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.

Cinderella De Groot

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through lived experience — by rising from deep personal transitions, heartbreak, and loss. Traveling the world alone, starting over multiple times, becoming a mother, and guiding others through their own healing helped me reconnect to my inner strength. My confidence was not built overnight, but through choosing myself again and again — even when it was uncomfortable. Read More>>

Danielle Mancino

Confidence is the key to what we do. Since starting the education side of my business, it’s my goal to bring that out in photographers that I mentor. There are so many photographers out there, it is so important to know exactly who you are and what you bring to the table. Feeling secure in your style and work and not straying from that every time you scroll instagram is what will set you apart. Read More>>

Yebo Moyo

Confidence, for me, has never been rooted in surface-level affirmations—it has emerged through consistent, measurable evidence. There’s a quote by Alex Hormozi that resonates deeply with me: “You don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are.” Read More>>

Sana Munjal

When I was younger, I often struggled with my self esteem and confidence a lot, so much so that I wouldn’t even listen to myself sing because I thought it would be terrible. Growing up, I was always embarrassed by my music, but as time went on, I started to love what I do more. I genuinely started listening to myself and even my past singing and didn’t look at it as what I did wrong, but what I did good and how I could improve. Read More>>

Mathangi

Confidence, for me, is about being rooted. There’s a quote by Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Independent Ghana, that I saw in Accra and have carried with me since: “Those who would judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we started.” That’s the story of my life. Read More>>

Natalie Denyse

Confidence comes from finding something that speaks to you – pursuits that provide both enjoyment and fulfillment while developing your skills. This growth takes time; confidence and time are deeply interconnected. Allow yourself experiences that teach valuable lessons. Holding on too tightly prevents you from experiencing different seasons of personal growth. Read More>>

Cassidy Trumpour

Working in Hollywood can be both exhilarating and intimidating, but I’ve learned to find my confidence by staying grounded in my purpose and passion for storytelling. In an industry that often emphasizes external validation, I’ve found self-esteem through the work itself—by showing up with dedication, staying curious, and trusting in my voice as a creative. Read More>>

Om Srivastava

Being a musician and performer, I’m honestly not sure that anyone is born with confidence. Much like later in life, so much of development is the open “secret” of getting one’s reps in. As a child I took piano lessons for a few years and when I reflect on my earliest memories of performance anxiety, those recitals come vividly to mind. I remember my piano teacher instructing us to take deep breaths to slow our inevitably accelerated heart rates, not just during the performance, but already occurring as she spoke, and likewise, Read More>>

Jordan Crenshaw

My confidence and self-esteem have grown through experience, persistence, and a strong commitment to growth. Over the past 8 years as a cosmetologist and makeup artist, I’ve worked hard to perfect my craft across all hair types, textures, and skin tones. But a few years ago, I hit a mental block—I knew I had more to offer, and I felt the urge to grow beyond the day-to-day. Read More>>

Carly Frederick

Oh wow: definitely not overnight. I actually started off thinking I’d be a hotshot attorney. I went to law school, ready to change the world… and then realized I hated it. Like, full existential-crisis hated it. I ended up dropping out; which felt like the ultimate plot twist in my life story. Read More>>

Kendal Hackett

“Becoming My Own Foundation”

There was a time I walked into rooms hoping no one would notice me—and yet wishing someone would. I’d second-guess my every word, shrink my ideas, and find comfort in silence. Confidence felt like a language I hadn’t yet learned, and self-esteem seemed reserved for people who were born with something special I lacked. Read More>>

Wyatt Crabtree

I think it is easy in the music business to have confidence issues. It is normal to feel like we do not belong on a stage or playing with other musicians because we are our own biggest critic. We all too often hear that inner voice telling us we are not good enough. To manage this, I’ve learned to focus on making music that I like. Not necessarily trying to appeal to everyone, but if I like it, certainly someone else will too. Read More>>

Valeria Pitoni

Confidence (and self-esteem) is something that was instilled in me early in life by my mother. She was a woman who had an underprivileged and unstable upbringing that fed self-doubt and low self-esteem, and she didn’t want my brother or me to suffer the same fate. She built in us what should have been built in her. My brother and I have had the conversation several times that we just don’t understand how a woman with so many strikes against her could raise two children who are so confident. Read More>>

Hisako Cabell

I used to actually be very shy when I was younger! I would also get pretty bad anxiety when going out into crowds at events (even though I really wanted to be there!). Going out in a costume or extreme look can be challenging because you’re worried about what people might think. I overcame this fear by simply putting myself out there and pushing myself. Read More>>

Jennifer Paweleck-Bellingrodt

I decided to get out of my own damn way! It happened at a pivotal moment in my military career when an insult resulted in a breakthrough that changed my life.

