It’s okay to be scared, often that’s a sign that you are pushing yourself towards greatness. However, it’s equally important to build up your confidence and we hope the conversations presented below can help provide some food for thought around how you can level up your confidence and self-esteem.
Devonta Denmark
It took years of perseverance and growth to get where I am today. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and that experience left me shy and withdrawn for many years. It wasn’t until I attended university that I truly began to break free from that mindset and embrace who I am, without worrying about others’ opinions. Read more>>
Anna Campbell
I didn’t start with confidence. I always felt like I had to do “better”, or “be perfect”. It wasn’t until I realized that perfect didn’t even exist that I started falling in love with what I had to offer. Because I struggled to bring more, do better, my work (still with vestiges of old mentality) now rises to MY standards – which makes me proud! It took therapy, soul searching, somatic work, the love of my friends and family, and finally the understanding that if I didn’t master self- love, no one was going to do it for me. Read more>>
Elinor Gunn
I was mired with doubt and negative self-talk for years. I always had a voice in my head telling me that I “would never make it,” or “why bother trying, you won’t be any good.” My negativity colored every experience I had, because I assumed everyone was thinking badly of me, which in turn made me so judgmental of others. I overcame that by realizing that those negative voices were trying to help me: this voice was trying to keep me from being disappointed, was trying to keep me from feeling embarrassed or judged. When I realized this, I was able to say to the voice, “Thank you, but this isn’t helpful anymore. I would actually like to try, regardless of the outcome.” Read more>>
Sumedha Sharma
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through quite a personal journey. Growing up, I was always the bigger kid, and I often felt overshadowed by people who seemed like they walked straight out of a magazine. I used to hide behind loose clothes and make jokes about myself to deflect attention. Read more>>
Solange Kolie
Through personal experience, I’ve discovered that self-improvement is key to building confidence. As I invested in expanding my knowledge and skills, I found that my self-assurance grew proportionally. This journey has taught me that continuous learning not only broadens one’s understanding but also significantly boosts confidence in one’s abilities. Read more>>
Bryn Mcauley
Developing my confidence and self-esteem is a work in progress. I think one of my greatest assets and sources of self-esteem is that I have a growth mindset. There are so many things I cannot currently do, so many skills I don’t currently have, that I truly believe I will be capable of doing in the future. My inability to do something today is not an indicator of what I’ll be able to do next week or next month. This gives me a feeling of self-efficacy, a feeling that I can rely on myself to improve. Read more>>
Sasha Martens
Growing up with dyslexia always made school seem much more challenging for me than for
most people. It was a tremendous effort just to get to being ‘okay,’ especially when I had to
complete writing assignments. But the result is that I eventually developed work habits and a
work ethic that I ultimately applied to those things I was good at. Being able to see myself
succeed at some things helped me to build the confidence, over time, I needed to apply to all
those other areas of my life where I was not so sure of myself. Read more>>
Jacob Olson
If I was asked this a year ago, I wouldn’t have had a proper answer to this question. But over the past year, I’ve learned that the best thing for my confidence and self-esteem is simply going through with things. Not stopping when I hit a slump creatively, doing the harder thing on my list first, and simply doing the things that are harder in order to learn & grow more have helped immensely. Practicing more gratitude has helped with that as well. I try to make sure I appreciate all those in my life who are important to me and being grateful that I am able to get up in the morning and use my creativity to make music. Read more>>
Reginald Cineus
Confidence has always been a challenge for me, and building it has been a slow, steady process. A mentor once told me, “Completion leads to confidence,” and I’ve found that to be very true. The more I finish—whether in life, business, or filmmaking—the more I understand myself and where I stand. Read more>>
Londen Gatewood
My confidence comes from having faith in God. There has been many times I was not sure how I would get things done and then I remembered where the ideas came from in the first place. So I would center myself through prayer and mediation to surrender my plans to God. My confidence is really Godfidence. Now self-esteem, is a little harder because it has a lot of self in there and our mind can trick us. One of my skills I developed is to know who I am and to know my identity in God. To Know I am beautifully and wonderfully made. Read more>>
Brady Holcomb
First, thank you for having me! It’s been wonderful to read the interviews across your site and hear people’s stories of resilience. So for me, as a filmmaker and a creative, confidence comes from my journey of pushing past the surface to find the deeper reality: “Who am I?”
