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.
Ghawam Kouchaki
A lot of your confidence should come from failure, when you’ve failed enough, you can eschew the insecurities you can have as a photographer; people makes mistakes, but the problem we have as a culture is we can never fail in front of others, we’re afraid to look stupid, so we harp on this idea that we cannot show off our work until it is perfect. Read more>>
Shannon Gaccione
I surround myself with strong women. We lift each other up. I keep good self talk. Also, realized at this age I wasn’t going to waste anymore time not liking myself. Read more>>
Barbara Cairns
Early on, in my small New England town, I thought of myself as the ugly duckling, having eye teeth that didn’t have room in my tiny mouth, so I referred to them as my fangs. Comparing myself to my younger sister who had a button-like nose, I had inherited my paternal grandfather’s more aquiline nose so always thought my nose was too large. But I was blessed with a wonderful sense of humor and two loving parents who encouraged us to follow our dreams. As I grew older, I laughed a lot, despite the fact that sometimes my lip would catch on my right eye tooth. My personality blossomed and my desire to meet lots of interesting people led me to travel world -wide. During my first teaching assignment in Seattle, Washington, and after receiving my first paycheck, I had dental work done; the eyeteeth were removed and I wore braces for three months, having them tightened weekly so they’d be removed in time for my visit back home that summer. Hardly anyone noticed the change. Sometimes our inner thoughts about our outward appearance can destroy a person, but having a desire and determination to be the best we can be and to make others around us smile, definitely worked for me. Read more>>
Alana Hayden
I have been creating safaris to Africa for 50 years – generally a bucket list or a destination people dream of.
By having travelers come back happy, saying it was a trip of a lifetime really brought up my personal worth.
Being older now i thought what have i done in my life – i have touched families and created experiences that will last not only a lifetime but will be passed down generations and generations. I also am hearing from grown children who traveled with Born Free now taking their children. What could be more rewarding and know you made a difference. Read more>>
Christine George
Being born 100% Greek American in an athletic body really gave me my confidence and self-esteem through sports. As an artist growing up, my Mom would support me by taking me to craft fairs. At these fairs, I would sell my little projects, paintings, crafts. I was always amazed that at the end of the day there were none left. I thought, wow, I just love making these things, but I gues others love them too. So it was at an early age I knew I could do my art and support myself economically. Read more>>
Pamela Matthews
I believe I develop my confidence and self- esteem after high school… because I’m a shy female and I’m quiet around people I don’t know but will speak but when I’m around my friends and family I notice I’m more open and confident so I took that and ran with it and build it up… and I’m more of a people person way more now and speak and ask questions! Read more>>
Teghan Hammond
I was about 13 when I realized that I am transgender. At the time, I had never met another person like me. I had just found that being trans was possible. The messages I heard about being queer at all were very negative, so I didn’t come out to anyone until I was an adult. Thinking of myself as something unlovable destroyed my confidence at that young age before it could really develop. After hiding myself for years, I finally met another trans person outside of the internet. I was ecstatic. Seeing him have acceptance from our friends was a big help, and pretty soon I wasn’t scared to express my feelings and explore myself. I decided to spend a summer in Seattle, working for a queer nonprofit, where I truly got to see stories of queer and trans joy. I came back to the Midwest with a stronger sense of self and a new confidence in my path. I would come out to my family, my school, and the world as trans without fear. From that day on I had a new love for myself and so much confidence, all thanks to being able to live my genuine life. That’s why I want to create stories that inspire and show young queer people that it’s okay to have joy and live authentically. Read more>>
Meera Sharma
My confidence and self-esteem has certainly got stronger as I’ve got older. It was actually when I turned 30 that I literally woke up and stopped caring what people think of me, from there onwards my self confidence got stronger. Don’t let people rent space in your head for free..! Read more>>
Maryia Walker
