was singing in front of anyone. Now I’ve played hundreds of shows and take that “anxiety” I feel and tell myself I’m just excited about it! For those still nervous about pursuing what they truly want you have to understand it’s very very uncomfortable at first. Accept that and keep moving forward. Read more>>

Lupe Cambiasso

In my opinion we are all working on our confidence throughout our lives. In my case, being an artists helped me to build up my self-esteem by try and failure. We need to be open to criticism about our work and we also put ourselves out there when auditioning or looking for a job. Those types of experiences try us and allow us to test our strength. My family played an important role in my confidence. I was always told I was smart enough, talented enough and that I could do anything I wanted to do. Having people around me trusting in me, loving me and encouraging me was crucial to build my self-esteem. Read more>>

Marchele Kimbrough

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by first understanding that loving me was a journey that would require a process and I had to be committed to it no matter how long it would take. I then had to understand that being kind to myself was the foundation of this development. How can you love something your’re not kind to? In being kind to myself, I had to forgive myself for mistakes I held onto from the past and vow to move forward acknowledging my progress and celebrating my victories in growth. Next, I had to acknowledge my positive qualities and attributes. I had to take into account beautiful inside and out and it is totally ok if others don’t see it or my value. It only matters that I see myself as all of the beautiful things I was created for.Read more>>

Alexandria Carroll

Achieving high self-esteem and confidence has never been an easy feat for me. It wasn’t until I got to know my true identity that I started to learn my likes and dislikes, as if I was rediscovering myself all over again. As we age, our sense of individuality can often be lost in the process of maturing, yet it is only when we identify who we are that feelings of confidence, self-esteem and joy can truly set in. That’s why I decided to build a brand that not only brings me happiness but which also celebrates my own character – creating from passion rather than purely for profit. Read more>>

Sandra Duran Wilson

I have always been a traveler; from the time I came into the world. Growing up we lived in a ranching community along the Mexican-US border. One day while visiting family friends at their ranch, a neighbor’s horse ventured into the area where we were playing. I climbed a gate next to the horse and scampered onto his back, no saddle or bridle. I was almost four. The horse began a gentle walk back to his home nearby. We kids thought the neighbor was a cranky old man because he would chase us off his property but when he saw me on the back of Ole Blue a big grin took over his face. I knew then that people are not always as they appear. Read more>>

Akeila Francis

When it comes to the topic of confidence and self-esteem, the answer for me in quite simple. I have no choice in the matter, and that’s mainly because I don’t understand the lack of it. It’s all about self focus to me, I exist therefore I have value and a purpose in this life and any other. I’ve never been one to be too focused on what anyone else is doing or what they have unless I am directly affected by it. Most times we aren’t, and for whatever reason society has us hyper fixated on the what and the why’s of other people. I have never cared enough if that makes it even more simple. My abilities are mine and mine alone, if I am not confident in them, then who is supposed to be and why would they want to be even if I am doubtful. Read more>>

Erica Thomas

Self-love. I lift myself to the highest pedestal because if I don’t, no one else will. Self esteem starts with self so if I didn’t love myself enough and hold me in high regard, my confidence would take a beating. Read more>>

Elizabeth Emmanuel

My confidence and self-esteem developed through encountering difficult situations. Even if I did not always win or the circumstance did not always turn out in my favor, the fact that I was willing to encounter the situation in the first place allowed me to become confident in my own abilities and talents. Also, a strong belief in God and what He has enabled me to do has also strengthened and developed my confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>

Tyler Pina

I learned a lot about myself during the lockdown in 2020. I’ve always been very confident and extremely extroverted, but I never realized that this confidence primarily came from my ability to do well in social situations. The external validation I received from being quick-witted, telling jokes, or making people feel good fueled me. Read more>>

Timneisha Greene Kim

Truthfully told, I have always felt a sense of self-love within, even with being bullied growing up. Words genuinely used to hurt my feelings often because I would always wonder why I would get teased when I did not feel those things about myself. I never felt inferior on the inside, but whenever someone would muster up harmful words towards me, I tended to cry because I never felt I deserved it, and it genuinely confused me. I often wondered what I could do to get people to look at me in the same light that I saw myself. It took a while to break the emotional trauma that stemmed from being bullied, but over the years, my self-confidence and self-esteem developed in such a remarkable and positive way because I listened to my own voice. It was such an overwhelming feeling to hear myself, to listen to my inner voice. I had to take accountability and create boundaries, and in doing so, I realized that nobody ever deserved to have my power, so I decided never to give it away. Read more>>

