Every day, our team is focused on how to help our audience and community reach their full potential in every part of their lives – personal and professional. Building confidence and self-esteem is one of the most essential requirements for success and below we’ve presented some of the conversations we’ve had around how to build confidence.

Michelle Lowrey

Wow this is the question that really stands out to me the most. Being an african american female in todays and yesterdays world has been a constant struggle. Who are you? Who am I? The question I always have a hard time asking in this world as a black woman. Why you may ask, well the answer is actually simple. We are everything! Read more>> 

Douglas Donehoo

Growing up in a lower-income household and small industrial town in Ohio, I really didn’t have much of a foundation for self-esteem or confidence, aside from an innate sense of capability. I usually felt like one of the smartest kids in any class I took for example, so that was the initial source of self-confidence & esteem. I really burnished this while excelling at one of the most competitive Universities (Carnegie Mellon) in the country. Read more>>

Elana Elyce Sullivan

What a wonderful question! We often shy away from even acknowledging any truth in this, let alone tackling it head on. With that being true, I have to admit that my confidence and self-esteem was built by understanding how others view me. Coming up in the inner city of Detroit, in poverty, surrounded by the beginnings of the eventual blight, the one thing I believe I had going for me was that I could read and speak “well” from an early age. I read my first novel between the ages of 3 & 4 (Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Wilder) and my mother, who at that time only had up to an 8th grade education, allowed virtually no slang in the house.  Read more>> 

Jordan Cordel

Honestly, I think it builds by working hard to accomplish my goals and being proud of the end result. Whatever is in my heart, I go for it whether difficult or challenging. I believe I can do whatever I put my mind to because my journey has shown and proven, no matter how many times I get knocked down, I’ll always get up. I’ll always figure it out and if I can’t depend on anyone, I know I can count on me. Read more>>

Carla Cabras

I haven’t developed a solid self-esteem yet, but over the years I’ve worked a lot on it, trying to have more positive thoughts both towards myself and about work, I think I’ve reached a good point. Read more>>

Phil Jackson

From my earliest time in School, I was deemed a failure. Not because i was not smart or capable, I was always an out of the box thinker. Being born in the 70’s, there was no place for a free thinking child.. You were labeled lazy or retarded ( Special Needs Today). I struggled with this label until 5th grade when a teacher said to me that I was special and I should wake up everyday and identify something special about myself. Read more>>

Rishabh Manocha

Confidence and self esteem comes from the ability to stand in one’s own right. Not to look at what’s happening to the right or to the left of you, but simply focused on one’s craft and its perpetual mastery. It goes a long way when patrons appreciate and applaud your work, but first, one needs to do that for oneself. Be your own cheerleader, critic and commentator, and the world will soon follow suit. Read more>>

Brant Kantor

My earliest bits of confidence came from knowing my family has my back. After that, it was sports and making people laugh. Being class clown after kicking ass in kickball gave me a confidence that sometimes got me in trouble w/ teachers. And knowing my family was on my side as long as I wasn’t too much of an asshole, only added to my bravado. Luckily I’m a sensitive pisces, so while I like danger, I still feel responsible for others. Read more>> 

Roy Ju

Confidence develops when reaching an accumulation of successive milestones; it can trump experience and aptitude in the pursuit of general success. Mark Twain once said, “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” Looking back on my foundational years of participating in sports and music as a youth, I realize that every small achievement in these activities was pivotal in gradually evolving my mindset and mental fortitude. A winning mindset is contagious, and every win contributes to one’s confidence to overcome new challenges. Read more>>

Dana Buchanan

Developing my confidence and self-esteem did not happen over night, it definitely took some time. I believe for the most part, I had the confidence to stand out and be different, but dealing with the criticism was a challenge for me at one point. Learning to deal with constructive criticism and negative feedback is very important if you want to be successful. Once I learned to ignore certain comments and to keep being my authentic self, that’s when I conquered this obstacle. Read more>>

Aubrianna Robinson

I realized people just don’t care. I’ve worn outfits that stand me out in a crowd, and nothing bad has ever happened. Working in a city, I’ve witnessed people yelling in public, singing out loud, dancing by themselves… all things that would deem embarrassing to my pubescent self, but nothing happens to them. What do I expect to happen, anyway? Read more>>

BalJit Soul

First let me start by saying this is one tough battle ! It took me YEARS to get to the level of confidence and self-esteem I am at! I can’t really say there were any tricks or short cuts to it either ‘ it’s really one of those things where u absolutely have to wake up everyday and know own and speak I AM HER! HIM! THEM! THEY! Whatever u identify as you have to get with the program and WAKE UP EVERY DAY treating yourself as ROYALTY! Read more>>