It’s a really great question. I think most artists go through the stage of not feeling confident enough in their art or their voice in the very beginning of their creative journey. Looking back at my journey now I realize that the keys to developing confidence and self-esteem is to keep authentic personality without judging yourself and cherishing playful attitude towards life. When you feel connected to your inner nature and feel great power of embracing who you truly are it opens up new horizons of freedom within. It’s also very important to keep positive self-talk and shape yourself into the person who you want to be through inspiration and encouragement rather than comparison and societal chase. Read more>>
Heather Hemsley
It was definitely a journey for me; in fact, I’m still on that journey. I’m an introvert, and ever since I was little, I’ve compared my timidness and poor verbal skills to the confidence and well-spoken nature of my extrovert friends (and all the extrovert celebrities I’d see online). I was always a creative kid, and from an early age my imagination was wondrous and my written communication was flawless; but I never had any of the qualities I desired most. I could write a novel, but I never thought I would be someone to take charge of things, lead groups of people, or possess excellent verbal communication. Early high school, I resigned myself to being this way forever, and determined to become a novel editor. I wouldn’t have to interact with people to do my job well, and I could be alone with my creativity. I always had crazy aspirations, or felt it was my calling, to speak in front of crowds of people, write and pitch my own TV shows, and be a confident leader in directing / teaching roles. But I thought they were just dreams. My self-esteem was pretty low. Read more>>
Allison Bradsher
Self discovery has been a huge part of my self-esteem. Knowing, naming, and accepting my wiring, my personality, and my story have helped me to embrace that all of it belongs. There are parts of myself I have always liked: my imagination, my competitive drive, my ability to make friends, but there are other parts that I have needed to also allow to be true: my introvertedness, the time I need to ponder something before I know how to respond, the analytical eye I bring to circumstances. In learning that I am sensitive, that I am quiet, that I need big pockets of time alone, I have grown in seeing those as gifts when they have sometimes felt like burdens. When I let myself be myself and let others be themselves, that is when I am most free and confident and can allow others the same worth. Read more>>
Briana Falgiano
My confidence and self-esteem has come from the performing arts and has from a young age. I started performing when I was 4 years old, I even learned to read through reading lines for various shows and plays I was a part of. Through getting on a stage, acting out what I was feeling, and expressing myself authentically even through fears of inadequacy, I learned to believe in myself and my own abilities. I learned to be my own voice of belief and developed the ability to speak to God on my own terms. In those conversations, I was constantly reminded of my strength, my abilities and how He saw me. Believing in who I am because of who God says I am allows me to let go of my constant belief about myself based on my behaviors or traumas. Read more>>
Arlene Margarita
I used to struggle with indecisiveness, feeling disconnected from my true self. But I found my way back by reconnecting with my body and its wisdom—feeling the sensations, the breath, and the subtle cues that remind me of my intentions, needs, and values. This journey was about more than just a mental shift; it was a deep, embodied experience. Read more>>
Melelani Duquez
The way I developed my confidence and built my self-esteem took years of trial and error. Till this day, I am still working on keeping my spirits high but I know that realistically, we all can’t feel great about ourselves all the time. My journey of building my confidence and self-esteem begins way back in middle school. Read more>>
Sidney Villegas
I developed these traits through self reflection, changing my mindset, and loving my beauty within. I truly believe that the prettiest trait I have is my heart. My exterior features are just the tip of the ice burg of my beauty. Read more>>
Kelly Galindo
My confidence and self-esteem have been shaped significantly by the influential figures in my life and my deep-rooted passion for storytelling. My resilience and work ethic stem from the values instilled in me by my mother and stepfather, who taught me the importance of dedication and perseverance. From my father, I inherited a sense of generosity and unwavering optimism that fuels my drive to give back and make a difference. Read more>>
Eszter Szőnyei
Growing up, my environment was very supportive. My parents were always enthusiastic about my ideas, and I got a lot of encouragement and positive feedback at school.
