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.
Katey Hicks
In March of 2022, I signed my first social media client not knowing that two years later I would own my own social media marketing company while also being a successful content creator. This sounds like most people’s dream – to own their own company, but the confidence that it takes to run one, did not come easy. Nor did it happen overnight. To be completely honest, I’m not even sure I could call myself confident, I just know that I’m happy and feel secure in where my career is now. Read more>>
Chloe Ammond
It may seem counterintuitive, but my confidence and self-esteem comes from the times / places in life where my talents and personality weren’t celebrated. There were many times in my life when I thought “If I were a different person, then people would like me.” But I realized that changing who you are doesn’t make people like you, it just makes *different* people like you. It’s also exhausting! You can be a perfect human being, and there are people who still wouldn’t like you. Read more>>
Stephany Ann
Through sharing my story on podcasts. Read more>>
Bright Bwalya
My confidence stems from a profound journey of self-acceptance and realization. It all began when I accepted my epilepsy condition and recognized the value I still held as a person. I embraced the mantra, “I have Epilepsy, Epilepsy does not have me,” which allowed me to see beyond the limitations of my condition. Read more>>
Missy Carroll
Confidence and self-esteem is a journey, isn’t it? Some days are better than others but I do believe my baseline confidence and self-esteem is likely higher than most. I credit this to my participation and success in youth sports. From a very early age, I was super competitive. Maybe because I have an older brother who never let me have anything easily! But I was always competing, with him, with teammates, and ultimately with myself, always striving to be the best or at the very least, a better version of myself every day. Read more>>
Jaime Wing
This is an excellent question, and interesting to think about, because my confidence and self-esteem are constantly developing and evolving. When I first started out, I did not have very much confidence in myself or my work at all. You just have to start by putting your work out there, and don’t be afraid of failure. In fact, expect to fail! The road to success is paved in many small failures! Go ahead and send in that application, try that market, make that post. Each time something doesn’t pan out, it’s a stepping stone to your next opportunity. Read more>>
Morgan Schneider
Time and practice! Self confidence doesn’t just appear out of the blue- at least it didn’t for me. I have a lot of people ask me how I’m able to listen to my own voice so often for work. It seems like people really hate hearing their own voice, and for a while, so did I! But after long enough, you start to become comfortable with yourself, I’ve found. I think the first step is taking time to listen or look at the things you create, and try your hardest to appreciate them. Read more>>
Jillian Speece
Soon after I began to talk, I started to sing. For me, singing has always been as natural as breathing; it feels like flying. As a child, I would sing while washing my hands, playing in the backyard, and I would make up songs and sing them all day long. The only time I didn’t enjoy singing was when I was asked to perform in front of others. In those moments, I would freeze, I became so terrified that I wished I could melt into the ground and become invisible. Read more>>
Vanessa Lopez
Self- esteem was something that never came natural to me . Looking back at my teens years I didn’t think I was capable to aspire much. I would see my self as someone who couldn’t do anything right, who had a hard time conversating with people, and afraid to hear my own voice. Read more>>
John Compton
it came with a lot of rejection and mean comments when i first began writing. i think my “i’ll show you” attitude pushed through. i was on a message board and so many of the fellow poet’s told me i was bad and should quit. i never gave up. today i am here and they’re nowhere to be heard of. Read more>>
Wendy Kushel
Initially when I first started my business in 2020 I thought I had confidence. I think I did to an extent but overtime as I jumped over hurdles, solved problems and learned more skills (production, manufacturing, marketing and business) my confidence and self esteem increased. Also, since I began my entrepreneurial journey I listen to successful entrepreneurs tell there stories and those stories give me confidence in myself. Read more>>
Sarah Prentice
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I’ve built my self-confidence and self-esteem the old-fashioned way: by faking it until I made it! I won’t hide the truth—I’m always battling with confidence, but I’ve learned to just dive headfirst into whatever I’m doing and hope for the best. Every day, I work hard to rewire my brain to see failure not as a setback but as proof that I tried and as an opportunity to grow and learn. So, while I might not always feel like the most confident person in the room, I’m definitely getting there, one step (or stumble) at a time! Read more>>
Sawyer Jeppson Pearce
Like thousands of people, I struggled with body image and body dysmorphia throughout my life. This was due to societal pressures convincing me I had to look a certain way, and the prevalence of unhealthy, obesity-causing foods that made being healthy nearly impossible. I eventually realized that what matters more than any beauty standard, is preserving your health and wellness. I channeled my frustration into creating something that could make a real difference—my app, Health Inspecta. This app empowers people to make informed decisions about the food they consume, revealing the truth behind misleading labels and exposing harmful ingredients. By doing so, it tackles the root causes of the very issues that have impacted my mental health. Read more>>
Mitchel James
My name is Mitchel James and I have had trouble with self confidence in the past and have had to develop confidence and self esteem just because of who I am. I am a transgender male and people see me differently than others sometimes, almost like I’m not a person just like everybody else. I know how some individual’s may feel or see me under their own views and belief’s. honestly it can be a dangerous world if i come across the wrong people at the wrong time. its a scary world we live in but how i have started to come out into the world is different now. Read more>>
