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.
Mike FatboySlim
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by taking control of my life step by step. I faced the reality of where I was, committed to improving myself, and built a consistent routine with diet and training. Seeing real, tangible progress in my body and mindset gave me belief in what I could achieve. Read More>>
Taylor Radway
My confidence and self-esteem were built the way most meaningful things in my life have been—through experience, adversity, and a willingness to reinvent myself. I didn’t come from a perfectly linear career path. I earned my confidence by proving to myself, again and again, that I could adapt, learn, and excel in completely different environments. Read More>>
David ben-edward Tobin
Honestly I was not confident in my abilities to sing and freestyle rap. But once my x wife betrayed me and our 4 daughters . An tried to make me believe i was worthless. BUT GOD …. had to separate me from the thing that purposely tryin to keep me from doing God work. But i was blessed because all this pain…. Read More>>
Lila Galustia
That is such a beautiful and loaded question. In different stages of my life, my confidence and self-esteem have come from different avenues and places. Most of my confidence in my early childhood and early development came from my mom pushing me to do the things that made me feel scared or uncomfortable. Read More>>
Duncan Emmons
An incredible amount of failure. In my life, and especially within my acting profession, I have faced many failures and rejections. While it might sound counter-intuitive, those rejections and failures make the successes that much sweeter, and of course it means you have to invest so hard into believing into yourself and knowing your identity. Read More>>
Tom Ramirez Boldo
Fake it ’til you make it,’ is a popular saying for a reason. I developed my confidence when I was a teenager by figuring out what and who I wanted to be and then telling myself that’s who I already was until I believed it and became it. Read More>>
Bre’Asia Gillis
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by paying close attention to the people who inspired me and by learning from those I looked up to. My mentor pushed me, practiced with me, and created a safe space for me to grow until I finally felt comfortable. Read More>>
Marienda Gates
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by first having an in depth conversation with my mother as a teen. She always told me that I was beautiful and that my features were unique and that many people (models) pay to have the full lips I was born with. Read More>>
Sydney Noelle
I was a really shy, sensitive kid, and for a long time I thought that was something I had to grow out of. What I’ve learned instead is how to fine tune my confidence without forcing myself to be someone I’m not. Spending time alone, trying things on my own, and really sitting with who I am played a huge role in that. Read More>>
Gabriel Lariza
My friends. I’ve been humbled so many times and I feel like I’m constantly in awe of the people around me. My cousin Marc Encabo in particular who I’ve played music with as a child has been a massive champion for me, my musicianship, everything. I felt I could never fully commit to music full-time and I was so enamored by the thought of it. Read More>>
Dr. Dennis Boseman
I didn’t build confidence from compliments. I built it from keeping promises to myself for a long time. I didn’t feel confident I felt uncertain overwhelmed and behind, so I stopped chasing confidence and started chasing competence. I showed up on the days I didn’t want to. Read More>>
Mariel Méndez
My confidence grew the moment I stopped chasing perfection and started honoring my individuality. I built my self-esteem through creativity—by showing up for my art, trusting my intuition, and allowing myself to evolve. Confidence, for me, has been a practice of self-love, presence, and choosing authenticity over approval. Read More>>
Commissioner Christina Puga
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by being aware of history first and foremost. My grandparents were born in the 30’s and parents were born in the 50’s. Historically we as a people, specifically Black people dealt with discrimination and racism, and others isms that are still existing today . I have opportunities and possibilities that were not afforded to my grandparents and parents. Read More>>
Kalin Sheick
I look at confidence like a muscle, it takes a LOT of reps to get it as strong as possible. I was always a confident kid growing up but putting myself in more and more rooms that required the confidence needed to move to the next level forces you to speak up and make impact. Read More>>
Sandra Duran Wilson
I chose this question because it’s an area where I still find myself facing difficulties, yet I continue to move forward. I believe this experience resonates with many, not just those involved in the arts. It differs from imposter syndrome—it’s more about one’s core identity. Read More>>