But I also experienced imposter syndrome a lot, and when I start something new, self-doubt is always there. Read more>>
Larry Wells
I didn’t always have confidence and good self-esteem. Up until a few years ago I was always insecure and had low self-esteem. I didn’t consider myself attractive, I always compared myself and what I was doing with other people, and I just didn’t feel like I fit in. Growing up I was bullied a lot by the popular kids. I was one of the kids that nobody wanted to sit next too. I remember specifically when I was in middle school my father was visiting me and he saw me and this one other kid sit alone at another table while behind us the rest of my class was sitting together. My father asked why weren’t we sitting with them because there was still room. I told him we weren’t popular like them. Stuff like that was frequent until about 7th grade when I hit my breaking point. A few kids formed a circle around me and started ganging up on me verbally. There was specifically this one kid who was the leader of it. He loved to kick me down and make fun of me every chance he got. It got so bad I ended up shouting at him, crying, and ran away as fast as I could. From that point moving forward I promised I would never let anyone else make me feel so low again. As the years went on I started practicing becoming more confident and upping my self worth. I started going to the gym, started writing what was on my mind and putting it into music, hanging around people that lifted me up, etc. It was a long, but steady process. The more I practice this, the more the confidence and good self-esteem came. I still struggle with it, as do everyone else at times. It’s normal. We are humans. But I’m in a much better place with it now then even 5 years ago. Read more>>
Bibi Lucille
Confidence and self-esteem is a hard thing to maintain, for everyone. Living in a western world, commercials profit off of insecurities by showing us what we don’t have. That their product is the key to beauty and success, that this one cologne or perfume will attract everyone you’ve ever desired… and it’ll even bring back your ex. From a female perspective, growing up with impossible beauty standards has been one of the base foundations in knocking down my self-esteem. Even before my teen years, I remember gazing up at a huge billboard of Marion Cotillard in a Dior campaign, desperately pleading to the gods that one day, I would look like that. Beauty consumes a large portion of many women’s minds, leading to countless hours spent on grooming and preening, only to catch your reflection in a mirror at Primark and wonder if there’s even any point. It’s tragic what the beauty industry is doing to women and distracts us greatly from achieving our full potential in areas that don’t involve shallow aesthetics. Read more>>
Vicki Lovelee
Performing and making music has definitely built my confidence in both my personal life and artistry. I remember back when I was in university, me and a few friends were just jamming in a small practice room. I’d be so nervous to even sing out loud in front of my friends. Fast forward to now – I’ve rehearsed and performed on stage as much as I could. And my confidence in myself grows every time. Music and making art has allowed me to express myself and as a result, I found myself and my identity in doing so. Read more>>
Damian Redd
I’ve always had a decent support system for any activity or project that I have worked on. But, the support typically comes after the work is done. I used to tell people my ideas and they wouldn’t dismiss me, however, they also would not be interested in further discussion. I would then tell myself that the creativity and imagination I possess is not for others. Others can only get behind a finished project. I am one that holds a massive amount of creativity, imagination, as well as the analytical insight on how to bring ideas to fruition, so no need for any outside assistance because without me, nothing will be completed for the world to appreciate. Read more>>
David “dj Chuck T” Thrower
I developed confidence and self esteem from consistently working on perfecting my craft and honing my skills. The better I got, the more confident I became. The more skilled I became, the better I felt about myself. In order to achieve greatness you have to practice like a beginner. Read more>>
Aly Avina
It is something that definitely didn’t happen overnight. It developed over time and took a lot of courage for me to begin the process as it is something I’ve struggled with most of my life. About 5 years ago, though, I decided to take back the power of my own self-worth and confidence instead of relying on others to build up my self-esteem for me and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. Read more>>
Emonie Smith
Self-confidence is a journey—one I’ve traveled myself. I encourage people to recognize their uniqueness, imperfections and all. It’s about celebrating our strengths while accepting our vulnerabilities. Through storytelling, I share moments of triumph and struggle, showing that confidence isn’t about perfection; it’s about authenticity. I began with changing my mindset and seeking out experiences that bring me peace. Yoga, meditation, and affirmations are my first loves to self confidence. Read more>>
Ahsha Davis
Being an only child, I had to often find my own way. I had to get things on my own terms when I wanted them and that helped me to learn to be myself. Growing up, I was never shy, and I believe a part of that was because my parents taught me how to command a room when I entered it. It wasn’t always easy, especially in school when other kids are intimidated by your success. But I learned to just not let anyone step on my toes. I figured out that I wanted to be great, and part of that involved me feeling confident in who I was. In high school I was thriving and never went a day without making sure people knew my name. I carried that on into college and by the end of my academic career, I was unstoppable. The key to it, is to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I went to a predominately white institution and was often the only person of color in my class. I had to have tough conversations, I had to experience tough situations and that made me stronger each day. I had to learn how to stand up for myself, especially without siblings. I was my own role model and that made me realize that in this world, you are your biggest fan. I started to believe in myself and decided that I wasn’t going to let this world take me down. With all the issues, and terrible things that we face, I was not going to allow my light to be dimmed. So I worked hard, I got close with professors, I took on many roles and responsibilities. I stayed up late, and studied the ways of commanding a room. And to this day, I still do those things. Because when I leave this world, I want people to remember me for how I made them feel and for the life I brought. Read more>>
