Confidence can open doors and is at the heart of so many amazing success stories across industries and disciplines and so we’ve always been interested in learning how we can help our readers and community members increase their confidence and self-esteem. Below, you’ll find highlights of some of the great conversations we’ve had on this topic.
Stevie Minx
It started when I began taking my first Burlesque class back in August 2019 with Tito Bonito. They taught us Burlesque training and techniques 101 with a group of other folks to develop our first Burlesque number. Read more>>
Bryce Hansen
During my youth, I was never the fastest or the physically strongest. In fact, I was much slower than the rest of the class. When we got a break for lunch, all my friends would gather to play football on the field. Logically, when we chose teams, I was always the last to be picked. Read more>>
Katarina Torninger
For many years of my life, I’ve relied on people to give me praise and compliments to make me feel confident. This rarely worked because we cannot predict other people’s response to the work that we present to the world. I realized that confidence and self-esteem are not something I can seek outside of myself, they are born within. Read more>>
Jess Mueller
This question is one that has so many layers! First of all, developing confidence in anything that you do requires trusting yourself. Throughout the course of my life, I’ve been able to jump into new experiences because of that trust. Read more>>
Brenden Bish
The poster on the back of my door showed a baseball player in full swing tracking the ball he had just smashed with his bat. I would open and close my door day in and day out gazing up at this baseball player and although I didn’t know his name or what team he played for, I seen myself in him. Read more>>
Ale Poiré
I spent my whole life having low self-esteem and feeling pretty bad about myself. I’m shy and introverted. I grew up in a “high class” environment without being one myself. I’m the only female in my family and the youngest. When I turned 18, I went on a sabatical and I remember feeling like life was really magic, but I wasn’t able to live it to the fullest because of my insecurities. Read more>>
Chong Kim
When you begin to develop a relationship with yourself, discovering who you are, what you want for yourself everything else falls into place. Your confidence begins to grow and with that comes with boundaries and your self esteem becomes strong. Read more>>
Rita Hunn
Ive always been a shy person I didn’t grow up around a lot of people. I feel like my views has always been different from the crowd and I stand on the things i believe in. My family has always been, a be a leader not a follower type of motto and i have always ran with that despite difference of opinions. Respect other opinions and don’t let nobody down play yours. Read more>>
Lindsey Kate Pleasant
In an industry that can be very oversaturated, sometimes your confidence can definitely take hit. I found that once I found my niche and my “people” it was easy to stay confident. As long as I was doing all that I could do for my clients it came easy. They are continuously building my confidence and my self-esteem. Read more>>
Meshauwn Gee
It took a while maybe even a couple years I had to learn self love and understand that there’s not another ME in this world. It’s all about how you look when you walk into a room you should look like someone to respect automatically and also look like that person someone else strive to be like because of how confident you look . Read more>>
Tamar Anjel
I would preface this question with the very honest truth that though I’ve developed confidence and self-esteem over the years, it is not something I’ve mastered. Like many things in life having confidence and self-esteem ebbs and flows. It’s not a linear journey. There are days that I lack both, and struggle to remember that I ever truly had either. Read more>>
Ladi Keara
Growing up as a plus-size girl in a society obsessed with unrealistic beauty standards wasn’t always easy. I faced my fair share of challenges and insecurities along the way. But through it all, I learned to embrace my journey and find the strength within to love the skin I’m in. Read more>>
Emmerita Ambata
My journey to building confidence and self-esteem began with a deep dive into self-reflection and honesty. Last August, I embarked on a personal development exercise aimed at understanding who I was and who I wanted to become to achieve my goals. Read more>>
Julian Davis Reid
My confidence and self-esteem need constant protection and tending. As an artist-theologian who lives between the music industry, the local church, and postsecondary theological education, I am constantly aware that I am in precarious waters. My ministry and my artistry are both projects I am constantly creating as I go along. Read more>>
Natalie Magee
Becoming a flight attendant and then a yoga instructor greatly helped improve my self-esteem. When I do both jobs I’m talking in front of people and they are looking to me for guidance and assurance. Even if I’m nervous I can’t let that show or people won’t trust my judgement. Read more>>
Katrina Jarvis
When I first started teaching yoga I struggled with self esteem and self confidence. Mostly because everyone you see on social media is doing these amazing poses, acrobatic, jaw dropping… OH MY GOD things. Read more>>
John Adams
My confidence and self esteem comes from helping and being in the service of others. I truly believe we are our best selves when we are in the service of others. I have an opportunity with Bridgewater Tax and Financial Consulting to help people navigate through the difficulty of taxes. Read more>>
Dr. Melissa Rosenberg
The greatest way that I developed my confidence and self-esteem was from finding all of my confidence in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and a PhD and Counselor Education. Read more>>
Morgan Specht
This is a question I get asked periodically and it always makes me chuckle. I don’t view myself as an overly self-confident person, but I do think starting my own business is the best thing I’ve ever done for my confidence and self esteem. When I first started out I had a lot of imposter syndrome and was always worried that potential clients would “figure out” that I didn’t “really” know what I was doing. Read more>>
Maranda Taylor
I cultivated my confidence and self-esteem by reaching a point where I simply stopped caring about others’ opinions. Living in constant worry about pleasing everyone around you is incredibly challenging. However, the day I decided to embrace my true self, act authentically, and cease striving to meet others’ expectations marked a turning point in my confidence. Read more>>
Elizabeth Corey