Confidence is a conscious concept related to mindset, while self-esteem is a subconscious concept related to your paradigm, your M.O., your way of viewing the world. When I took that hit in my 20s that made me question my career choice, I dug in and figured out the self-limiting beliefs in my subconscious mind that drove me to own what she said for a time. Read More>>

Brittany Hoogenboom

I spend a lot of time with myself, examining the stories that different parts of me are holding on to. I nurture the aspects of myself that feel lost, shame, guilt, and sadness, and provide them with the space to be heard, the care and compassion they need to let go, so that all parts of myself can work together and achieve wholeness. I remind myself to let go of people’s opinions of me because they have nothing to do with my identity. Read More>>

Eduardo Tesi

I believe confidence and self-esteem are cultivated over time. For me, they are the result of nurturing self-awareness, having a clear purpose, setting achievable goals, and surrounding myself with supportive mentors. If any of these fundamental building blocks are missing, it becomes challenging to develop confidence, ultimately impacting self-esteem. Read More>>

Dravon Rangel

My confidence began to really develop once I started to step fully into my truth and authenticity while also doing the internal work to develop a better world around me. What that meant was intentionally choosing to speak life into the things I wish to see breathe. Taking up space by not dimming my light or silencing my voice. Setting boundaries and aligning myself with the right friendships and relationships that are beneficial to my growth. Read More>>

Michael Cairns

I was always the smallest kid in every class throughout K-12. Two people influenced who I am today: my mom and my junior high baseball coach. My mom always said, “If you stand up straight, no one else will notice how tall you are.” I still maintain that posture today. My baseball coach, who later became the general manager for the Cleveland Indians, continues to inspire me through his mentoring. At the conclusion of tryouts, he brought me into his office and told me that I had made the cut, but that I wouldn’t play much because of my size. Read More>>

Adam & Sara Bannister

Hello! We are Adam & Sara, a husband and wife team based in the Pittsburgh area that writes, records, and performs original music! As Christians, our faith is the most important thing in the world to us, and it flows into every aspect of life, including our confidence and self esteem. The Bible teaches that God created men and women in His own image and wants to have a relationship with them. Read More>>

Harsh Kumar

My confidence and self-esteem grew through a combination of passion, persistence, and the belief that every voice has the power to inspire. I began my journey in Gorakhpur with live theatre, performing in plays like Deepdaan of Panna Dhay, where I portrayed Chandan. That performance led to my first major opportunity—hosting a Dainik Jagran event—which became a turning point in my career. Read More>>

Parris Edwards

I’ve always been confident in myself — I’m an Aries, it’s literally in my DNA. I’ve had a strong sense of self since I was young, and even in uncertain situations, I’ve never doubted that I could figure it out or find a way through. That energy has carried me through tough times, new ventures, and big risks. Read More>>

Victor Nixon

Developing strong decision-making skills was a process that unfolded over time: through trial, learning, and surrounding myself with the right people. Early in my career, I was focused purely on the technical side of HVAC and plumbing. Once I stepped into leadership, I realized that my decisions now impacted not just the quality of the work, but the direction of the company, the well-being of my team, and the satisfaction of our customers. Read More>>

Ashley Priore

For me, decision-making has always been a matter of strategy—and I owe that to chess.

I started playing chess competitively at age four. Most people see the game as a test of intelligence or patience, but at its core, it’s about making decisions. Every move has consequences. You’re constantly evaluating patterns, anticipating outcomes, and deciding when to take risks or stay the course. At a young age, I was training my brain not just to think, but to decide—quickly, clearly, and confidently. Read More>>