Maureen Haldeman
Developing confidence and self-esteem as an artist is a process. Like many artists, I often question whether my work is good enough or if I truly have what it takes to succeed. It wasn’t until I understood what ‘succeeding’ meant to me personally, that I began to accept my inner voice of self-doubt, no longer as a negative, but as intuition to be trusted. Read more>>
Nika Cristiani
Do you ever look at successful people and wonder how they became so confident and bold? The truth is, it’s not just a natural trait, but rather a skill that can be learned and developed. As cliche as it sounds, life truly begins at the end of your comfort zone. In order to grow and achieve our goals, we must be willing to take risks and live boldly. Life without risk is barely living, and who wants that? Read more>>
Ania Karbowska
Going to a gym, working on my body, and seeing changes in my body helped me develop confidence that spread to other areas of my life.
I used to be a very unfit kid, wearing strong glasses and hated PE lessons. One of my stories was that I’ll never be a fit person because of my childhood experience. When I started becoming stronger, healthier and fitter I started questioning this story and other stories about myself.
I am from Poland but came to England in 2006 and gained some weight. Read more>>
Ari Hader
There is some toxic positivity around self-confidence that I think in some ways is ingrained in the Hollywood culture. How often have we heard the phrase “fake it till you make it?” For me, in the beginning of my career, this phrase and other advice like it led me to believe that I should never admit when I didn’t do as good a job as I had wanted to do. Read more>>
Georen Goodyear
Building confidence in the photography world is something I’m constantly working on. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, especially when you’re just starting out. When I left my teaching career to pursue photography full-time, I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I wondered how I could convince someone to pay me for photos or how to build a business from scratch. Everything I know today is self-taught; I immersed myself in courses, watched countless online videos, and consistently sought inspiration. Read more>>
Lacey & Marley Hellenbrand
Building confidence and self-esteem as psychic mediums is not easy. During our initial spiritual awakening, we learned we were meant to serve the public for Spirit. Not everyone with spiritual gifts is meant to serve others in this way. Read more>>
Chawis Saelim
As an artist it is hard sometimes to find your voice, the most important way to develop your confidence is to know how to manage your ego. Having an ego is important because it makes you forget what other people think about you and focus on your creation and passion. It can certainly come back and bite you if you are not open to some forms of criticism, you have to know when to turn it on and off and learn from your past work. Lastly, for me the most important key to developing your confidence and self-esteem is respect for yourself, your creation, and others, never lose your value, keep improving, and live your creative life. Read more>>
Gary Bennett
My dad ran his own business for a while when I was young, and I think that entrepreneurial spirit rubbed off on me. From an early age I had always wanted to run my own business and be like my dad. As I grew older that spirit continued, and when I enrolled in college I chose to get a minor in Business Administration in addition to my primary degree (Electrical Engineering), expecting that would help further my goal of running my own business. After college, working through my various jobs, I found that I was pretty good and every task thrown my way I handled readily. Read more>>
Philippe Schaedler
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through a journey of self-discovery. By setting small, achievable goals and celebrating each accomplishment, I gradually built a sense of self-worth. Over time, these small wins helped me trust in my abilities and believe in myself.” Even if for some reason I was not able to meet one of my goals, I reset the goal with slight adjustment and I am back on track 🙂 Never get discouraged. Read more>>
Olivia Depiore
As an individual with a disability, we are already starting behind the 8-ball due to people thinking that we can’t do what the average person does, that we need a little assistance when doing some basic life functions, and that causes us to already have a lower level of confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>
Amber Cherelle
I never was a very confident person. One of my biggest gifts has always been the ability to see the magic in others. Unfortunately as a child and right into early adulthood I only wished I posessed some magic of my own – I would never be them. Read more>>
August Freirich
When you get on an airplane and they are giving the safety talk, they always tell you that when the oxygen masks come down, you should make sure your own mask is taken care of before you help anyone else. I take the same approach to my personal life and health, and it’s made a huge difference. Making my sleep, nutrition, and fitness a priority (in that order) allows me to be my best self as I tackle each day. Read more>>
Sierra Shingler
I developed my confidence and self esteem when I realized I am still a beautiful person even when society doesn’t agree with how I look. My confidence comes from me completing so many goals while being plus sized. Your confidence grows when you achieve goals that you think aren’t reachable. Becoming a plus size model was a goal of mines that I achieved something I thought I would never be able to do but when you apply yourself and make a way to reach your goals there is a power you get, it’s the power of confidence and high self esteem and believing in yourself no matter what size or shape you are. Read more>>
Ying Yi
Developing confidence and self-esteem is a journey that involves self-awareness, setting realistic goals, and continuous learning. I focus on my strengths, particularly my optimism. Instead of dwelling on obstacles, I look for innovative ways to overcome challenges. I also embrace these challenges as opportunities for growth, which helps build resilience. Surrounding myself with supportive people and practicing self-compassion are essential. Every day, I walk my dog with my wonderful husband, Xiang. Read more>>
Karen Simon
I’m a very humble and determined woman who grew up In a home with parents that showed me great work ethics and belief.