Tom Kabbash

I enjoy this question. Growing up in Venice Beach, surfing became the first skill at which I excelled. I gained recognition from my peers, competitions, and sponsors for being a good surfer. When faced with the challenge of learning new things, such as design, I applied the lessons of repetition and years of practice that I had learned from becoming a skilled surfer to the process of learning design. Read more>>

Jessica Washington

Going through the worst relationship of my life and experiencing a failed suicide attempt was incredibly challenging. Sometimes, hitting rock bottom can serve as a wake-up call, urging us to reassess our priorities and value ourselves more deeply. Through this journey, I have embraced resilience and found the strength to rebuild my confidence and self-esteem. I have learned to recognize my own worth, set boundaries, and surround myself with positivity. This newfound self-love is a testament to my inner strength, and it empowers me to continue nurturing my well-being and living a fulfilling life. Read more>>

Sophie Dia Pegrum

When I first moved to California, as a quiet scholarly English woman, though I was keenly interested in film, I hadn’t envisioned the possibility of being a director or writer. I fell in with a renegade band of maverick filmmakers, who were making feature films on a shoestring. We all pitched into each others projects – learning the ropes, getting inspired through creative thinking to meet the challenge of zero budgets. Feeling free to make mistakes and just keep going. We shot on film short ends, built our own sets.  Read more>>

Kendras Collections

Kendra’s Collections online bold beauty haven focuses on instilling fearlessness and confidence in our customers through a combination of premium products and a brand ethos that promotes empowerment. Here’s how Kendras Collections achieves this: Read more>>

Lee Reid

Growing up in South Florida, I definitely had come across an array of colorful characters by the time I was in elementary school, forcing me to kind of build my confidence like armor. Although my family was an advocate for “if someone hits you, hit them back”, I was not even close to that kind of child. In one of my earliest schooling memories, a few boys had snagged my smartphone from my desk without me seeing it and then lied to my face about taking it. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before, and I was more scared of what my mother would say than anything. Read more>>

Joanna Dreiling

What really made the difference for my self esteem was exploring what was keeping my esteem lower. I’ve always had a vivacious personality that comes off confident although it was more so surface level confidence. Six years ago, I set out to stop wearing my prosthetic shell that covered an eye injury – something that began feeling like a mask after wearing it for 15 years. I was horribly self conscious about how my real eye looked.  Read more>>

Dominik van Wyk

Confidence comes from competence. Constantly working on my craft by acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge in my fields have lead to me feeling more confident and prepared when working on projects. My self-esteem comes from getting into the Bible everyday and affirming who God says I am over me. Read more>> 

Erin Donahue Tice

I can say in all honesty that my confidence and self-esteem definitely comes from my parents. I’m an only child and found navigating friendships as a child tough at times. I didn’t have sisters or brothers to “work it out” with at home. I went through the whole “mean girls” phase where others picked on me and formed clicks, and all I had was my parents to fall back on. They did such a good job of lifting me up and always making me feel loved and seen. They encouraged me to succeed in whatever it was and they always let me shine. Read more>>

Michelle Carney

It still catches me off guard when people point out how confident and self-assured I am. Read my journals from most of my life and you’ll find pages on pages of insecurity and self-doubt. A switch flipped when one day I found myself crying on my suitcase on the sidewalk in New York City. I had lost my job, I had been aimlessly traveling for two years so I had no home, and I hadn’t been taking care of my mental and physical health.  Read more>>

Kristelle Beecher

I read something recently that captured the essence of how I continuously develop my confidence and self-esteem. It said, “To develop confidence, you must go where you have none.” While this sounds like a beautiful quote to repost on the internet, I believe for me personally, this isn’t possible without first developing some sense of self-worth and esteem. Read more>>

Karice Coleman

It took some serious work! I didn’t always see myself as I do now. I’m an introvert and a domestic violence survivor, so there are things that happened to me that caused me to lose all of my self-worth. At one point, I had reached my lowest low and was in a very dark place. I wasn’t confident in my choices, my looks, I hated my body, my hair, didn’t think I was smart enough or deserving enough of a good life. Read more>>

Staci-Ann Smiles

I truly believe that the definition of “ high self-esteem is understanding you’re a masterpiece; Not perfect, yet still a work of art.” It took me a long time to get to this truth. As far back as I can remember I struggled with understanding my worth and value. I didn’t recognize the power or the significance of my own voice. Read more>>

Priya Rao

My skill is as a public speaker. I have been interviewing people for over 20 years, first in the film & tv world and now in the wine world. I also do a lot of public speaking on the topic of vegan food & wine–at festivals, at my own events for 200 guests or at private clubs and companies. The people I interview often tell me they are not comfortable on camera, but by the end of our chat they tell me how fun and casual I made the experience. Read more>>

