BoldJourney is all about helping our audience and community level up by learning from the experiences of others. One of the most important topics we’ve been focused on sharing insights and lessons on is confidence building and self-esteem. Below, you’ll find some brilliant entrepreneurs and creatives sharing their perspectives and advice.
Ren Gutierrez
My self-esteem didn’t come from the outside world—it came from going inward. By listening to my own spirit, sitting with my truth, and allowing myself to experience things that feel otherworldly, I’ve learned who I really am. I’ve stopped comparing myself to others because their path isn’t mine. My medicine, my gifts, my voice come from a place beyond what can be measured or matched. Read More>>
Tara Polley
I used to believe confidence was something you earned – after enough achievements, enough praise, enough milestones. But I’ve learned it doesn’t actually work that way. My confidence doesn’t come from a single source or experience. It comes from a decision I make repeatedly: to show up before I feel ready. Read More>>
Kelly Perkins
Wow, what an awesome question. The way I’ve developed confidence and self-esteem. Well, I’ve always had the spirit of it since I was a child. Of course, I’ve gone through experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. Read More>>
Amber Krystal
Confronting the broken issues in my life that had me not walking HEALED WHOLE , and MATURE was the first step. I discovered that you truly can’t ever walk in the greatest version of yourself confidently and with healthy self-esteem until that transformation takes place from the inside out. Read More>>
Krista Durant
My confidence and self-esteem were not things I was born with — they were built over time, through experience, adversity, and faith. For a long time, I found myself shrinking in rooms, questioning whether I belonged or if my voice mattered. Read More>>
John Gordon
As one of the smallest kids in my high school, confidence did not come easily. I did well in my classes, but initially had few friends. This changed when I auditioned for a secondary role in a school play. Being on stage is both terrifying and exhilarating, and the drama department became my anchor. With the move to college, I basically started over. Read More>>
Amy Oostveen
I developed confidence and self-esteem by failing. So many people want to shy away from the failures in life, but I welcomed them. You can only have successes by having failures. Failures, bumps in the road, learning how to navigate problems…..those are all learning experiences. Read More>>
Jasmine Shannon Miggins
Developing my self-esteem and confidence came from staying dedicated to my love of dance and performance. Throughout my childhood I wasn’t always accepted and performing & dancing always gave me the confidence to trust in myself, know my worth and focus on my dreams. Read More>>
Ripcords
In the Ripcords, there are two reasons we feel confident. Hard work and Persistence. As any band that has put on shows before will likely agree, you do not want to learn the new song the day of the gig… The more we meet up as a band and practice/write/plan together, the better we play overall. Read More>>
Abby Sarage
My confidence and self-esteem were shaped by three foundations: my parents, my experiences as an athlete, and most importantly, my faith in God. Growing up, my parents constantly spoke life into me. They encouraged me, reminded me of my strengths, and pushed me to step into every opportunity with boldness. And when I wasn’t at my best, they didn’t shield me from the truth. Read More>>
Ali Nicolas
For most of my life I have been a friendly and outgoing person (minus the mornings spent crying at kindergarten drop-off, sorry Mom! 😆). During adolescence and young adulthood I tried to portray an air of confidence, but like many elder millennials entering adulthood in the early naughts, self-esteem was more elusive. Read More>>
Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico
My confidence and self-esteem were shaped by the powerful women and defining experiences in my life. My mother was my first role model, a strong and determined woman who left an abusive relationship and built an independent life on her own terms. She taught me that we create our own futures and that we should never feel dependent on anyone to define who we are. Read More>>
Jayshon Portalatin
This is something that is still an on going process for me. It took me years to get to where I am and even then I am human and have off days. Off days are normal. My mother has been the biggest support system in my life. Read More>>
John Kim
As I look back on my life I find that the development of my self confidence stemmed from a need to stand up for myself as the safety nets in my life started to disappear. Times of transition can differ in difficulty for many people, but I find that it’s uncomfortable to become more and more independent. Read More>>
Jessica Gabrielle
I developed my confidence and self-esteem shortly after Middle School. I was the kid that got picked on for my complexion. Just because my skin was darker, I was called every name in the book. I started to idolize women that I admired who had skin like myself. Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s child always had skin that glowed and yet was just like mine. Read More>>
Shayla Martin
After high school, I had a moment that really changed how I saw myself. I was dancing at a studio, part of a team I worked hard to be on. My parents supported me and believed in what I was doing, and one day after rehearsal I asked the teacher for feedback. Read More>>
sebastian rojas jimenez
My confidence and self-esteem come from believing in myself and in what I do. They also stem from knowing the examples from history of great artists and creators who had to overcome the misunderstanding of their contemporaries. Many times, the artist sees things that others cannot see at that moment. Read More>>
Shantelle Coote
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by trusting my growth and giving myself grace. In the beginning, I was really hard on myself, especially when I started doing brows. I always wanted everything to be perfect, but I realized that true confidence comes from within. The more I trusted myself and my progress, the more my confidence grew. Read More>>
Payal Bansal
My confidence was built over time, shaped by my journey from India to building a luxury design brand in the U.S. Growing up, I was taught the value of hard work and resilience, and that foundation carried me through every stage of my life. Studying for my MBA strengthened my strategic thinking, communication, and leadership skills—qualities that continue to support my work today. Read More>>