Nicqueva Haughton

I believe that confidence and self-esteem are muscles that have to be continuously exercised in order to remain strengthened. We are human beings and through each phase of life, we have to develop the proper amount of esteem and confidence in order to conquer what we are facing. I think coming to the realization, as an adult, that it’s ok to be yourself, was very pivotal for me. I realized that growing up, the people who made fun of me or downplayed my ideas, weren’t the rule makers of life. So many people I know, were looking to fit into the mold that was created for us, and I somehow consistently went against the grain, I learned that I was much happier and content when I chose myself over people pleasing. Learning to be bold and express my standards, boundaries, and dislikes is where it started for me. I can love other people and respect them, but I don’t have to do the things they do or live how they want me to live. I can have enough faith, confidence and esteem within myself to know that I am enough. I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and God didn’t make any mistakes when he created me. Read more>>

Carli Brinkman

Although I’ve had moments of self-doubt, I’ve never lacked in confidence, and I think that is due to the fact that I grew up with a healthy sense of self-esteem that never limited my understanding of what I am capable of, what I deserve, or what I can achieve. From a young age, when it was time to start creating independent experiences and venture out on my own, I took big risks, worked hard, and challenged myself, while at the same time, really experiencing life to the fullest and exploring the world. I found that, though it took a ton of energy, I was becoming successful and loving life at the same time. That was when my confidence caught up with the self-esteem I’d been building. The more I was able to work hard and experience professional success, and enjoy hard and experience personal fulfillment, the more I felt confident in the fact that I understood how to “do” life. Although it isn’t a completely linear equation (and boy, do kids through a wrench in any perceived “formula” for easily making your way through life), this theory tested over and over again, for me- starting in my formative years- definitely instilled a life-long confidence that anything was possible if I truly wanted it and believed it was attainable. Read more>>

Anthony Carranza

I developed my confidence and self esteem from simply realizing everyone is just as scared and intimidated as you are. By changing the status quo, standing up and believing in yourself, you can set an example and new standard for artist. That we can be business owners, entrepreneurs (or artreprenuers!) and make an impact on the world we live in. I just felt the imposter syndrome in art was too prevalent for it to impact me. I wanted more for myself and that’s what drives me to push myself more and more every day. I also gained a lot of confidence by taking my health into consideration with my workflow. Adopting good eating habits and a fitness schedule keeps me disciplined and in shape for long periods of drawing. Read more>>

Taylor Dante

Personally, I have found that pushing myself into uncomfortable situations gives me the most confidence. It is always during those situations I am reminded that life is not as scary as it appears. For instance, a few months ago I spoke on a social media panel. Even though very hesitant to say no at the end of the day I was overwhelmed with such a rush of confidence. Read more>>

Callie Smith

I developed my confidence and self esteem by believing in myself and my abilities, and I trust that I can handle whatever challenges come my way. I have become more assertive and willing to take risks, I learned how to be more comfortable speaking up and sharing my opinions. My confidence comes from many sources, such as past successes, positive feedback from others, and a strong sense of self-worth. It is important to remember that confidence is not the absence of fear or doubt, but rather the ability to move forward despite those feelings. When you are confident, you are more likely to achieve your goals and succeed in life. Read more>>

Antonio (Teezy Mcfly) Bomar

My confidence and self esteem comes from years of self love and understanding myself and accepting my flaws and tendencies. Telling myself there’s only one me, I don’t need to be the loudest in the room to stand out, it’s okay to be myself and I need no explanation for who I am. I fear no one and I give respect when due. Become comfortable in the skin you’re in and understand we all have a purpose and a gift to express ourselves in a special way, just have to find that itch and step out the box. Read more>>