Not merely “What is unique about me?”, but “Why do I matter?” Read more>>
Wendy Gonzalez
graduating with a degree of Media Arts & Animation, it was then when my confidence and self-esteem was being challenged. I was applying job, after job in the animation industry, game industry, film or anything I felt I was fit for, but I had no luck. So I had to direct my attention in finding another job I am able to do, which came to be a desk jobs. Even-though I wasn’t working a dream job, it wouldn’t stop me from continuing to draw everyday. One day, a friend of mine (at the time) had mentioned to start promoting my art to the open public by becoming an art vendor at art-walks. Read more>>
Remon Johnson
Well, I mean, when you’re as great as I am it’s hard not to be confident; nah, I’m just kidding. But seriously, I honestly don’t know how I developed my confidence; I’m not even sure if it was intentional. Like, I didn’t read a bunch of self-help books or anything like that. I didn’t practice speaking positive affirmations; not intentionally, anyway. It was rather organic. The more I understood about myself and the more I became aware of who I am in this world, the more my self-esteem grew. The more I accomplished things I set my mind to doing, the more my confidence grew. I’ve been intentional about striving to be the best version of myself, on every level; that’s spiritually, physically, mentally, everything. Read more>>
Ellie Kayu Ng
I used to have low self-esteem when I was in my third year of college, and I wasn’t conscious about it. My professor at the time gave us an assignment on dysmorphia one day, and we were instructed to elaborate on the theme through painting. I remember coming up with an idea casually, thinking it would be fun to print out six of the same images of myself, crumple them in different ways, and paint six crumpled self-portraits realistically. Painting them was an unexpectedly emotional experience. When I got to the third canvas, I realized how much I disliked myself unconsciously at the time by seeing the deepness of the folds I created and translating them onto those canvases. Read more>>
Jill O’leary
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through not only surviving, but thriving my life’s
experiences. I have had many teachers along the way, as well as wonderful and supportive parents who always allowed me to make my own mistakes. Read more>>
Caleb King
I was the eternal odd duck. The last kid picked in any group activity. The nerdy kid who fell in with the ones who played Dungeons and Dragons. The kid who liked Star Wars. Once upon a time I saw these things as obstacles needing conquering, but no longer. All of these things are my greatest strengths. I was never the person that good things just happened to. Never the person who found forgotten money in an old winter coat, or won concert tickets in a call in radio promotion. I was always the kid who forgot their school lunch at home, the one who would fall and skin the knees of his dress pants on school picture day. The kid with the weird name. Read more>>
Uzo Omenihu
While living in NYC as a teenager and through out my 20’s, I had to have confidence to survive there. NYC is a city that waits for no one, a city that was known as a “Concrete jungle” I faked confidence until it became real. I then went into a relationship that completely changed me. Coming out of that business partnership/marriage after 10 years I completely lost track of all of who I knew myself to be. For the first time in my life I felt lost, overwhelmed, anxious, insecure and deeply traumatized. It would take me years to feel like myself again. Read more>>
Sally Gadea
My confidence comes from the ongoing project of realizing that I am enough, exactly as I am and am both lucky and deserving of being where I am. It’s all a work in progress, and I think as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained the clarity to realize what bullshit the superficial expectations on women are. Through the love and support of my friends, family and community I’ve been able to see that my value as a person has nothing to do with any of that. I share my hospitality and warmth with everyone that steps through the doors, which might be one of the most valuable tools for connection, something everyone is looking for. Read more>>
Diana Stanley
Confidence and self-esteem is still something that comes in waves. One thing I pride myself on is constantly seeking answers and expanding my knowledge. No day is the same in life of a Realtor, so each time I encountered a challenge, I educate myself to overcome it. This commitment to learning reinforced my belief in my abilities and the quality of my decisions. Over time, trusting myself to do what’s right became a foundation for my confidence. Read more>>
Asia Babbington
Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a multifaceted journey that required continuous effort and a deep commitment to personal and professional growth. One of the most significant ways I’ve built confidence is by consistently advocating for myself. This isn’t always easy, especially in moments of self-doubt or when faced with skepticism, but it’s essential. I learned early on that if I didn’t speak up for myself, my ideas, and my vision, no one else would do it for me. This self-advocacy became a cornerstone of my development. Read more>>
Blaire Mcpherson
Architecture is very much a field that requires both natural talent and hard-earned experience. Your work as a designer, no matter how gifted you are naturally, is really and truly better after at least a decade or more of experience. When I started my career in Architecture I was full of optimism and naive confidence. Read more>>
Yesenia Alvarez