Abiodun Koya
Confidence, for me, did not appear suddenly; it was formed in the quiet moments of surrender, reflection, analysis and self-discovery. I believe true confidence is not the absence of fear, but the steady awareness of divine purpose and presence in my life that overrides it. Read More>>
Gina Benalcazar-Lopez
Developing my confidence had a lot to do with being okay with making a lot of mistakes and accepting that it was part of the process to create what I was envisioning in my mind. I think it’s particularly difficult as artists to not tie our self-esteem to the amount we produce and the quality of those things. Read More>>
Stephanie Jameson
Body work, breath work, mindset belief upgrades and being stubbornly faithful about why I am here. I, like many others have had to work through some reprogramming and unlearning throughout my journey. Read More>>
Iryna Bublyk
There was a time when confidence felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford. Moving from Ukraine to Tennessee meant starting over — in a new language, a new culture, and a world where nothing felt familiar. But the truth is, confidence doesn’t come from certainty. It comes from rebuilding yourself when life gives you no guarantees. Read More>>
Kim Clouden
My confidence didn’t come from some big moment, I feel like it comes from a thousand tiny ones. Honestly, I wasn’t always this sure of myself. I grew into it. Becoming a mom shifted something in me. When you’re responsible for raising a little human, you start paying attention to the way you speak to yourself. Read More>>
Michael Jordan
When I first started as a sports massage therapist, I quickly realized I was the oddball in the room. Most therapists show up in crisp clothes, armed with fancy oils for that classic spa vibe—meanwhile, I’m over here in workout gear, skipping the slippery stuff entirely. From day one, I wasn’t comparing myself to anyone else; I couldn’t even if I tried! Read More>>
Rachel Thomas
When I was a junior in high school, I made the decision that I needed to stop caring what people thought of me. People’s perception of me was affecting me a lot, and I wasn’t really doing what I love. That year was one of the best years of high school for me. Read More>>
Courtney Hattaway
I spent much of my early years in life feeling like I was missing out, and I’m certain I even blocked out certain memories because I felt like I wasn’t good enough at anything I tried, or if I did seem good enough, it was because I was faking it and people would eventually figure it out. Read More>>
Nabeeh Shamieh
This is something that I’m actively still trying to solidify but I developed my confidence and self-esteem by always reassuring that my work as well the quality of my work is amazing. Comparison is the thief of joy and I truly felt that for a little while, reason being I would always see other peoples work on instagram.
Lenny Emery
Confidence and self esteem are about keeping promises to yourself and others. showing up no matter what is what builds confidence – and attacking things head one even if ti feels overwhelming. Nothing in this world is impossible – so the challenges in front of you? There’s your confidence builder. Read More>>
Cynthia Washington
When I was younger, I was quite naive and had no backbone. It took time for me to develop my confidence and self-esteem. Ethnically, I am mixed, very mixed and I never fit into a box. I have always been an ‘other.’ I have always been me. I felt like a chameleon. I was born with Snow White skin and dark brown hair. Read More>>
left hvnded
It came one step at a time, with a lot of frustration and failed attempts. Learning to be confident takes effort, you have to work at it, but a thought that makes it less overwhelming is you just need to take the first step. Read More>>
Iliyana Apostolova
I’m no stranger to the struggle with confidence and self esteem. I used to look at the world and think, there are so many talented people, how could I ever stand out? I have a bit of perfectionism in me, believing that if I couldn’t be the best at something, maybe there was no point in doing it at all. Read More>>
Faith Morris
Honestly, I’ve always been a confident, outgoing person but real confidence didn’t show up until I hit rock bottom. When you have nothing left to lose, you start to realize, ‘Okay, I can’t stay here. I have to believe in myself because no one else can do this for me.’ That’s when self-esteem stops being a trait and starts being a choice. Read More>>
Joe Bissonnette
On my 25th birthday, in Antarctica, I caused an accident that could’ve been extremely serious. That night when I was lamenting in my room, my much older roommate told me that it was a good thing that I was struggling and overwhelmed. Read More>>
Abigail Carver
I’ve struggled with a low self esteem most of my life and only in the last few years through therapy have worked to build it. I still shocks me every time I notice I’ve done something, said something, let myself feel something that in the years past I would be so afraid, or wouldn’t think I’d deserve it. Read More>>
Andrei Tone
I developed my confidence and self-esteem the hard way—through action, failure, and learning to trust both my instincts and my preparation. When I first launched Tone Films in Washington, D.C., I wasn’t just starting a business; I was stepping into a competitive, high-stakes environment where reputation matters as much as skill. Read More>>
Ashley T
My confidence didn’t show up all at once. It was built piece by piece, mostly in the moments when I felt like everything around me was falling apart. Read More>>
Andres Gonzalez
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by consistently taking on challenging projects, learning from each experience, and celebrating every milestone. Always giving more than asked and wanting to be bery generous with those who surround me. Over time, that process of growth just naturally built a strong sense of self-belief in my design work. Read More>>
Ashley Smith
Q: How did you develop your decision-making skills? My decision-making muscles were built in the trenches, first in the music business, then in sports. Read More>>
Allison Bray
I learned early on that the only way to move forward, whether it’s with a creative idea or a business decision, is to make the decision. Some choices can be adjusted or pivoted later and some can’t, but the act of deciding is what creates momentum. Spending too much time thinking about what to do instead of actually doing it keeps you stuck. Read More>>