Walter Cortez Mooney

Well Jehovah god doesn’t give you things you don’t need and growing up in the environment I grew up in let’s just say people are not going to show a lot belief in you anyway and if you show a interest outside of playing sports, hustling, or rapping good luck with getting the support of friends, family or the community . So coming out the gate I had to have a lot of confidence and believe in myself cause I fount out fast nobody else gone believe in you like you believe in yourself. No else can accomplish your dreams but you and it start with having the self esteem & confidence to feel your strong enough to take that sometimes dark and lonely road that at time will feel not real and unattainable Read more>>

Khristy Johnson

I developed my confidence from my mother she always told me to be me and love me and she showed me how to love others as well as myself and I make sure everything I do I do it to the best of my ability. Read more>>

Kathy Linden

Two words of consummate importance to those of us in the arts! After years of honing your craft and reaching a level of satisfaction it is then that we are ready to present US to the world. We don’t always receive the reactions hoped for or the accolades we desire. But once we have garnered the courage to test the waters…. then we are all in…….no matter the temps. Yes there are unexpected rejections and disregard for all our efforts. But indulging in complete perseverance is key!!! Then, behold the affirmations, the awards, and the beautiful sentiments relayed…………ahhh, the acknowledgements that make the heart swell and the bravado !!! Therein lies the confidence and the building of self esteem. They must be nurtured; they must be strengthened; they must be enhanced by skill. Read more>>

Chris Rodway

This is actually a good question for me, as I’ve always struggled with major self esteem issues, & it’s still a very ongoing process. The most important part, for me personally at least, is to constantly remind myself that I am capable of doing this, it’s okay to trust myself and to trust the process. And also just accepting that everything won’t happen all at once, and that it doesn’t for anybody it’s not me falling behind, and that the success will come. And I find the more I work and the more I do it gets a little easier too, truly putting my all into my craft has done more for my confidence than anything else in my life. Read more>>

Lennette Ramirez

Growing up with constant doubt and low self esteem I never in a million years thought I would be where I am today. I grew up somewhat of a loner. I was a young mom and stayed to myself for the most part. Always admiring others from a distant, the popular girls, the confidence others had and always finding the negatives in myself. Read more>>

Jelena Yowell

As a little girl I wanted to dance ballet and play piano badly but I was super afraid of myself and others. So during my school years at ballet and piano schools I had amazing teachers and Professors who helped me gain all my confidence and self esteem. Both my professors used to tell me how good I am in what I do and how I can do anything that I want only if I want it and I work for it . They always challenged me with new things that were above my levels so I can improve and develop faster. It’s amazing to have good professors who can help you develop that’s what I carried over to my students too . Read more>>

Zaida Alfaro

Everyday, I wake up and set realistic goals. The goals may seem minimal at first, but I realize that these goals set my day. I also practice daily, positive self-talk. I make time for myself, such as reading, playing music, even a spa day. I distance myself from social media, with the exception of my business. Social media, interlaced with society, set these expectations that deter one from developing confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>

Diane Howard

When it comes to injecting it is extremely important to build your skill, learn different techniques and have a mastery of facial anatomy. In order to build confidence for injecting, I think it is extremely important to start slow and work with experts to help build your skill set and confidence. I believe it takes 2-3 years to build a good injecting skill base, so working and mentoring under other experts during that time will help get you to the next level. Read more>>

Janmetra Waddell

I developed my confidence and self-esteem- truly out of necessity. As a survivor of domestic violence my confidence was completely destroyed ! I was depressed, combined with post-partum depression it was tough! Read more>>

Sarah Daye

I”ve gratefully be exposed to the arts so young. I started dancing and training in ballet, jazz and a little tap since I was a wee little thang at age three. And I have been entertaining since I could walk basically. I used to put on shows for my parents and their friends and they quickly knew that I was definitely in my element dancing and singing. It is who I was meant to be. Read more>>

malasurfcartel

Putting myself in uncomfortable situations. The best parts of your life happens when you do the things that you’re not use. You learn and understand more about yourself. Figuring out limits that you never knew were there. I think you should embrace every situation like this. Do the things that you normally wouldn’t do. The roads that you’ll find is way more exciting than the ones you’ve already experienced. My confidence is always building from this approach. I know what I am capable of now but embrace learning and understanding of every situation I go and put myself through. Read more>>