I know in the entertainment industry you have to accept the yes and no’s which I wrote about in my book. You have to wake up with a positive attitude towards life and confident in yourself bringing the authentic you to the table.I’m always networking and looking to meet new people
I’m a producer and I have a small television and film company with a team of writers. Read more>>
Tonya Jeffries
I developed my self-confidence and self-esteem by just being myself and loving it! Over time, I’ve learned to embrace what makes me unique, and that’s made all the difference. I focus on what I’m good at and celebrate every little win along the way. I’ve also surrounded myself with positive vibes and people who lift me up. Honestly, it’s been a mix of setting goals, growing bit by bit, and just being proud of who I am. Read more>>
Julia V.
I think confidence and self-esteem are things that will always be under construction for me, and I imagine most other people too. It’s a constant back and forth that I have to reel in sometimes. Some days, I wake up and I am so sure of myself and what I’m supposed to be doing. Other times, I’ll feel the total opposite and that all my mistakes and flaws are coming to bite me. Something I’ve been thinking about recently that helps me balance these feelings is the concept of “doing it scared”. You want to try something but you’re scared you won’t get it right on the first try? Read more>>
Alyssa Evans
A lot of developing my confidence and self-esteem came from stepping outside of my comfort zone. It was me constantly putting myself in vulnerable positions that could allow me to fail and not saying “no” even when I’m pushed into these situations unwillingly. Through embracing these new experiences, I realize time and time again that it’s never as bad as I thought it would be. There’s always something you can learn from an experience, whether it’s that you realize how much you like it or are good at it, or maybe that you know it’s something you never want to do again, but regardless you tried it. Confidence really is just a lack of experience or knowledge in something, so if you want to feel more confident, try it and then do it again, and again, and again. Read more>>
Gigi Gonzalez
When I was younger, my confidence shined in every room I walked into. I’ve always been bright & bubbly. As most would agree though, time wears on it as you grow older, change many times, and have to rediscover it over again. In middle school & high school I was bullied severely and my self esteem and confidence was shot for a long time. It was after High School I decided I wasn’t going to care what anyone thought of me and if I did I was going to “fake it til I make it”. That worked out quite well for me. Read more>>
Dr Varil Williams
Hey there! My name is Varil, Dr V for short. Developing confidence and self-esteem was a journey shaped by both my personal experiences and professional growth. My early years were marked by struggles with low self-esteem, largely due to a history that many would find challenging. However, it was in facing these challenges head-on that I began to understand the true nature of confidence. Read more>>
Jacob Kleiman
I developed my confidence after a long internal struggle within myself. Once upon a time, I used to be a people pleaser, and a nice guy. I think I developed a strong sense of confidence, apathy, and self-esteem after taking people’s BS for too long. Everyone has a breaking point, and I believe I reached mine, and then some, to make me who I am today. Read more>>
Loomis Henry
I’d like to think my self esteem and confidence are these continuous bold lines that gets stronger the longer I live and the more I create but they’re more like scribbles by a seismograph in a trembling world. One day I can feel like King Kong on the Empire State Building on the inside and the next like a crushed insect. I am human. I am flawed. Like many artists, so much of my work is done in isolation and the danger there is the rabbit hole of your own ego. It’s like you’re in this underground shelter slaving away without a lot of real input from the outside world but maybe that’s better: relying on your intuition to guide you? Read more>>