This is a constant development! I guess part of it is not having another choice! If I don’t believe in my business, who will? I told myself I was going to live off my business. I quit my job that was my only income at the time. So this HAD to work! I’ve dedicated 100% of myself to Sabado Cleaners for the past couple years. I am proud of the brand we’ve built. I’m sure of myself when pitching the service to potential clients, and we deliver! This is how we make money and build clientele. Read more>>
Allison Lara
From an early age, building my confidence and self-esteem was a priority, thanks to my mother’s encouragement. Growing up in a small town in Southern Louisiana, where I stood out at six feet tall, I learned to embrace and celebrate my unique qualities. This foundation of self-acceptance has been pivotal in my personal growth. This early lesson in confidence translates into a strong sense of self-belief and resilience. Embracing my individuality and strengths has empowered me to take risks, make bold decisions, and navigate challenges with a positive mindset. It’s this confidence that fuels my passion for our business and drives me to continually strive for growth and success. Read more>>
Tony Tnt
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by showing myself consistently that there can be positive outcomes no matter what the situation is. From a young age, things were happening fast and usually starting off on the negative end of the stick, but there was always a way to the other side, no matter how hard it was. Growing up in the Saint Louis Public Schools system, even education had a lot of struggles, so educational achievements played a huge part in building my confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>
Mrnicevibes
Confidence and self-esteem were embedded into my mindset from a young age. My parents were very instrumental in helping me develop positive thinking, believing in my self and having a strong sense of knowing that I’m worthy.
My dad always told me “whatever you’re doing, always give it your best effort” which today is a principle I live by. Read more>>
June Van Der Walt
Building confidence and self-esteem as a photographer, especially when starting out, can be challenging but incredibly rewarding. Mastering the camera was the first step. I spent hours getting familiar with its functions, settings, and capabilities, confidence grows when you’re no longer worried about handling your equipment but can instead focus on capturing the shot. Practice, practice, practice. Each shoot, whether successful or full of mistakes, added to my experience, so naturally over time, I realised that every challenge helped me grow. I started seeing patterns and improvements in my work, which made me feel more capable. Read more>>
Ciara Kathleen
I’m Ciara Kathleen, the owner of Clementine Skin Bar, where I pour my heart into creating a space that promotes both relaxation and healing. My goal is to help each client feel confident and cared for by offering treatments that go beyond skincare and nurture the soul. Read more>>
Teresa Brown
I am fortunate that developing confidence and self-esteem was something that came pretty easily for me. It was possible only because I have always had the support of my family. Growing up I was told I could “do anything”. They had high expectations of me and believed in my ability to achieve anything I tried to do – so naturally, I believed them. I mean, why would my family lie to me right? As I didn’t have any other points of reference affecting me then – I just always thought… “I can do it”. Read more>>
Austin Crosby
Growing up I didn’t have high self esteem. I dealt with bullying at a young age (usually it was over my rather “thick” Southern accent or my weight), which continued to lower it. It wasn’t really until high school that I got into a great friend group (“The Crew” we call ourselves now) who accepted and love me for me. Further along, I started my “healing” journey of processing my emotions both from traumas growing up and in more recent years, and this brought me to the realization that I didn’t know how to love myself. Read more>>
Danielle Krey
To be completely honest, I’ve had an up-and-down relationship with my confidence and self-esteem. I’ve experienced chapters of immense self-belief and worthiness and also chapters of feeling incredibly unworthy and insecure. Both experiences have been vital for me to understand the importance of confidence and self-esteem when it comes to achieving my goals. Read more>>
Andrea Lichterman
Confidence isn’t something that came from a single experience or victory—it’s the result of many different factors that have shaped me over time. It all started with my immediate circle, particularly my family, who fostered my curiosity and encouraged me to try new things from a young age. As I grew, I continued to build my confidence by setting small, achievable goals, and each success deepened my trust and belief in myself. From setting academic goals in high school, to making the bold move to San Francisco to start a career in AdTech, working towards a promotion, and completing my Master’s degree, each step reinforced my self-belief. My journey has been one of constant learning, growth, and self-accountability. Read more>>
Christopher Oliver
Good fear, what I had to learn was the path with the least resistance is traveled by many; it’s what you call a beaten path. It has been trailblazed. But the path with the most resistance is the one that few have taken, but this one, my friend, is the one with the most opportunity because it also has fewer steps. Don’t go where the trail has been blazed but go where there is no trail and leave it trailblazed. I Trusted God to lead me in my decision-making. I decided that listening to the thing that gives me direction was more important than listening to man’s opinion on my situation. Read more>>
