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.
Angelina Tran
In the design field, it can be difficult to build confidence in your own work when you’re constantly surrounded by others who have more experience or more impressive portfolios. It’s easy to get caught up in their accomplishments and lose sight of your own progress. When I first started designing, I wasn’t satisfied with my work. It felt cheap or poorly executed. Naturally, as a beginner, I wasn’t producing great work, but I couldn’t see it that way. Instead, I saw myself as a terrible designer and questioned why I was even pursuing something I wasn’t “good enough” at. Over time, my work began to improve. Gradually, I started feeling proud of my designs and began entering them in art shows and contests, hoping to get noticed. Read more>>
Tracy Poizner
That is such a good question! I’m lucky to have a pretty high natural level of self-esteem but I’ve suffered all my life from an almost masochistic determination to challenge my confidence. If you’re wondering what that looks like, it started with quitting a top university program in mid-stream to see if I could make it as a symphony orchestra musician – starting virtually from scratch! I did make it, and I loved my career in classical music but I left it after 15 years to pursue my passion for the healing arts, and then, two decades into a successful homeopathy practice, I pivoted into BioEnergetics, Applied Kinesiology and archetypal psychology. I guess I just refuse to settle, especially when it comes to self-development. I know that there are no limits. Read more>>
Carey Lundin
Confidence and self-esteem come from experience and the wisdom to trust your gut. I learned at the knee of my father, he was a tiny Jewish man from Brooklyn, who could enter any room and win it over with great stories and an open heart. Back in the early 1970s, he was hired by a company called Taylor Chain in Gary Indiana. They were on strike. It was his job to help bring the management and the labor together. I later discovered that he was featured in a documentary by Kartemquin (Hoop Dreams). His confidence and self-esteem came from listening and negotiating. And I believe that’s what I learned from him. Don’t be afraid, listen, verify, and be fair. Read more>>
Cc W. Schultz
If you asked me as a teenager, or even twenties-something, I likely would have said my confidence came from having an “idgaf” attitude when it came to other’s opinions. It’s only recently I’ve started to truly realize that not caring about the world’s view of me wasn’t enough, and not only that; the attitude painted a black and white picture of people that wasn’t realistic and didn’t allow for much personal growth. My confidence, my self-esteem, were hollow and insecure. Read more>>
Candace Elise Orange
My confidence and self-esteem were largely shaped by my upbringing. While my family didn’t have explicit conversations about affirmations, my mom’s approach to our interests played a significant role. She always made sure my sister and I had the chance to explore things we were passionate about. Even if we weren’t naturally good at something, she encouraged us to enjoy the experience. At the same time, she didn’t force us to continue if we wanted to stop—unless she saw potential. This created a safe space for us to explore, fail, and try again without fear of failure. Read more>>
Melody Yasaman Baha
I get this question a lot. I think it stems from the fact that I am a curvy, tall woman and curvy woman are normally not as confident. Society really makes that challenging. I used to be so insanely ashamed and insecure about my body and my height. My own friends called me “big bird” when I was in middle school and they would make fun of me. What did I do? I owned it. I didn’t let it break me, especially because Big Bird is an amazing and unique character. I started to realized I too, am unique so why not own that? Confidence comes in waves honestly. I have days where I am absolutely NOT confident feeling very down and days where I am a ray of sunshine and confidence. Read more>>
Willis Brown
When the time comes for me to come through for myself, I’ve never been let down with my effort. Time and time again I’m here for me and that’s what has built my confidence up. Being comfortable in your own skin is a solid base, from there it’s all effort and trust in your ability. Read more>>
Suroor Hassan
This is a question I get asked pretty often as someone who’s only been performing for a year. It’s definitely something that comes from a lot of practice! I’m the type of person that feels naturally comfortable on stage, but I still didn’t immediately start off with perfect stage presence. Over the course of doing a bunch of shows I stumbled into a routine and a sort of muscle-memory where I just click into gear when I step on stage. It’s like something in my soul flips a switch and I lock in to a whole different kind of zone. Part of it is also just that I view my art and my performances as a ritualistic act of transformation and self-creation. Read more>>
Nikki Brake-sillá
I am the woman I am today because of the matriarchs who raised me. I grew up being loved on by my Nana (great-grandma), my grandma, and my momma. These women taught me to love myself first, told me I always belonged in any room I entered, and are the reason I have never questioned my worth. Two are my ancestors, but I their presence covers me whenever I need their strength. They gave me a foundation to snap back to in times when I forget myself. Read more>>
S.j. Carson
I didn’t always have the confidence and self-esteem that I have now. When I was a teenager and young adult, I didn’t feel very good about myself. I constantly compared myself to others, performing a kind of self-audit and always coming up short. I wasn’t smart enough, pretty enough, popular enough, etc. Read more>>
Heather Yancey
