Champion Mindset: Building Confidence & Self-Esteem

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.

Eugene Bernard

Developing confidence and self-esteem as a big and tall model and Cultural Curator has been a transformative journey. My diverse expertise spans various fields, shaping culture and style through education, media, and fashion. Embracing my unique qualities and learning to trust myself were essential steps in this journey, especially since I didn’t know anyone growing up who was pursuing the same path. Over time, I realized that the traits that set me apart were actually my greatest assets. Read more>>

Rick Rodriguez

I’ve developed my confidence and self esteem through reflection, learning, applying those lessons, and believing in my ability to achieve or learn to achieve.
Confidence and self-esteem can be both a compass and an adversary – especially in entrepreneurial pursuits. I find that aggressive competition can be inspirational and I refuse to let fear of failure guide me. It is with these two fundamental beliefs that I go forward in all my endeavors. Read more>>

Jasmine Hall El

Confidence and self-esteem are not just qualities I developed—they are the bedrock of my life’s journey, intricately woven into every challenge I’ve faced and every success I’ve achieved. My story begins as a young athlete, full of ambition, with dreams of becoming a physical therapist. My path seemed clear, but life, as it often does, had other plans. Becoming a mother at a young age shifted my priorities, and the certainty of my path wavered. I had to recalibrate my life, finding a way to reconcile my dreams with my new reality. Read more>>

Matthew Pineda

Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey of trial and error for me, shaped by experiences that have pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined. From a young age, I was naturally curious and always eager to ask ‘why.’ This curiosity, combined with a fearless attitude, drove me to take risks and try new things, regardless of the potential outcome. I learned early on that if I didn’t step out of my comfort zone, I’d miss out on valuable lessons.  Read more>>

H. Puentes

I’ve developed my confidence and self-esteem by intentionally surrounding myself with individuals who exemplify excellence in their fields while maintaining a grounded humility. One of the most pivotal experiences in this journey was co-founding San Diego Squared with Bill Rastetter, a legendary biotech executive. Bill’s companies have transformed the landscape of human health, saved millions of lives, and created over $100 billion in value through their innovative therapeutics. Working alongside him offered me a front-row seat to the impact that true excellence can have on the world. Read more>>

Shelby Christ

A huge part of growing my confidence has looked like trying the things I’ve wanted to do creatively, letting myself be scared while doing it, being less scared the next time I do it, and then starting to view myself as someone who can do those things. I still view myself as a fairly shy person but, I think feeling that kind of built trust with myself has let me feel more confident in trying new things and existing in spaces I don’t always feel I belong. Read more>>

Moani Hara

To be honest, it took time, maturity, and the realization that I already had the right tools to embody confidence and self-esteem. From a young age, I started modeling—a world where confidence and self-esteem are constantly tested. However, my mother always told me to view every situation that comes into my life as an opportunity for learning and growth. I took her advice and applied it to all aspects of my life. Read more>>

Honey Taylor

I started back modeling about 3 years. Its helps my confidence and self esteem stay high. Confidence isn’t something that you just wake up and decide to have. Confidence is built and somedays you have it while others you have to grab and embrace it along with good self esteem. Read more>>

Douglas Kenney

It was a variety of reasons. I grew up in Estes Park, Colorado for most of my childhood. I’m on the autism spectrum and also have Bipolar Type II and ADHD. When I was growing up in Estes, I was very introverted, shy, and struggling with pain and emotions that I had a hard time dealing with in healthy ways. Read more>>

Malu Lopez

I developed my confidence and self-esteem largely due to the strong family unit I was raised in. Growing up, my parents created an environment where I felt safe and supported. They encouraged my sister and I to try new things and gave us a sense of responsibility from an early age. This approach not only helped me build resilience but also instilled a belief in my own abilities. Read more>>

Katie Cellucci

I was lucky enough to have two parents who instilled in me to be strong and independent. My father believed in and loved strong women, which helped mold this behavior. My parents instilled in me to not get taken advantage of, to stand up for what I believe in, to treat others with integrity, and to have pride without letting my ego take over. Read more>>

J.a. Levi

I was an insecure kid. And to tell you the truth, I’d say I was insecure about myself up until I was around 23 years old. I’m 25 now, about to turn 26 in September. But, you know, throughout my life there were always people here and there telling me and reminding me to embrace who I was, where I came from, and what I brought to the table. Then there were always artists and actors who I’d watch on TV and say “Damn, I want to be like them one day.”  Read more>>

Rita Bear

“The world is not Rainbows and Butterflies Rita, You’re going to have a hard time in this world and you better get use to it.” I can still hear that speech as if it was yesterday. It was brutal but advice none the less of the upcoming reality of what was to come. I was born mixed in a Colonial System. I’d be walking in two worlds with many real life altering hurdles ahead, Confidence comes naturally to some like a Bird to song. Read more>>

Robert Dobson

Truth be told I have not always been the confident guy I am today. I grew up a skinny pimply kid. I was the smallest and youngest kid in my class all the way up from pre-school to 8th grade. And usually the only kid that looked like me as well, being not only black but the light-skinned kid. Actually, my dad refused to invest in me concerning sports, esp. football because he didn’t want to deal with the medical issues that could possibly come from playing because he was afraid the bigger player would put me in the hospital because of my size. Read more>>

Alexander Goodhand

Fake it ’til ya make it, kids. People forget that the brain can be exercised, that you can brainwash yourself. I spent a long time thinking terrible things about myself, and each time the neurons carrying those bad thoughts would get stronger and stronger. The parts of my brain that made me feel good would atrophy, things I loved doing stopped bringing me happiness. It sucks, watching yourself become nihilistic, thinking the world’s a waste and it won’t get better. When I came across this idea of exercising my brain, I threw myself at it.  Read more>>