Priscilla Otani
By randomly signing up for a psych class as a college freshman, then deciding I wanted to major in this field, and understanding how behaviors and attitudes can influence relationships. I went on to study classical Japanese literature in grad school but decided not to get into academia after my MA. Read More>>
Destiny Hatton
Building my confidence and self-esteem may be a lifelong, ongoing process as it is for so many. I’ve really only been able to look at myself with more than a critiquing eye the past few months of 2025. Read More>>
Kathryn Blommel
Much of my confidence stems from the encouragement and reassurance I receive from friends and family. I am fortunate to have a supportive family that stands by me and uplifts me. Throughout my artistic journey, I have developed connections with teachers who have mentored me, guiding my artistic growth and giving me the confidence to pursue opportunities that push me out of my comfort zone. Read More>>
Shar’Ron Tyrell
I’ve always been connected to the world of theatre—middle school, high school, and even through the drama ministry at my church. But it wasn’t until after I graduated from college that I truly recognized I had a gift for playwriting and discovered how much I genuinely loved directing. Because I’m self-taught, developing confidence took time. Read More>>
Jana Schuessler
I’ve developed my confidence and self-esteem largely through the people I’m surrounded by. My friends are truly some of the most incredible human beings on this planet, and being in their presence has helped me grow in ways I never expected. Read More>>
Sabino Joseph Mendez
How I developed my confidence and self-esteem would have to come from the inner work I have done on myself and the trials and tribulations I have gone through and still go through. Life doesn’t always give us chocolates, we sometimes have to learn the hard way. Martial arts has helped me a lot with my confidence and self-esteem. Read More>>
Sean Patrick Bryan
By always being my true self and not really worrying about what people say or think. I can only control me. I’m not able to control outside factors or noise. It’s a humble type of arrogance, ha ha. I just have always been the loudest one in the room and willing to take that role upon myself. Read More>>
Gloria Moore
Over time, I learned to embrace challenges instead of avoiding them. Each time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I gained new skills and proved to myself that I was capable of more than I realized. Read More>>
Antonia Loukousia
My confidence didn’t rise from a triumph; it emerged from a quiet collapse I had no choice but to witness. It was a long inward journey into places that weren’t always illuminated — places where you meet yourself without decorations, without masks, without roles to play. For years I believed that my worth needed to be earned. Read More>>
Jade Gonzales
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through several life experiences – including failures, not trusting my gut, fear, and pain. Read More>>
Brittany (BrizzNicole) Thomason
For me, developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey of self-acceptance and growth. It’s about embracing who I am, recognizing the aspects of myself that I can’t change, and having the courage to improve the things I can. Over time, I’ve learned to be comfortable in my own skin and to appreciate my uniqueness. Read More>>
Delphine Rose
It is a topic I am passionate about because it is core to the healing journey. I have had to work on self-esteem and confidence for myself, for my children, and now with my clients. As a child, I was very shy and lacked confidence. My mother, meaning well, put me forward a year at school by teaching me to read early. Read More>>
Upasak Mukherjee
I believe confidence and self esteem comes from honest proof of discipline. For me, it is not so much dependent on outward successes but in showing up consistently. Read More>>
Alyssa Booth
If you met me today, you’d probably think, “Wow, she’s so grounded and confident. She really has her stuff together.” But that version of me didn’t come naturally. I had to grow into her. When I was younger, I was painfully shy — like hide behind my mom’s leg shy. Read More>>
Cortez Daniel
My confidence really began to take shape the summer before my sophomore year of high school. A family member offered me a chance to travel with them to Madrid, Spain, and take part in a program called Pueblo Inglés, a camp where native Spanish speakers practice their English by living and speaking with native English speakers for a week. Read More>>
Saikou Toure
I believe it starts with self-esteem which then evolves into confidence. Everyday presents a new challenge and the only way to become successful is to face them with a good level of self-esteem. I like to envision the objectives that I will be facing and solutions to solve them. Read More>>