Rhian Bristol

Confidence and self-esteem can be challenging to attain and maintain especially, I feel, for women. At times, it can be difficult to believe in yourself and your abilities, so it is important to remember that everyone has their unique strengths; acknowledge your weaknesses but always focus on your positive qualities and lean into what feels good. Take time to practice self-care. Know that through hard work, you can achieve the things you set your mind to. Surround yourself with family and friends who believe in you and your potential and challenge you to be the best you can be. It took years of training myself to not care what people think of me. More importantly, it took years of training myself to believe I am worthy. I stood in front of the mirror and told myself, “You are beautiful and worthy of love” until I believed it. I have struggled with imposter syndrome most of my life; learning to ignore the voices in my head that told me I would always be stuck was a hurdle that took years to overcome. Read more>>

Tom McGeoch

It actually took me many years to develop my confidence and self-esteem. I remember a specific therapy appointment I had about 8 years ago where I just wanted a quick-fix for those things. I was like, “what books do I need to read to be more confident”. I just didn’t believe in myself at all at the time. Looking back, one of the biggest things that helped me develop my confidence and self-esteem was just creating positive evidence for myself. If it was something as small as just going to a party to make new friends, I would go home at night and write down what went well. If it was something bigger like performing on stage, I would write down all of the positive things that people said to me after I performed. I would read these things every day and then started to actually believe what was written down. I was always so focused on the negative stuff growing up, and now I try to look at the positives. As long as I’m in action towards my goals, and learning along the way, it’s all good. Read more>>

Bren Husher

My mom has always been my biggest supporter and my biggest fan. She still tells me I am the coolest person she knows. I developed confidence at a young age because of her. I am blessed to always have felt very loved. Read more>>

Aisha Taylor

I developed my authentic confidence through failure. After not being able to pass an exam to get my certification to keep the job that I love doing, my confidence was fueled by fear. I was already working in my dream job as an Assistant Principal but was forced to be involuntarily terminated after struggling to pass the certification exam, not to mention I spoke out about a safety issue that brought national attention to the campus. All of a sudden working off that probationary certificate made it easier to get rid of me. Failure teaches us more resilience then we imagine. Read more>>

Onur Yenigun

Developing my sense of confidence and self-esteem took years of hard work, introspection, and growth. I’m first-generation in this country, raised by a single immigrant mother. We struggled as many do, partially filling our pantry on food stamps and taking shelter in government funded-housing. Read more>>

Allex Tarr

My journey with confidence has been wavy. In Los Angeles – as everyone who lives here knows – it’s so easy to fall into the mind trap of “I’m not enough” or “I’m not doing enough”. In a place that’s so full of no’s, rejections, and ‘we’re going to pass on that’s” – and not to mention so full of people on social media seemingly doing it all and succeeding more than you are – it’s also easy to assume that a “yes” is never going to happen. Read more>>

Emily Nemeth

“How did I develop my confidence and self-esteem?” Woof! What a deep question or maybe it just feels a little heavy today because, is our confidence and self-esteemed ever really “developed”? As I am currently going through a season with big and exciting opportunities on the horizon, my risk looks larger than my reward some days and that alone can spiral anyone’s confidence into the drain. Read more>>

Chloe Detrick

I have not always had the amount of confidence that I have today. It is crazy to think that when I was in college I used to get rosacea from even answering a simple question in front of my class. Today, I speak in public settings with ease both at work and in my entertainment industry pursuits. I even perform stand-up comedy regularly throughout Los Angeles. I attribute a large part of my confidence to the assurance I receive from my friends. Especially from my best friend, Trey, who passed away suddenly when he was only 29-years-old. His passing taught me a lot of things, most importantly, that life is too short to care what people are thinking about you. At the end of the day, they aren’t really thinking about you that much at all. Read more>>

MUKA

It’s taken me a long time to get to the level of confidence I have now and although I still struggle at times, I feel very at peace with who I am as a person and an artist. It all started with reaching such a low point in my life that I was forced to work on myself. I started going to therapy and realized that a lot of my self doubts came from traumas in my past that ultimately had me seeking validation from everyone but myself. I’d go through these periods of highs when people would validate me or my work and then when things slowed down, my brain was telling me that I was nothing and my art, my career, my life, etc, were pointless. Once I really accepted that my confidence was rooted in other peoples perceptions of me I was able to really tear that down, piece by piece, and start building my own perspective of myself. My confidence grew and became more stable. Read more>>