Growing up a very shy girl who didn’t know I had a voice, I never knew the power of walking into a room with confidence and high self esteem. I spent decades not aware of the massive impact body confidence would have on me. Like many young women, I didn’t volunteer my opinions or think that my thoughts were worth hearing. In 6th grade I was one of the tallest kids in school and it made me insecure in my posture and slump my shoulders to appear smaller. The boys would ask me how the weather was waaaaay up there. As a 52 year old woman now, I can say that I love my tall frame. I love walking into a room often taller than others. I carry my body in a completely confident manner because of what I learned in my 40s and what I’m passionate about teaching all women. Read more>>
Elzara Yusufova
Building confidence and self-esteem has been a gradual process for me, shaped by both personal and professional experiences. One of the key factors was consistently challenging myself—whether through new artistic projects, moving to new countries, or teaching. Every time I faced a new challenge and overcame it, I gained a little more confidence in my abilities. Read more>>
Charli-queen Thomas
I don’t think confidence and self- esteem are things we need to develop. We come here with it! Deep down everyone knows that they’re the shit, but somehow throughout life they were convinced that they weren’t. So for me I just don’t allow myself, other people, or circumstances to make my believe that I’m anything less than amazing. Read more>>
Kashie Johnson
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through a combination of self-reflection and setting achievable goals. I began by identifying my strengths and weaknesses, which helped me focus on areas for growth. Setting small, attainable goals allowed me to experience success and gradually build my confidence. Read more>>
Mimi Hayes
This is one of those things that took me a VERY long time to develop, and I still struggle with it at times. Being a performer, I can sometimes give off the impression that I’m confident and full of energy when the reality can be very different. I am an extrovert and middle child, so being around people comes naturally to me, but sometimes I get in my own head and withdraw in groups. When I first started writing, I really had no idea if anything I was putting on the page was any good. I also assumed that because my book wasn’t published (yet), it wasn’t worthy of talking about. Read more>>
Vanessa Naumann
Years of dedication and relentless pursuit have shaped my journey, each moment spent honing my skills has been a testament to my commitment. While I stand confidently in my abilities, I remain mindful of the fine line between confidence and overconfidence. Humility, I believe, is the cornerstone of growth; it opens the door to learning and evolution. Read more>>
Miranda Desruisseaux
Growing up, I definitely lacked self-esteem and confidence. I never really felt like I fit in anywhere, and I certainly didn’t feel like I was good at anything. High school was tough for this reason.
Once I entered college, I started to explore new hobbies and passions but I still felt lost. It wasn’t until I started my Epicure career that I really tapped in to who Miranda is. I realized that I had a calling. Not only was I discovering how to cook, eat healthy and feed my family well, I was teaching others how to do the same thing. The fact that I can make an executive income doing what I absolutely love feels unbelievable. Read more>>
Hanqing Ma
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through a creative process that combines inspiration, analysis, and collaboration. Whenever I discover a film with breathtaking visuals, I watch it repeatedly to dissect its most striking elements—whether it’s the lighting, composition, or storytelling. I then integrate these aspects into my own creative vision. However, I don’t stop there. I regularly share my evolving ideas with close friends who have similar tastes. When they offer feedback that resonates with my vision, I incorporate their suggestions to refine my work further. This ongoing process of extracting inspiration, sharing with trusted peers, and making thoughtful adjustments has strengthened my confidence, not only in my creative abilities but in my capacity to grow through collaboration and constructive feedback. Read more>>
Kymberli Bryant
I think my confidence and self-esteem stem from my belief that while people can be better AT things than other people, they can never be better THAN them in any way. So many people feel inadequate because they feel “less than” in some way, but it’s just not true. I have a lot of things I’m pretty good at and a lot more that I completely struggle with. Knowing that some people are better at things than I am doesn’t make them better than me and even though I may be better at something than someone else doesn’t mean I’m better than them. Only one person is always better at being you than anyone else. YOU! There is a lot of confidence in that. Read more>>
Dr. Natalie Harvey, Psyd, Lpc
It wasn’t until after a really tough breakup that I had a moment of clarity—I realized that I genuinely didn’t like myself, and that was a hard truth to face. I’d been so focused on the relationship, trying to find my worth through someone else, that when it ended, I was left with nothing but this feeling of emptiness. It was a wake-up call because I knew deep down that something had to change; I didn’t want to feel like this forever. Read more>>
Zehua Yang
Developing my confidence and self-esteem came through a mix of hands-on learning and self-reflection. Early on, I had the opportunity to work with more experienced cinematographers, as Gaffer or Camera Assistant, and I absorbed everything I could from them—how they approached lighting, framing, and storytelling. These collaborations taught me a lot, but it was really when I started leading my own projects that I grew the most. After each project, I’d reflect on what went well and where things could have been improved. For example, I might rethink how a shot could have been more dynamic and efficient or how I could have communicated my vision more clearly to the crew. That continuous cycle of learning from others and refining my own work helped me build the confidence I have today. Read more>>
Curtis Bell
