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.\
Dinara Baizakova
Therapy played a big role, along with deep internal work and honest self-reflection. I built confidence by taking action, allowing myself to make mistakes, and learning from them instead of judging myself. Over time, choosing self-respect, setting boundaries, and trusting my own decisions helped me develop a steady confidence that doesn’t rely on external validation. Read More>>
Assata Amani
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by literally creating a archetype of the woman I wished to be. Then implementing small changes daily to get to the lifestyle I wanted. I’m still building daily. Some days are good ones, some aren’t. I think that confidence is more of an energy and a state of being. It really takes work. Read More>>
Gareth Williams
I literally manufactured it. A much longer story but the nut of it was that it occurred to me that I was not going to succeed, or even survive this business without it. Not something that came naturally to me as I came from a family where overconfidence was consider gouache and ill-mannered. Read More>>
Nela Menendez
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through movement long before I understood the psychology behind it. As an immigrant, a dancer, and now a business owner, I’ve had countless moments where I had to rebuild myself from zero — new country, new language, new communities, new opportunities I had to create with my own hands. Read More>>
Mariatu Savage-Whyte
My confidence and self-esteem developed through a combination of lived experience, intentional growth, and the foundation my parents gave me early on. From a young age, my parents encouraged independence, responsibility, and believing in my ability to figure things out. They did not just tell me to be confident. They modeled resilience, work ethic, and self-assurance, which quietly shaped how I saw myself. Read More>>
Gabby Ostuni
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by understanding that they are not feelings you wait for, but choices you make. For a long time, I believed I needed to feel confident before taking action. Life taught me the opposite: confidence grows after you take the risk, not before. Read More>>
Jenny Dorlus
Albert Einstein once said, ‘God does not play dice,’ meaning that no one’s unique existence is an accident. Everyone’s individual personalities and talents have been carefully curated in a way that distinctly marks them. I’m constantly reminding myself of that, especially because I’ve been called to a heavily populated space. Read More>>
Mandy Otero
Building confidence and self-esteem has been a gradual process, especially as a solo business owner wearing many hats. Running my business has challenged me in ways I never expected, and there have been moments of burnout along the way. What’s helped me stay grounded is having structure, creating a plan that supports both my work and my well-being. Read More>>
Aadya Pullalarevu
As a high school student, it can be challenging to have confidence in my abilities when surrounded by many talented individuals every day. I am constantly comparing myself to others, ultimately feeling dejected. My thoughts of self-doubt often discourage me from trying to achieve my goals. Read More>>
Jerecia Lee, LCSW
I began developing my confidence and self-esteem when I made the intentional decision to pause and honestly assess myself. I took inventory of what I was happy with and what I wasn’t. Instead of avoiding uncomfortable truths, I faced them head-on. That process required me to accept everything about myself — not just the parts that were easy to love. Read More>>
Ben McDonnell
Honestly, it wasn’t something I was born with — it came from getting uncomfortable over and over again. Acting, running businesses, putting myself online, starting a podcast… all of it forces you to hear “no,” get judged, or fail publicly. Read More>>
Lauren K. Watel
Developing confidence and self-esteem is an ongoing process. I’m constantly trying to let go of my impulse to manage others and learn to manage myself, to know myself, to understand who I am, what I want, why I do things. I’ve tried to cultivate an attitude of tolerance and forgiveness regarding my flaws, which is a challenge. Read More>>
Anna Zhang
My confidence developed gradually through making work and staying committed to it, especially during periods of uncertainty. Rather than coming from external validation, it grew from seeing ideas take form through consistent effort, revision, and problem-solving. Over time, building a body of work helped me trust my own judgment and decision-making. Read More>>
Angel Yvonne
My confidence and self-esteem developed by seeing other people who looked like me on TV play characters that made me feel seen. I didn’t always feel confident, but after watching those actors and directors create amazing works of art allowed me to trust my own voice. Read More>>
Daine Patton
For a long time, my confidence and self-esteem were built on shaky ground. From the outside, I looked like I had things together, a growing business, a family, responsibilities. But internally, I carried a quiet disconnect between who I said I wanted to be and how I was actually living. That gap slowly eroded my confidence. Read More>>
Carmen B
My confidence wasn’t born from an easy life , it was born from a life that stretched me in every direction. Heartbreak tried to take me out. Motherhood grew me up. Spiritual awakening cracked me open. Family dynamics humbled me. Betrayal sharpened my discernment. Feeling unseen taught me how to see myself. And self abandonment taught me the cost of leaving myself behind. Read More>>
Adrian Nieves
My confidence and self-esteem didn’t come overnight. It came from showing up for myself consistently, even when I felt unsure. I learned to stop comparing my journey to others and instead focus on growth, progress, and purpose. Every experience, the wins and the challenges, taught me something about who I am and what I’m capable of. Over time, that self-trust became confidence. Read More>>
Allyssa Foster
I honestly didn’t, and I still get nervous all the time. I worry about what I’m doing wrong, whether I’m making the right decisions, and if I’m doing enough. That part hasn’t magically gone away. What changed is how much power I let those thoughts have. There’s a TikTok sound that says, “How hard could it be? Read More>>
William Binderup
I think my confidence and self-esteem is something that developed over time. When I first started out, I had this kind of blind optimism and carefree mentality that carried me through the beginning. As time went on, I became a lot more self-conscious of my work and dealt with a bit of imposter syndrome. Read More>>
Eman Hawrami
My confidence didn’t come from one big achievement or a single turning point. It grew quietly, through experience, responsibility, and moments where I had no choice but to trust myself. In the beginning, I often questioned whether I was “ready enough” or “qualified enough,” especially when stepping into rooms where I was younger, different, or expected to stay quiet. Read More>>