Spshelle Faith Rutledge

Regularly I’m told that I exude confidence, self-esteem, and beauty “from the inside out.” I especially get complimented on the beauty of my dark skin. I agree with their sentiments, but I didn’t always, nor did I always receive these comments as people would think. The confidence and self-esteem you see when I walk and talk and how I carry myself came from a long journey of healing that involved me having to learn to see my worth and value. I grew up in a beautiful state but often dealt with being teased or feeling less than others for being dark-skinned and skinny. “Charcoal Stick” and “Black Smurf” are two names people called me outside of my own, and though I laugh now, it hurt then. I entered middle school, high school, and adulthood, having received these words I perceived to be true. I absorbed these words despite the truth my mother and father would often say: “I stem from Black Queens Kings” and a lineage of Buffalo Soldiers. I couldn’t understand why no one else could see what my parents did. I begged my mom for perms, purposely staying away from the sun when I could with fears I’d get darker, and reduced myself to accept “you’re pretty for a dark skin girl” as a compliment. Read more>>

Amber Mayfield

Funny enough I can actually be pretty hard on myself and insecure at times, especially within my work. I just try to be as authentic as I can be. Being in an era of validation or judgement stemming from social media, it can be hard sometimes to showcase and share about projects that I have seen come to fruition. Telling it like it is or not telling anything at all. Sometimes I feel like people won’t understand my all – blood, sweat and tears – went into making it come to life. But overall my confidence comes from my Faith in knowing that everything I am and all that I do comes from someone greater than me. Honing into post-event or post-project “Me Time” helps me to rebuild my self-esteem when I feel depleted. Whether thats through much needed rest or time away with friends and family before I jump back into it, making sure I take care of what I need (mind, body + spirit) is essential to staying confident in what I represent. Read more>>

Sherri Roberts

My relationship with Christ as my Lord and Savior has been the most significant factor that has helped me to develop a healthy confidence and self-esteem. I did not always have this. In my teenage years, I had an eating disorder and struggled, feeling quite unlovely despite the success I experienced as a journalism major in college. After I divorced following more than 10 years homeschooling my children, I got a job as the marketing director for an award-winning plastic surgeon and found myself simultaneously navigating the heartbreak of that experience along with a fast-paced career and the dating world. Read more>>

Lillea Hartwell

What a great question, one that I see many of my patients and students struggle with on a regular basis. I believe–for me at least–it comes from within. It comes from first cultivating a sense of self..From asking the question who I am aside from every other person in my life? When its just me, by myself, what are my preferences? Cultivating that sense of self has actually been a journey as I grow and evolve. And it develops from there, once I knew who I was I could start to embrace that and live from that place. I recognized that by living in my authenticity I would not be for everyone and that I was not here to appeal to everyone, to be accepted by everyone, to be embraced by everyone. I acknowledged that what I am here to do on this Earth is much bigger than being liked by everyone and that in order to fulfill on my service to humanity, it may trigger some folks and it may be met with disagreement. Ultimately, though, it all started with self-acceptance and building from there. Read more>>

Kay Dowdell

Honestly, I give all credit to my upbringing for developing my confidence and self-esteem. I do not have a memory of not feeling like the “it girl” and my family, friends and neighborhood reassured me of this. I have always been such a positive and welcoming person so it was easy to make friends, was a straight-A student and every teacher’s favorite, very pretty, very fashionable and popular so my self-esteem was always high. At a young age, I knew I could do anything and the sky was the limit so my confidence level has always been above average. Fortunately for me, as a teen, I didn’t have social media forcing me to question how I feel about myself, which I think today plays a huge role in people’s ability to feel and believe in their amazingness. These affirming feelings followed me from middle school to high school to college and adulthood without wavering. Of course, life experiences places layer of doubt here & there as you climb to reach goals and imposter syndrome likes to show up to ruffle my feathers but pushing through that is a beatable fight because of my foundation. I am truly grateful for that. Read more>>