Autumn Thomas

I wasn’t always the most confident growing up. Like some kids, I was bullied and allowed the bullying along with family issues to weigh on my self-esteem. But on my journey of self-actualization I have found that anything you don’t like about yourself, you can change; you can improve if you are willing to do the work. So, I started to dig deeper, trying to identify what the root to my low self-image was. I uncovered years of childhood trauma, self-deprecating and destructive behaviors. Read more>>

Charise Spencer

I developed confidence by stepping outside of my comfort zone and simply showing up. Giving myself credit to be in this space and also making sure I’m happy with Me. From to what I consume to what I put out. It all makes me feel good. Read more>>

Ashlie N. Pitts

When it comes to confidence and self esteem I can honestly say that’s something I am still a work in progress. Looking at me I have always presented myself as “THE GIRL” radiating self assurance, who was capable of navigating life’s challenges with unwavering confidence. NOT SO! Behind the mask that I wore through childhood, adolescence and early adulthood it was all really a front. Deep down inside I was hoping for validation and support from my peers, family and friends.  Read more>>

Emiliana Guereca

Building confidence and self-esteem is a never ending journey, but I’m rooted in my identity as a Mexican immigrant, entrepreneur, and activist—I shape my reality. Growing up on the Southside of Chicago, being a Mexican meant walking into a room with unwavering confidence; there was no other option. It was a survival strategy, a choice I made early on. Read more>>

Allison Schroeder

Confidence is something that I believe takes practice and is built by navigating uncomfortable situations. Before I started my own business, I was (at times) comfortable with allowing others take the lead in meetings, or not speaking up and voicing my professional opinion if I wasn’t asked. In retrospect, I was taking the easy way out. There would often be a voice in the back of my head telling me that someone else knew better or had a better perspective. Read more>>

Angela Ainsworth

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by taking the time to really get to know myself and trust myself. I’m very honest with myself about what I can handle, what my skill level(s) are, etc. and if I believe that I can’t do something, I always take the time to decide whether or not I’m going to learn to master whatever it may be or accept that that particular thing/situation isn’t for me. Read more>>

Edem Elesh

Well, being offered this 4th interview with Voyage Magazine is a good example of how. Thank you so much for another opportunity to, once again, shine and share my story. Overall, I guess I would have to say trusting my gut. Beginning as a musician in bands around Los Angeles and Orange County, from the start I found our music was receiving immediate notice from clubs and promoters. Headlining spots and regular “house band” appearances came quickly. Read more>>

Christine Angelique

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by: 1. Doing something that made me feel confident 2. Learning the importance of self-love and healing. I first started to develop my confidence and self-esteem in high school when I decided to try-out for the dance team. After moving to a new state in middle school, and feeling insecure and out of place, I wanted to do something I deemed as cool. I had taken dance classes my freshman and sophomore year, but for my junior year, I wanted to try-out for the dance team. Read more>>

One Single Rose®

I’ve always been very shy as a child. In some instances, as an adult, I’m still that shy little girl. As a woman scorned, I wrote myself past the pain which became a motivational tool for myself. I came to understand that if I’m not confident in my walk, I’ll fall prey to the ills of society. It was then that I realized that my work on this artistic journey could become a voice for the voiceless, including the shy little girl that still lives within as doing so was tried and became true.  Read more>>

Taeya Fierro

I don’t view confidence and self-esteem as something constant or consistent. As confident as I may be some days, I falter on others. I think that the moments in which I do feel confident, allow me to know that it will return to me, during the moments when I don’t. Growing up, I was insecure about everything, especially when it came to my physical attributes. The one thing could feel good about was who I was as a person. I’ve always done everything in my power to help others, even strangers, struggling in their own ways. Read more>>

Magdi Hazaa

I think my confidence grew from a place of self-acceptance and self-preservation. I love complimenting others and love receiving compliments, and I’m lucky to have reached a space in my life where I’m surrounded by friends and a partner who uplift me graciously and effortlessly. I don’t necessarily believe in the ideal that you must love yourself before you can love others. I think love, growth, and confidence, are infectious and collective things. But it took a lot of time to get here, and here isn’t a static state either. Read more>>

Tresa Sanders

My self-confidence was shaped early on by my older brother Billy, two years my senior. Widely regarded as a tough guy yet refined since elementary school, Billy insisted on me developing thick skin and frequently put me to the test. He gave me invaluable lessons that proved pivotal in my life. At the time, I mistook his actions for bullying, but in reality, he aimed to instill belief in myself and resilience. Subconsciously, these lessons have guided me throughout my life. Read more>>