Esperanza Pope
I truly feel that the insecurities we possess is because we listen to other peoples projections of who they think we are. Once you realize that, it’s so easy to not let what others think of you change how you feel about yourself. Don’t let someone who doesn’t know who they are act like they know you more than you know you. I’ve had people try to talk down on me for not sticking with working in a salon because they think since I have my cosmetology license I’m ONLY a hairstylist but that’s not the case. I’m an artist who chose to go to cosmetology school and get licensed in my craft for sanitation and theory behind hair, skin and nails to open more opportunities for my career. I definitely learned more with techniques out in the world than I did school. Read more>>
Chrisse Soukaï
It is a work in progress. But acting helped me a lot. The only thing I was always confident about was my ability to learn. I was always good at school but I was not very confident. Up until I finished my Master’s studies, it was difficult, though my friends and family were trying their best to help me out. But if it doesn’t come from within, then it will never work. It has to stem from you first. When I started acting, it was funny to see how the work would always point at things I had to work on within myself. My emotions, my self-love,… and then my confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>
Renna Nightingale
Confidence can be a tough thing to acquire! I don’t believe you wake up with confidence, especially as an entrepreneur trying to create something new. Confidence is built one bold step at a time. It is accumulated every time you choose to believe in yourself and represent yourself as capable to clients and colleagues. Read more>>
Krystal Gillis
For me, I think confidence comes from being prepared and comfortable with not always knowing the answer, paired with a strong support team. The more I educate myself on topics, whether related to my industry or our company, the more confidently I can speak about them. There are often questions or scenarios that I haven’t considered or spent time on, and I’m always happy to say, ‘Let me find out’ or ‘I need to learn more about that.’ Throughout it all, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by family and friends who help build me up when I need it and support me in incredible ways! Read more>>
Lea Mason
For me, the growth of my confidence and self-esteem started in church. I had a lot of opportunities to perform public speaking as a child, when I started reading scriptures during church services at Columbia Drive United Methodist Church. In high school, I was given the opportunity to pray during service at Ray of Hope Christian Church. In college, I was one of the tribe leaders during a youth conference that took place at Gwinnett Place Arena. Read more>>
Alexzandra Swindle
Taking action . Knowing that I’m moving from a place of truth and authenticity within myself . And in the end knowing that either way the outcome is confirmation or a lesson . The more you practice the action taking part the more it becomes habitual and then like second nature . Then it becomes who you are , a confident person . Getting to this point wasn’t easy and it def didn’t happen overnight. Read more>>
Marchell Jackson
Developing confidence was a journey, and truthfully, it’s still a work in progress. It wasn’t something that happened overnight—it took therapy, self-reflection, and a conscious effort to reshape my mindset. I’ve heard the saying that girls often develop their self-esteem and confidence from their relationships with their fathers. While this might be true for some, my journey was a bit different. Today, I have a strong relationship with my dad, but growing up, that wasn’t always the case. Read more>>
Ryan Minn
By never regretting a single decision I made. Of course, I can look back and admit there are things I would have done better, but there is a difference between reflection and regret. There is no room for regret in my life because no matter what, life will always go forward. No ifs, ands, or buts about that. I’ve met a lot of people who constantly wax poetic about how they regret doing this or not doing this. Even at a young age, it was saddening to witness, and I decided that I won’t be that kind of person. Regret keeps one tethered to a bygone past and prevents the human spirit from progressing to a growing future. Read more>>
Jonathan Miles
Introspection is the greatest tool that I used to develop my confidence and self-esteem. Taking time to sort through experiences throughout the day helps me develop into the type of person that I know I am becoming. To be that person I have to have an unshakable confidence. One really cool way I use to rewire my thinking into practicing really good habits that reinforce confidence is knowing that you are the artist of your own mosaic. Being the creator of your own reality means you can take the parts you don’t like and trade them for something completely new or build upon what you have. I used my really good framework that my parents gave my siblings and I to give me an additional boost in confidence for any and all skills that I have been developing over the years. Which leads the lifestyle of supreme confidence and unwavering self-esteem. Read more>>
Martin-peter Moses
I am a firm believer in being yourself no matter where or who you are around. I learnt that from a very young age through my experiences with family and close friends through school. In my business I ensure people know the real me, the authentic me, which is by far the easiest person to be 🙂 Read more>>