Owen Odigie

There is no single moment in which I developed my confidence and self-esteem. Confidence and self-esteem are like muscles, they constantly change and evolve. I think achieving small goals is the key to sustaining a high degree of confidence and self-esteem. Confidence begets more confidence. With each success, your confidence grows. However, I think what’s more important and sustainable is when you begin to separate your confidence from your accomplishments. When you can bifurcate between who you are and your accomplishments, setbacks or failures don’t have such a lasting impact. And once you understand that setbacks are simply an inevitable part of life, your confidence grows because, with each new challenge, you know that even if there’s a setback you can overcome it. And that’s when you’ve truly mastered confidence. Read more>>

Miranda Manley

My assurance and belief in myself stem from the dedication and commitment I have invested into my passion. In my case, confidence was not something that arose naturally, it needed to be nurtured through preparation and effort. For the past twenty years, I have devoted my life to dance and it is the education and training I have received that are the foundation of my self-esteem. Nobody can take away what I have learned and put into my craft. Read more>>

Vito Glazers

Confidence comes from experience. And self-esteem, in part, comes from developing confidence. Usually when you are afraid of something, it is because you are unsure of the outcome. But once you have done something enough times to be able to predict how things will turn out, you will have confidence in taking that action. Read more>>

Gisela Prishker

I honestly think since I was a little girl , I felt very loved by my parents I will say by my all family and then friends ect , I lived my all life with so much love around me , then as I was growing people started seen my work and calling me for pictures like I mention in other interviews my first studio was at the High school ladies room , my friend Lupita was my assistant /promoter /security because i was not supposed to e doing business at school and use the ladies room as my stdio all was a secret because they loved me , they ever find out . Read more>>

Tabitha Alexander-Ball

“Your success will be determined by your own Confidence and Fortitude”. A powerful quote by former First Lady Michelle Obama. I remember growing up in the 90’s watching Halle Berry, Nia Long, Vivica Fox and Queen Latifah on television. If you was a size 10 and above you were considered plus size. I never looked at myself as plus size or chubby wearing a size 11. I was just young and thick. I was very athletic, I played volleyball, basketball and softball. Often I was teased, called names like fat and chubby by smaller female classmates. Of course it hurt my feelings at that time, but it also fueled me on the inside. Real true Beauty starts from within. Your Heart, Character, your Soul and how you treat others is what’s important. Who cares what others think of you. What do you see when you look in the mirror is what my mom use to say. Confidence gives you positive energy, with energy comes determination, when determined you’re capable of achieving any goal you set. God has equipped us all with qualities and talents. Once you have the ability to recognize and tap into your talents, believe in yourself, you will be unstoppable. Read more>>

 She-Rōze

Confidence is not something that exists in a steady state for anyone. It’s always an ebb and flow, as well as work in progress. I think it starts, as most things, with a journey inward. What does confidence mean to me? What does that look like? It’s not the same for everyone. Read more>>

Melissa Coulier and Melanie Samuels

Melissa: My self-esteem and confidence come from celebrating others’ wins. I have come to love rooting for people instead of allowing others’ wins to become my losses. Another way I’ve developed and continue to build upon my confidence is through education. I gain confidence when I learn more. Knowledge is truly power and the real key to feeling your best in my opinion. I didn’t always feel this way. I had a lot of challenges throughout my early education, and this made me feel really insecure. However, once I flipped the script and proved to myself that I was capable of gaining more and more knowledge, my self-esteem grew significantly. A couple of things that have also really helped me in this department are dancing when no one is watching (it’s a great boost of endorphins where I can really laugh and enjoy myself!) and practicing Mel Robbin’s high-five habit. This has been a game changer for me to be able to not take myself so seriously and give myself a high-five in the mirror every morning! Read more>>

