Jayati Arora

I was never the loudest voice in the room. In fact, there was a time when I hesitated to raise my hand, even when I knew the answer. But confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build, moment by moment, challenge by challenge. And for me, that journey began when I stepped into the world of leadership and public speaking. Read More>>

Isabella Bonzani

Developing my confidence as a performer and composer has definitely been a journey, and it will continue to be. In my early performance years I struggled with confidence, often comparing myself to others. In a performance environment, you’re often competing against one another for first chair or the top jazz band. It became incredibly stressful, but I did something to help that may sound silly. I used to write down all the good things my friends or professors said about me, and I would keep them near my workstation on little post-it notes. Read More>>

Dakota Nyberg

When I started my video production business at 18, I had no idea what I was doing. I wasn’t just learning how to create great videos—I was figuring out how to run a business, work with clients, and build a professional reputation. Since 2020, I haven’t had a traditional job working for someone else, but that doesn’t mean I was doing it all alone. I had mentors, supporters, and plenty of trial-and-error moments along the way. Read More>>

Angelia

Growing up, I was bullied and struggled with my self-esteem, but instead of letting it break me, I channeled my energy into self-improvement, photography, and makeup artistry. As I grew older, I found confidence not just in my own transformation but in helping other women discover their beauty through makeup and photography. Teaching them to enhance their features and embrace their uniqueness became my own healing journey. In lifting others up, I finally saw my own worth—proof that confidence isn’t just about appearance, but about the strength we build by empowering those around us. Read More>>

Tara Reid

Growing up, I was the quiet kid. The one who preferred listening over speaking, observing rather than jumping into the spotlight. I can still hear the well-meaning but frustrating advice from teachers and family members: “You need to speak up more,” “Be more outgoing,” “Don’t be so shy.” Over time, that message settled deep, convincing me that something about me needed to change. Read More>>

Makenzie Johnson

As an entrepreneur, I developed my confidence and self-esteem through experience, persistence, and a willingness to step outside my comfort zone. Starting my business at a young age required me to take risks, make decisions, and learn from both successes and failures. Each challenge I faced—whether it was pitching to retailers, managing operations, or refining my products—helped me build resilience and trust in my abilities. Surrounding myself with mentors, supportive peers, and family also played a crucial role. Over time, seeing my hard work translate into real results reinforced my confidence and fueled my belief in what I could accomplish. Read More>>

Nbs Malay

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through consistent practice and unwavering belief in myself. I’ve learned that even a sliver of doubt can plant the seed of failure. When you allow doubt to creep in, you’re telling yourself that you can’t do it—and that’s exactly what will happen. I’ve always pushed myself to silence those doubts and trust in my abilities, and that mindset has been key to building the confidence I have today. Read More>>

Ronda Vaughn Marshall

Building confidence and self-esteem is an on going day to day to practice but if I had to tell how I continue to over come the challenge I would say…

I’ve built multiple successful businesses, scaled communities, and consistently positioned myself as a connector and leader that is always willing to help others. That doesn’t happen without resilience, problem-solving, and the ability to navigate uncertainty. Every win (and challenge) has reinforced my self-belief and sharpened my ability to trust yourself. Read More>>

Bella B. Bold

I feel that confidence and self-esteem are both characteristics that one must build in themselves. The hardest part is not listening to people, whether they be strangers or friends and family, casting doubt on your abilities or success in achieving your goals. My confidence and self-esteem have both developed over time, but they mostly stem from my ability to be proud of myself for my successes, and finding people in my life who fully support me in achieving my goals. Read More>>

Tyrell Rolle

Growing up in Key West, Florida, I built confidence through sports. My parents and uncles were naturally confident, and they encouraged me to get involved in everything—basketball, football, soccer, karate, golf, flag football, and skating. Each sport helped shape my self-assurance, but when my cousin, Shannon Haynes, introduced me to dance, I discovered a whole new level of confidence. Dance became my voice—it allowed me to stand tall, put my shoulders back, and embrace a sense of self that none of my siblings or family members had explored. Read More>>

Checker Bloom

We believe in the art we want to create. We take our art seriously and are always thinking about what’s influencing us and why, and are intentional in how we create our music from there. We lean on refined taste, expressing with each other what like and more importantly, what we don’t like.

We also believe in the work we put in. We work hard and are our own toughest critics, so any noise outside of that, while taken in stride, doesn’t have the merit to shake our confidence and belief in our art and potential. We have the standing within ourselves to look eye to eye in the mirror and believe we’re putting our truest self forward. Read More>>

Jonathon Lewis

Watching my father, and grandfather, and developing my self discipline theough sports Read More>>

Dmitrii Mironenko

I think it comes with the practice and mastering the craft skills. Read More>>

Keyon Russell

My confidence and self-esteem didn’t develop overnight—it was a journey that took time, self-reflection, and a lot of inner work. I’ve been through experiences that shook my self-worth and made me question myself, but I realized that I had to put me first. Once I made the decision to prioritize my well-being, everything started to shift. Read More>>

Nila Chakraboty

My self-esteem and confidence are deeply rooted in the foundation my parents gave me growing up. They constantly affirmed my worth and believed in me, even when I doubted myself. They instilled values like hard work, kindness, and resilience, which shaped how I see myself and navigate the world. Knowing I had their unconditional support made me feel capable of taking on challenges, learning from failures, and celebrating successes. That early sense of security and encouragement became the cornerstone of my confidence today. Read More>>