Abigail Fernau
When it comes to my development of confidence and self-esteem my mind goes back to August 2020. In the midst of all the chaos, I created even more by deciding to move to Des Moines at 19. Freshly broken hearted from a young love breakup I was shoved into paying for a new apartment in a new city on my own. Although that year was a daunting and lonely year it was so crucial to discovering who I was. Getting away from my hometown as soon as possible was a wonderful decision. As I sat in my horribly outdated apartment, being creative was how I spent my free nights off work. Though I loved it I was so incredibly hard on myself about all of it. It would take me months to finish a small project due to just being consumed by shame and fear of ruining it because inside I didn’t feel I was good enough to be labeled an artist. Read more>>
Shruti Dabas
Growing up, I was a shy and underconfident girl who often felt the need to hide behind others. I was scared to share my opinions, struggled with insecurities about my appearance, and believed that my thoughts didn’t matter. It wasn’t until I moved to a new country and had to navigate life on my own that I began to discover my individuality and build my confidence. The fact that no one knew me in Canada gave me a fresh start, and it transformed my life. I realized the power of being confident in myself, stopped worrying about what others thought, and embraced the opportunity to become the confident person I had always wanted to be. Read more>>
Monty Manicure
Self esteem and confidence was something that I have struggled with my entire life. Looking back on my life so far, there was always one common denominator that helped me when my confidence or self esteem wavered. Here is the story of how music saved my life. Read more>>
Edna Ellen Howard
Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey. I’ve spent most of my adult life nurturing and developing my positive belief in myself and my abilities. Overcoming the experience of teen pregnancy, abusive relationships, divorce, being a single mom, and working in the corporate arena as a Black woman in STEM has forged a kind of mental toughness that gave me the courage to build confidence and self-esteem. I break this down into four categories. Read more>>
Melissa Dulanto
Confidence and self-esteem are crucial for personal success and well-being. They influence how we interact with the world, pursue our goals, and handle challenges. Developing these attributes is a dynamic process that involves self-awareness, skill-building, and positive reinforcement. Read more>>
Kindle Smyth
From a young age I’ve been an out of the box person, willing to be the first person to try something. That comes from generations of my family, especially the women, who paved bold paths ahead of me. Read more>>
Anna Mumau
Base your goals on how you want to FEEL – not what you want to DO – and then reverse engineer that goal. If you want to feel confident, what do you need to do in order to feel that way? Do you need to lose 20 lbs (how do you go about that: exercise each morning, eating better, etc)? Break it in to small chunks. Read more>>
Luis “louie” Peraza
As a dancer , I would always find myself in class or rehearsal and realize that majority of the time I was the thickest in the room and while everyone else is 6 feet tall , I stand at a tall 5’8. This usually made me feel insecure and definitely made me doubt my talent and had me thinking that I didn’t belong in certain rooms and shouldn’t be moving a certain way. I’ve tried wearing baggier clothes, sweatbands around my stomach and still I was very visibly the “big boy” in the room. Focusing on all the “negative” traits at the time affected my mental and my dancing . I would compare myself to other guy dancers , I would shy away from standing in front , I couldn’t accept any compliments because I didn’t believe they were true, I’ve definitely cried during rehearsals before and overall I was just unkind to myself and allowed myself to feel defeated. Read more>>
Becky Chappell
As I’m sure every person who pursues their creative passion can relate, I’ve spent most of my life feeling like I would never be ‘good enough’, and comparing my art to everyone elses’, which of course was always better than mine. It didn’t help growing up the middle of 7, poor and always being told to get my head out of the clouds and focus on something “practical”. Read more>>
Tammy Jacobellis
I wasn’t the cutest little girl in the world, I had a lazy eye and wore glasses and a patch over one eye. I also had an accident when I was only two years old that knocked out one of my front teeth (I didn’t have two until my permanent ones came in at around six years old). That being said, my mother was always the most complimentary and encouraging mother ever! She never let me see myself as anything but her perfect little girl that could do and accomplish whatever I put my mind to. This would always serve me well, not only did it help me develop confidence that was more than skin deep, it also helped me to look beyond appearances when meeting and talking to others. She also instilled in me the importance of looking people in the eye and not shying away from talking to adults when spoken to. This helped me to feel like I was worthy of being heard and that I had a voice that should be listened to. Read more>>