Vanessa “Nessa” Valencia

When it’s come to developing my confidence I try to look at what I’m good at and build from there. I like to challenge myself with my craft by learning something new about cookie art. Different techniques and methods of achieving a certain look. I’ll even take breaks and focus on painting to get a different perspective on techniques and what I can use in the cookie world. Cookies are just a different type of canvas. I like to look back on what I’ve achieved so far. When I started I gave myself a year to get Nessa’s Goodies off the ground and now I’m walking into my fifth year. I’ve set goals for myself and I plan to achieve them. My ultimate goal is to be on the Food Network and I’ll continue to do what I need to get there. In order to develop my self esteem I’ve learned what I find to be the most important thing and that’s learning to say no. As a small business owner you want to get your name out there but to what cost? Lack of sleep? Health deteriorating? Sometimes saying yes can hurt a business. It’s important to have a good work/ life balance. Surround yourself with good people who movtivate and uplift you as much as you do for yourself. Be your own cheerleader and be kind to yourself. Mistakes happen but they don’t define you. Keep your eye on the prize and above all love what you do. Read more>>

Nicole Vanden Broeck

Developing confidence and self-esteem is a constant and continuous journey. During my career I’ve had moments where I felt confident, but I’ve also had moments where I’ve suffered from impostor syndrome. And I believe it’s exactly the aftermath of learning to cope with those moments, with all the doubt and the uncertainty, that end up making you more resilient and building up your self-esteem. You realize that no one really knows exactly what they’re doing, that it’s part of the human condition to make mistakes and that you can learn a lot from failure. And I think it’s fundamental to talk about it, because going through it, you find that not having it be a part of the conversation is one of the main reasons that makes it harder to overcome. Having to pretend in front of a bunch of people that as film directors we never have doubts or second thoughts is exhausting. There are many motives one can suffer from impostor syndrome, but early studies found that high-achieving women from ethnic minorities in graduate-level education environments were more likely to experience it. So there I was. But in the end, I will always be grateful for the darkness and the struggle, because it taught me that my voice is the main and most important thing I have as a filmmaker. Read more>>

Christina Millar

Confidence can look very different for everyone. I always thought whenever I reached a new level of confidence, that was it and I had nothing else to work on, which I’ve since proven myself wrong. I was adopted from Kazakhstan when I was only seven months old. My adoption is very important to me and is a huge part of my identity and my perspective on life. When it comes to confidence, being adopted held me back. Of course, I don’t look like everybody else and such, but it took a toll on me mentally. Children who have been adopted face different traumatic experiences, regardless of their past care. I had a problem with abandonment as a kid and felt incredibly isolated. I remember I had dreams of being left behind or forgotten, and sometimes I still do to this day. On top of all that, I was an incredibly shy kid growing up. Read more>>

Monique Van

My confidence and self-esteem started at a really young age. My parents played a huge role in how I carry myself. Simple phrases from my parents like, “You make the clothes, they don’t make you”, “BAP ( Beautiful African Princess), or “You are blessed beyond belief and can do anything you set your mind to”, were game changers for me. My parents always have my best intrest at heart and I knew what they were telling me was true. It is so easy to look at other people and doubt yourself. We live in a world where everything is broadcast on social media for everyone to see. So many, including myself, fall victim to comparing ourselves to what we see on social media. Anytime I start to feel insecure, I remember the things my parents told me growing up and it brings me back to reality. Everyday I wake up and I tell myself I am strong and confident and can do anything I set my mind to. True confidence is shown through the good and bad times in life. No matter if everything is going right or wrong, it is important to still believe in yourself and create a space for confidence to live within you. Easier said than done of course, but confidence is like a muscle, the more you work it the stronger it will be Read more>>

Christie Goldstein

Developing confidence and self-esteem is an important part of everyones personal growth. It can be a difficult process for some of us, but with practice, it’s possible to boost confidence and feelings of value no matter what challenges I might be facing. Read more>>

Markeon Edwards

I developed god-fidence and self-esteem but not believing in myself. For years I felt I didn’t feel was valued enough to fit the dreams in my head until my high school teacher introduce us to a project to study humanity. Instead of studying humanity I studied myself because once you’ve done a self inventory, you’ll find humanity. From that moment on, I was able to do a deep dive into my own self awareness that led me to my own god-fidence. Read more>>