It has taken me a transformative journey to gain self-esteem and confidence. First, I had to unravel the “why” narrative I was telling myself about why my life was not going as I had hoped. I came to the realization that in order to proceed, I had to muster the bravery to write my story as it stands today and change it to reflect the future I sincerely desire. Read more>>
Tosca DiMatteo
Developing my self-esteem started as soon as I was old enough to sense and experience judgement from others – which was as a child. This is because I was born looking different from everyone around me. At the deepest layer, I thought it was wrong to just simply be me. Read more>>
Chelsea Hart
Time and patience, especially as they relate to my art career. I think the more time you put into developing something, such as a skill, the more confident you will naturally become in that area. For example, a few years ago, I had never painted a mural; I didn’t know how you even began something like that, what materials to use, how you planned it, nothing. Read more>>
Karen Edwards
My confidence and self esteem developed once I learned my true identity. My identity is not in being a small business owner, because that can change in a moment. My identity is not being an educator, because that can change. My identity is not being a good wife, daughter, sister, auntie, friend, colleague, because those relationship statuses can change. Read more>>
NYKI ALLEN
My journey to building confidence and self-esteem has been shaped by various chapters in my life. It all started with my father, who played a pivotal role in instilling these qualities in me from a young age. Losing my mother early on meant my dad had to step into both parental roles, and he did so with unwavering pride and determination. His emphasis on independence, self-sufficiency, and personal presentation left a lasting impression on me. Read more>>
Michelle Durand
Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been an on going process. The impetus to that journey began with a desire to simply feel more alive, authentic and connected to life. Important to the building up process for me has been creating and learning about, growing and loving myself, The act of creation has given me an outlet for expression as well as a place to feel connected to a source beyond myself. Read more>>
Christin Jezak
Years ago, before I moved to Los Angeles, I had very poor confidence and self-esteem. As a young girl, I even was bullied for years in school and had to go through some real inner healing. After being bombarded by rejection whether it was with relationships and work and trust me with the theatre and film world you cannot escape opportunities of rejection, my heart became very despondent. Read more>>
Beverly Obasiolu
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through experience. Life experiences have taught me to become confident in myself and to understand my value. Taking the time to get to know yourself really helps and to not believe what someone negative has to say about you because that can always put you in a downward spiral where no one wants to be. Read more>>
Imani-Kelai
My confidence has always come from feeling and being well prepared. I remember being nervous for school presentations and early on I recognized that the nervousness was not from public speaking, but from feeling like I did not have the necessary information to speak on it easily. The same goes for performances. Read more>>
Diondra Filicetti
Confidence is simply an outward measure of how much you believe in yourself. So in order to develop my confidence I first had to figure out why I didn’t believe in myself. The truth was that it came down to comparison. Read more>>
Baffour Anim
I believe confidence and self-esteem come from the positive things we practice when no one is looking. In doing so I have developed a unique mentality that helps me believe that everything is possible with hard work and repetition. It helps me silence my doubts because I know I put in the effort to get better each and every day. Read more>>
Gina Maier Vincent
For those who grapple with self-confidence and self-esteem, it’s important to remember that these qualities originate from within. However, the relentless external pressures we face and an often excessive focus on our weaknesses can easily erode them. Society’s unwavering demand for conformity, driven by cultural, religious, and societal norms, only adds to the disharmony. Read more>>
Sanya Minocha
By showing up for myself, every single day. By being the parent, partner, lover and friend I’ve always wanted and needed. By devoting the rest of my life to being there for myself, through thick and thin. I grew up experiencing very low self esteem. I had confidence, but this confidence was based on the projections of what others could see in me. Read more>>
Kayla Rose
I dedicate my self-esteem to my parents! I can remember my dad singing loudly ” Kayla Rose, the most beautiful girl in the world” every time he saw me or the fact my mother was always there at my dance classes 5 days week. Whenever I was interested in something, my parents made sure if they could, they put me in any programs or activates that I desired. Read more>>
Juwan Harris
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through TopLife to be honest. Growing up I was quiet and observant I wasn’t very outspoken but now that I have a business run solely by me it would be a disservice to not be more assertive and outspoken. Read more>>
Tara Hilmes
My confidence definitely came with time and age. Every time I accomplished something I’d previously thought I wasn’t able to, my confidence grew. Starting in nursing school, throughout my career in nursing, and continuing my graduate education, my confidence has developed into what it is today. Read more>>
Sha’na Cain
Developing my confidence and self esteem has been a life long journey. Initially, my sense of esteem for myself was based on a false sense of self; superficial/material accomplishments, societal norms and the validation of those outside of me. Read more>>
Kristy Hamilton, MD, FACS
Confidence and self-esteem, to me, are qualities that have been cultivated through a combination of dedication, practice, and a supportive environment. From a young age, I was instilled with the belief that hard work and repetition are the cornerstones of success. Read more>>
Britt Bradley
Developing confidence and self-esteem has been an ongoing journey shaped by the support and influence of my family and peers. Growing up with three brothers, I found solace in their acceptance and encouragement, especially in embracing my uniqueness. They not only reinforced my identity as an “odd child” and the only girl but also celebrated it, reminding me that what made me different also made me valuable. Read more>>