Frankcisco Anderson

Great parents and immediate family that helped instill the foundations of my unshakeable faith, self confidence, and positive vibes. Read More>>

 Christine Young

This is a great question that I think ties in with a lot of other topics. For me personally, it takes practice and figuring out who you are and what you stand for. Stepping out of my comfort zone and learning about myself. My motivations, my fears, my joys and observing what inspires me and where I might find challenges. I think the biggest gift we can give ourselves is to find out who we are without the noise of expectation from others.  Read More>>

Rachyl Parker

Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been an ongoing journey. As a human, I don’t think it’s something that’s ever quite mastered, but rather something we continuously work on until it becomes easier and more natural. Read More>>

Terry Moore

Over the years I have developed my confidence and self-esteem through working on my weaknesses followed by consistency. Read More>>

Dana Huwig

I feel like there have been different times in my life when my confidence is sky high and then other times where I have struggled dramatically. I can remember being young and growing a lot through sports. I was always active and I loved softball at a young age. I had a lot of natural ability and for that I feel like other kids were naturally drawn to me. As I grew into those tween years I carried a lot of that confidence with me, but those middle school years were tough! That’s the first time I can remember struggling with identity and self-esteem – bullies, hormones and total awkwardness. I gained a great group of friends and found my footing again in high school and felt those high highs. Read More>>

Krizia Caceres

My confidence has evolved over the years. As an adult, I felt secure in myself because I prioritized things that made me feel good like working out, dancing, and taking care of my body. However, after having my daughter, I struggled with self-esteem. I worried about whether I’d be able to lose the weight I had gained, and that period was incredibly challenging. I know many women experience similar insecurities after giving birth. Read More>>

Nishu Lathwal

I wasn’t always this confident. In fact, there was a time when I second-guessed every decision, overthought every move, and felt like I wasn’t “qualified” enough to do what I wanted.

But I built my confidence **by doing**. Read More>>

Justin Bishop

I have found confidence in art to be quite an interesting thing as there are no real rules to follow or criteria to achieve. I feel that confidence especially in art really only comes from inside. For me having confidence in my abilities has come from years of practice and failure that has let me try many things in order to develop my “artistic eye” and the confidence to feel that I know how to realize my vision even when that vision isn’t something I can fiscally see in front of me. Read More>>

Sierra Mendonsa

For me, confidence comes from three things: knowledge, experience, and knowing I’m bringing real value to the table.

1. Knowledge as a Foundation
Confidence starts with knowing your sh*t. I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to do this—I’ve earned a degree (not that you always need that), taken courses, read countless articles, watched hundreds of hours of YouTube, and made sure I understand my industry inside and out. Staying educated gives you a foundation to stand on, so you’re not second-guessing every move. When you know the why behind what you’re doing, you naturally show up with more confidence. Read More>>

Lannie Stabile

You might see me howling with laughter at a crowded party, jumping excitedly from group to group, and good-naturedly teasing a guest to photograph an unguarded smile, but, believe it or not, I’m an introvert.

Back in the day, teachers were all, “Lannie is a pleasure to have in class but needs to speak up more.” I was shy, and I preferred reading $2.00 bags of library books over socializing. At 16, I was given an opportunity to attend Summer Quest at Eastern Michigan University. Read More>>

Danielle Boyers

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by putting myself out there. Witnessing my ability and the skills I had developed over the years, is ultimately what pushed me. My confidence developed once I was proud of myself and stopped comparing myself to others in my field. That’s where it starts, when you actually start believing in yourself and know your worth. Read More>>

Felicia Dahm

My childhood wasn’t the typical movie scene. My mom was a single mother for years before she met my stepdad, and for most of my early years, we lived with my grandmother. I remember moving around a lot, staying with different relatives, never quite feeling settled. When I was in first grade, my teacher suggested I be tested for ADHD. Instead of following through with the evaluation, my mom pulled me out of school and decided to homeschool us. In the ’90s, homeschooling wasn’t common, and we were teased constantly for being different. Read More>>

Amy Russell

For a large portion of my life, I was very shy. I rarely shared my opinions or disagreed with anyone. I made myself very small and would do anything not to rock the boat. I was so fearful of upsetting or offending someone. I had very little self-worth and shrunk, hoping no one would notice. Read More>>

Jeanette Hurt

Early on in my career, I was fired from a newspaper reporting job. During the firing process, an editor told me that I “wasn’t good at writing so that I needed to find a career I was better at.” Another editor suggested I get a job at the Department of Motor Vehicles because I spoke Spanish.
I felt devastated. I had wanted to be a writer since I was a young girl – I wrote stories before I could read, dictating them to my mother. And here, people I had respected, were telling me that I was terrible at a job I loved. Read More>>

Lila Z Rose

As a little kid running around the neighborhood, I had a natural confidence that bubbled up like an artesian spring. It was effortless – a deep sense that I could achieve anything I set my mind to even before I could read.

But over time – through setbacks, losses, and challenges – that confidence eroded. Luckily, I remembered that limitless feeling and decided to regain it – not only for myself but for others as well. Read More>>