Anoo Tree Brod

People seem to perceive me as confident and full of self esteem, but I’m not really sure that is true. I struggle a lot with insecurity, fear and self doubt but at the same time, there are certain areas I am very confident in. And even when I am feeling fear now, I can access the part of me that knows how to hold an audience’s attention and that can command a room. So, where did I develop that confidence? Read more>>

Onur Baydar

At 18, I left my Petroleum Engineer study and I arrived in the United States from Turkey with a dream, a plan, and a burning desire to make something of myself. The city of New York, with its towering skyscrapers and relentless energy, was both exhilarating and intimidating. I found myself in a sea of people, each with their own ambitions, but I was determined to carve out a space for myself. Read more>>

Darrian

I think one of the keyways that I built my confidence To strengthen my mind against outside opinions and against fear of outside judgment. I first did and our first really built confidence was first liking and loving, not only myself, but what I do once I came to terms with making myself the type of person that I like, and making my opinion, and my feelings be top priority as far as my art and also just what I like. I think that that was the first step and how I built confidence in my creation below also confidence of myself.  Read more>>

Nyanza Shaw

My confidence and self-esteem are deeply rooted in the values my mother instilled in me from a young age. She always encouraged me to believe that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. Her emphasis on curiosity, exploration, and a love for reading fueled my passion for learning. She often reminded me that education is true power and taught me that as long as I know who I am, no one else can define me. Read more>>

Melanie Bolen

It took time, let’s be honest.
When I was younger I was one of those kids that constantly got teased by other kids – and it was pretty much all due to my looks. As early as elementary school I developed a complex about my looks simply because others felt the need to tear me down for them.
Whether it was my hair, my weight, my skin, my clothes…
It sticks with you.  Read more>>

Brendan Mulson

Competency is the only way to become undeniably confident. People who have unshakable confidence, have unshakable competence. My confidence comes from the fact that I’ve been creating videos for over 8 years. Read more>>

Liz Perra

We firmly believe that true confidence is built through action. Often, we hesitate to start something new because we’re afraid of making mistakes. But the truth is, rarely do we get things perfect on the first try. Real confidence emerges when we step into the unknown, face the challenges head-on, and grow stronger with every leap we take. Read more>>

Serina Padilla Lopez

I grew up with my dad being my best friend, but also my biggest supporter. He pushed me and instilled so much confidence in me from a young age. He told me how great I was and the potential I had I think the biggest thing that drives me is to be kind, and I learned that from him that it does not matter what someone does to you, it matters how you react, and how you treat others says more about you than them. Read more>>

Mrs. Inyang (n-yon) Telfair

As a young Nigerian American born and raised in the heart of Detroit, MI, I lacked self-esteem which repelled confidence. My dark skin, kinky hair, short stature, and plump physique made me a target for other children to tease me daily in elementary school to the point of tears. Coming from a single-parent home where my mom worked two jobs at a time, raised as an only child since my sister and brother were almost twenty years older than I was, left me to fend for myself often. Read more>>

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through dance and walking ” face ” in the ballroom scene. Believe it or not I used to be a very shy person and sometimes still am. I push myself to many limits even if it means getting out my comfort zone. Read more>>

Faith R. L. Leonard

I’ve found for myself particularly that having a healthy balance and understanding of self-confidence, self-esteem, self-respect and self-worth is a forever ‘work-in-progress’, especially as a woman. Like many precious treasures, it must be maintained. As a 29-year old, Black woman, I can say that I do love where I currently am in the confidence and self-esteem department, but if you would have asked me how I feel 15 years ago, or heck, even a year ago, I probably would have just went silent and began to cry. Read more>>

Gabriella “guitar Gabby” Logan

I believe self-esteem is something that requires constant growth as you grow in life. The central aspects of growing my self-esteem over the years have been rooted in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. There are seasons when my physical health was centered around me being an athlete; as I got older I transitioned from being an athlete to cycling, yoga, pilates, hiking, and other outdoor activities. I now ensure I incorporate some sort of physical exercise into my daily schedule. Read more>>

Sarah Petersen

As someone who loves death-defying hobbies, I NEED confidence. Doing gymnastics without confidence that I can land? I’m bailing out of a skill midair. Climbing aerial silks 20 feet in the air with no confidence that I can hold on? SPLAT.As a recovering people-pleaser, my go-to is to think, What do the people watching think about me?
Whether I’m doing a physical feat, giving a lecture, or leading a workout, I have to intentionally change my thought process. Read more>>

Mai Witcher

As clichè as it sounds, I fully focus on what I love about myself. Remembering that I’m not for everybody and remembering those who genuinely love & care about me plays a HUGE role. Read more>>

Snjv

My confidence and self of self comes from a relationship with myself that is rooted in unconditional love. I recognize myself as a radiant human being and seek to love every component of my existence without conditions. Growing up being very aware that I was not like others based on phenotype and behavior, I was made to feel less than. During explicit expressions of bullying and violence, I learned to diminish my presence to be safe and I’m growing beyond that. Read more>>

Jaden Quan

Having creative ambitions, even at an early age, can be alienating. Growing up around rural Colorado, I found myself immersed in a community that valued life very differently than I did. I felt like everyone around me was grounded, and focused on the tactile challenges of life. Then there was me, stuck with my head in the clouds, dreaming up characters, stories, and worlds that I was too embarrassed to materialize.  Read more>>