Heather Abbasi

Developing my confidence has been an almost life-long journey for me. It was not an easy one given the start I had. I grew up in a house that made me feel stupid, ugly and gross and have many experiences similar to this, having been raised by narcissistic abusers and having little support at school or with friends. Anything I wanted for myself was made impossible because I was belittled or straight-up not supported or nurtured at all. The constant stress caused a lot of weight gain and made it a lot harder to be seen as valid given that society does not understand or care very much for those who have gained a little weight, no matter how valid the reason or if it is the fault of the individual or not. It wasn’t until I was able to see I was in a bubble of dysfunction and hatred at 15 years old that not only do I deserve the world but I am so smart and beautiful as we all are in our own way. That was only the beginning of my ambition to be my most confident self. I still worked at it for several years, reminding myself that the voices of the past are not the reality I live in. After surviving all that through the larger portion of one’s young life, that is still a tough mountain to climb.  Read more>>

Meagan Mitchell

I would say one of the most important tools that has personally helped me develop my confidence and self-esteem is by having the awareness of my inner critic & inner dialogue towards myself. I feel that when your’e conscious of your own inner dialogue and don’t feed into the negative stories or beliefs that you tell yourself then your not as easily effected by external interactions with others that you might have perceived as hurtful or judgmental towards you because you have a stronger, grounded foundation of your own self worth, so your not easily triggered. For example, lets say if I were to look at myself in the mirror everyday and only focus on how bad my skin looks or how it’s not good enough etc. then read a comment from someone on social media that I might perceive to be negative about my skin or I go to a photoshoot and the makeup artist says something about my skin. Read more>>

 Jean-Paul Flerin

I developed my confidence and self-esteem as soon as I realized more about myself. It’s important to be able to go on a journey to find oneself, and develop on how one should look, feel, and portray themselves to the world around us. Read more>>

Shaniece Marsh

Good question, I developed my confidence and self-esteem by owning every part of me the good and the bad. Once you become okay with who you are as person the rest is history. My self-esteem also flows from my creativity that alone reminds me of how dope I really am lol. Read more>>

Thomas Elias Lockhart III

My self confidence and self esteem came over time. I believe it is definitely from God and being persistent with my craft. It is impossible to build either of these without a firm foundation to begin with. Read more>>

Kim Phan

Confidence did not come from day one. The only thing I had from the get go was a vision of where I wanted to be. Being a permanent makeup artist requires a lot of practice. And through repetition, drawing the same eyebrows over and over on faux skin, did my confidence grow. Seeing even the tiniest of improvements gave me the motivation to push through. And now I am confident enough where I can almost do this with my eyes closed, but don’t worry, I won’t.. Read more>>

Lyanne Diaz

My entire life I was known as a wallflower. I would pray that I was never chosen to read in class, be paired up for a project with others, or to have to sit next to a new person because they might ask me a question. My confidence was nonexistent. However, when you run an event planning business, where talking to people and executing some of their special milestones is my priority, these are important qualities to have figured out. To this day I would say that some of these qualities follow me around. But I have certainly come so far from where I began. Read more>>

Vicky Sasouvong

Wow. I feel like I’m speaking for everyone when I say we are our own biggest critics. I find myself from time to time being so hard on myself and comparing myself to others. It’s been something I’ve struggled with ever since I had my first daughter but didn’t hit me as bad as it did when I had my second. I’ve learned so much about giving myself grace and showing more love to myself on the daily. Speaking more positive words instead of bringing myself down. Your body hears you and your thoughts. Be kind, love yourself and most importantly take time for yourself to feel each and every emotion. That plays a big role in developing confidence and self-esteem. No one is you so own it and show up for yourself every single day! Read more>>

Kay Reed

Honestly realizing that everyone is flawed no matter how much outside beauty that exude & that no one’s opinion of me really matters because at the end of the day everything is fake. Realizing that everything that is glorified in the media doesn’t take away from who I am as a person & that’s what helped me gain & keep the self-esteem that I have today. You always have to believe you’re one of a kind no matter what this world throws in front of you & you’ll always prevail. Read more>>

Nathalie Mukendi

Funny enough, when I was younger, I used to have very low self-esteem and no confidence at all. That was due to kids at school looking down on me and saying very mean things to me. It wasn’t until I gave my life to Christ that I became to build my self-esteem and confidence because I knew who I was in Him. Read more>>

Anhisha Cooper