Eric Hagemann
Simply put, my parents. I’m first-generation American, the son of two emigres. My father left Russian-occupied Germany after World War II and worked his way across Canada, eventually being legally admitted to the US. My mother came to the States from Panama for education. Both decided to make a life here and gained citizenship. Read More>>
Grace Lauren
I think I got confidence from being a drummer first, because I’ve always been the only girl in the bands I played with so I felt like I had to prove myself a little. Then when I got my first Harley-Davidson everyone told me to get a dirt bike first or a sportster so I got a Softail Deuce instead and literally figured it out. Read More>>
Erin Collins
Growing up, I was an incredibly shy child. I can still picture myself hiding behind my mom’s legs whenever an adult even glanced in my direction. After my parents divorced, I moved between two very different households. As an only child with no extended family close by, I felt like I was living in two separate worlds. Read More>>
Nicole Newby
Confidence and self-esteem are ongoing lessons something I build day by day. From a personal perspective, every time I follow through on a goal, keep a promise to myself, or push through something that made me nervous, I strengthen my internal track record. Read More>>
Chelsie Harper, LCSW
As a therapist, I tell my clients daily that our thoughts are our greatest manifester. Everything we see, touch or interact in this human experience originates from a thought. One of the most powerful things we can do is choose how we view the situations in our life. It changes everything. Read More>>
Erin Kate
I stopped using the validation of others. I used to believe that I had to look a certain way in order to be received and then I got into a relationship, my first real relationship, thinking, ‘Oh, I don’t have to worry about how anyone else sees me because I have my boyfriend and he loves me.’ Whew, was I naive lol. Read More>>
Amy Gumbs
Two experiences really shaped my confidence and self-esteem. The first happened in high school. My best friend’s family was planning a vacation that would overlap with my younger sister’s graduation—I wanted to attend both. My friend encouraged me to ask her mom if they could adjust their travel dates. I was nervous, but I called, explained the situation, and she said yes! Read More>>
Alonso Benavides
Mr. Benavides was born in Arequipa, a small town of Peru, in Dec. of 1929. His middle class, ( of a very limited income) family, had lived in Arequipa for 8 or more generations. What was the most remarkable about this family was the mother, Emma. She was a woman of action and purpose. Read More>>
Leo Carmona
My self-esteem and confidence come from embracing change and discomfort. I was very shy as a kid, but I always enjoyed challenges, and consistent exposure made a huge difference for me. As a teen I was part of a mariachi group and later in a Mexican musical group. Read More>>
Sadia Ahmed
I believe as you enhance your knowledge, your skill, you keep grooming yourself, your confidence keeps leveling up. Whereas self esteem is inbuilt. You cannot develop it. It is there or not there. That’s it. Every human should have self esteem, and self respect unlike ego. Read More>>
Catherine De Freitas
My confidence and self-esteem grew from doing the inner work — choosing to face myself honestly and rebuild from the inside out. For a long time, I tied my worth to achievements or external validation. It wasn’t until I walked away from my corporate job, experienced heartbreak, and began dedicating myself to yoga, therapy, and mentorship that I learned what true confidence really is. Read More>>
Yohanna Jessup
I didn’t find confidence in performance or applause.
I found it in the quiet act of sitting still.
Through many years of meditation, self exploration and ongoing rigorous practice I have let silence cleave away a lot of what I thought I was, what I ‘should’ be. Instead I continually search for what feels alive moment to moment. Read More>>
Dr. Tina J. Ramsay
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through a very intentional and deeply personal journey. It started with recognizing that my worth doesn’t come from titles, achievements, or the opinions of others—it comes from God. Once I embraced that truth, I began to see myself differently. I stopped measuring myself by what I lacked and started valuing the gifts, wisdom, and experiences God placed in me. Read More>>
Guy Holling
Asking how I developed my confidence implies I have any to begin with. But I don’t. And asking how I developed my self-esteem implies I had anything to do with it, but I didn’t. So let’s just say I am grateful to have it, and plenty at that. In fact, if I was my own audience, I’d sell out every night of the week, and it would be exceptional. Read More>>