Like a lot of people, my confidence both soars and plummets at times, but has generally remained strong enough to enable me to succeed in pursuing what I’m passionate about. I think it all comes back to how I was raised–my mom, in particular, really instilled in me the belief that I could do whatever I wanted to in life. From as far back as I can remember, she encouraged me to carve my own path, which fostered independence in me. Rather than telling me what to do like many parents, she left it up to me to make my own decisions. Read more>>
Laron Gigger
“I’ve been dancing, performing, and creating my whole life, which has prepared me for my career as a professional dancer, skater, and influencer. But I wasn’t always as confident as I am now. Growing up, I struggled with low self-esteem and was bullied throughout school. After being forced out of the closet in high school, I had to embrace who I was and stop letting others define me. Eventually, it wasn’t just classmates hating on me anymore—I was getting hate on a larger scale. But the unconditional love and support from my followers outweighed all of that. Dancing, skating, and sharing my videos online gave me the motivation and confidence boost I needed. Read more>>
Audrina Blackburn
Confidence wasn’t something that I was born with; it’s been a work in progress—and I’m pretty sure it’s a lifelong journey for most of us. If you’re constantly pushing yourself into new situations and challenges, you’re always going to feel a bit off-balance. But that’s how you grow. If I’m being honest, my journey to confidence didn’t really kick off until I stopped trying to be someone I wasn’t. Read more>>
Ola Tsev
Making Fitness Work for Your Confidence, Not Against It . My journey to confidence began back in 2015 when I first set foot in a gym. It was an old-school, mid-sized place packed with weights and cardio machines. I had signed up for a Zumba class that day, but for some reason, I ended up on a treadmill instead. I carefully selected an incline walk setting, eventually transitioning into a jog, only to find myself completely gassed after two minutes. “Screw it,” I thought, “let me try lifting some weights.” Read more>>
Diana Rice
I’ve been creating art since I was a young child, mostly influenced by my father’s love for art as a watercolorist and my mother’s love for singing. Art was apart of my everyday life and became as natural as language itself, it was a way for me to communicate. Mostly, though, my confidence and self-esteem comes from the early positive reinforcements from my parents. They taught me that art can be anything, and there is no wrong way to create. Read more>>
Nienke Jansz
I think I developed my confidence and self-esteem from getting out of my comfort zone.
I think confidence grows by facing challenges.
I was always very shy growing up, I was never able to say no or disappoint other people, always put other people’s needs before my own needs. But, once i started modelling and traveling solo that’s when I think I gained more of a confidence and trust in myself. I started to acknowledge my strengths, started celebrating my small wins, achieving some of my goals. And I was taking care of my body and my mind by practicing positive self talk. Read more>>
Sheryl Yap
My confidence and self-esteem didn’t develop overnight; they have been, and continue to be, the result of a
long, ongoing process of embracing the creative journey, personal growth, and honing my skills. I’ve always
felt that true confidence comes from trusting ourselves and what we can do. The more we improve, the more
confident we become. As someone used to struggle with perfectionism, I’ve learned that focusing on the
process and staying consistent- however small the progress- makes creating feel less intimidating and
overwhelming. Read more>>
Brad Rundblade
It has taken time. Time, effort, and many humbling experiences to recognize my own worth and understand how I should be valued. I believe much of my self-esteem stems from the competitive spirit my parents instilled in me from a young age. They taught me that if you’re not excelling at something, you can only look to yourself, and the solution lies in practice, dedication, and hours of persistence. Over the years I’ve learned to be mindful of my abilities and to harness them effectively. With that awareness comes a sense of self-assurance. Read more>>
Christina Dumas
Yoga, skin care, and reciting positive affirmations in the mirror. Sometimes we make mistakes, it’s the human condition – we all share this. It’s about not making the same mistake again, life is for learning and wisdom in grace. Skin care is the ultimate grace, dating back to Cleopatra taking milk bathes, mastering the art of beauty. Yoga dropped my overactive monkey mind into my body. Body awareness was the pivotal point in my journey to confidence and self esteem. Seeing the beauty in all has a way of illuminating through your pores, touching on bliss body. Read more>>
Marcela Andres
Confidence didn’t come overnight. It came from a lifetime of small victories and overcoming challenges I never thought I’d face. It also came from the people who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Whether it was my mom reminding me to never give up or my teachers pushing me to see my own potential, their belief slowly became my own. I learned to trust myself through the process of showing up, doing the work, and realizing that even when I stumble, I’m still moving forward. Read more>>
Sarah Hariri Hajali
Confidence and self-esteem develop over time, often shaped by experiences, learning, and personal growth. For me, it’s a combination of a few factors: Learning and Mastery:
Gaining knowledge and mastering skills helps build a sense of competence. The more I understood topics and became proficient in them, the more confident I felt. Confidence grows when you feel capable of handling challenges. Overcoming Challenges:
Facing setbacks or difficulties and working through them is another way confidence develops. Each obstacle overcome builds resilience, making it easier to handle future challenges. Self-Reflection:
I spent time reflecting on both successes and failures. Acknowledging strengths and areas of growth allowed me to focus on improvement without being overly self-critical. This balanced approach helped build a stronger sense of self-worth. Read more>>
