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.
Nathalie Azoubel
Well… I believe some of it is part of my personality, but most of it came with hard work.
I always try do give it my all and do my best at whatever it is I am pursuing, and I put the time. I work hard, I try to absorb all the knowledge and experience from others I admire, I open my eyes, ears and pores to learn as much as I can. And I take big leaps, I throw myself out there and expose myself to the experiences… which is ultimately the most effective way to learn. Read more>>
Jake Schneider
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through hard work and studying. The last few years, I’ve been going out to new locations, reading more, studying composition, and learning about other film photographer work flow and style. It was a bit of a struggle at first, but over time and taking more photos for different clients, I was able to build up that confidence in what I do. I trust myself more when it comes to the technical aspects of a photo. Read more>>
Sydney Lolita Cusic
I was fortunate to grow up with amazing parents who understood the challenges of being Black in this country. They were intentional in making sure I knew my worth. Every day, they told me I was beautiful, smart, and capable. They surrounded me with media, books, and dolls that celebrated Blackness, showing me that it was something to be proud of. This constant affirmation shaped my confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>
Cierra Thomas
As a high school teacher of six years, my journey toward developing confidence and self-esteem has been shaped by various factors and experiences. Building Relationships with Students has played a significant role in boosting my confidence. The positive interactions, feedback, and connections with students have reinforced my belief in my abilities and the impact I can have on others. Professional Recognition has also helped my confidence by attaining the title of former Teacher of the Year has been a validating experience that has bolstered my self-esteem. Being recognized for my dedication and contributions to education by peers and administrators has instilled a sense of pride and confidence in my teaching abilities. Read more>>
She Mack
Being the best in the room did not always mean being the prettiest in the room for me. Especially growing up, I think that in our adolescent years we all had our kinks and quirks that made us feel unsure at times and kids back then did not think twice about pointing them out. However, the only difference that stems from that is how we use those flaws to make us stand out or be perceived differently. That made me focused more on developing my personality and allowing that to shine aside from just looks. Read more>>
Nicole Albani
I have always been what some might call a little “weird.” I am an old soul, a homebody, an introvert. Even as a kid, I didn’t really do what other kids did. I never wanted to just “fit in” and marched to the beat of my own drum. I never really cared what others thought of me and always did what I felt was right. I watched my mom be a strong independent woman, and knew I wanted to be one too. Now that I am an adult, I continue to look to that inner voice that I had even as a kid. Motherhood and owning a business has made the comparison game extra hard, but I keep looking inward instead of outward for what is right. I gain inspiration from others, but try not to compare myself to them. Read more>>
Karolina Geits
Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey for me, as it is for many people. Here are a few things that have helped me along the way: – Focusing on self-acceptance: Learning to accept myself, flaws and all, has been a key factor in building my confidence.
– Challenging negative self-talk: Whenever I catch myself engaging in negative self-talk, I make a conscious effort to reframe my thoughts in a more positive light. Read more>>
Dario Pavon
The way I developed my confidence and self-steer was through sports. Sports taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to handle pressure. As a team captain, I learned to navigate challenges, motivate others, and lead by example. I also developed the ability to make decisions quickly, stay focused on goals, and adapt to changing circumstances. This experience built my self-confidence because I knew that through hard work and perseverance, I could overcome obstacles. It wasn’t just about winning or losing but about pushing myself to the limit and realizing my own capabilities. These qualities carried over into my professional life, where I now lead my marketing agency with the same drive and confidence I developed on the field. Read more>>
Angel Lopez
Finding myself through music was a transformative experience. Before I discovered the power of self expression through music, I felt adrift and uncertain. It was music that resonated a spark within me, a sense of purpose and belonging. By immersing myself in the creative process of writing, playing, and performing, I began to rediscover my authentic self. Each melody, each lyric, was a step towards greater self acceptance and confidence. Read more>>
Sabrina Ayoub
Growing up, I was a shy kid—the type who would hide behind my mom’s legs whenever I met new people. I was often teased for my “bowl” haircut and for being taller than the other kids. Public speaking was my personal nightmare. Anytime I had to read in front of the class or present, I’d turn beet red, and at one point, I even developed a stutter. Read more>>
Ashleigh Olguin
Self-esteem and self-worth is truly an inside job and that’s the saying isn’t it? But when we’re young, we absorb those ideas about ourselves from external sources. Our parents, siblings, friends, teachers, extended family, etc. It’s a whole pie with different slices as our sources of value. Read more>>
Trung Do
According to my experience, to develop yourself, the important thing is to recognize your mistakes and find ways to solve them. Don’t hesitate, don’t keep repeating those mistakes, just look at reality and accept it. I’m not the type of person who likes to complain about a problem, because instead of trying to justify myself like this or that, I find another way. I’m also not afraid to speak out my opinion, I’m willing to say frankly what I don’t like. Read more>>
Gregory Andonian, Md
Everyone in the medical field knows the saying fake it till you make it. We all start out knowing very little to nothing about our professions and as our journey starts we build our confidence and knowledge base and go through stages. At first you go through medical school where you learn everything you can about medicine and by the time your done you think you know everything and start diagnosing with confidence, that is, until you start your intern year of residency when you realize you know very little to nothing again. Read more>>
Ciera Harding
Building my confidence and self esteem has been a long journey, but I wouldn’t change any of it!
Starting out in the world, I’d say I had a solid foundation of self confidence and worth, that came from my family. I grew up with nicknames like “pretty girl”. “beautiful” and “baby girl” or my dad’s favorite abbreviated version “BBGs!”. So, I kind of always knew that I was beautiful. And on days I didn’t feel it, there were people around me who loved me, who would remind me ’til they were blue in the face. Read more>>
Dilana Ismailova
Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a rewarding journey, fueled by a mix of personal experiences and growth. I’ve always known that I excel at what I do, and that self-awareness has been crucial in building my confidence. Read more>>
Kelly Meholic
Throughout grade school, my main goal was to be invisible. Being a twin was a double edged sword in accomplishing this goal—everyone knew me as one of the twins, but only my close friends could tell my sister Andrea and me apart. To this day, I feel awful when I can’t distinguish between twins, as if being one should have given me special extra x-ray twin distinguishing abilities. What I’ve learned, though, is that sometimes you just need to take the time to really study and see people. Read more>>
Maria Camila Girón
First, I just want to say thank you for inviting me again! it’s always great to have the opportunity to talk with you. I think confidence and self-esteem develop over time, and for me, it’s been a combination of trial and error, along with a lot of self-reflection. It hasn’t always come naturally, I’ve had plenty of moments of doubt and insecurity, especially in the creative field, where sharing your art means exposing yourself to public opinion. But every time I push myself out of my comfort zone, I grow a little more confident in my abilities. Read more>>
Alpha Koroma
Confidence and self-esteem are the cornerstones of my success. I’ve cultivated these qualities through relentless dedication and hands-on experience. By immersing myself in my field, I’ve honed my skills, expanded my knowledge, and built a strong foundation of expertise. Read more>>
Tara Gazdik
Self esteem and confidence are not traits that come naturally to me. I am a firm believer in “fake it ’til you make it” so anytime the idea of something intimidates me I tend to force myself to just do it anyway. There have definitely been times where I’ve crashed and burned in the process haha, but there have also been times where it worked out better than my wildest dreams. Read more>>
Jamie Roitman
I am a professionally trained opera singer turned resin artist. I have to be confident when singing in front of audiences big or small. I use the same confidence when I show my resin pieces and I never doubt myself. Read more>>
Hope
y doing the work. I feel like this applies to anything anyone could possibly be doing. I’m confident in my song writing because I’ve written hundreds of songs over the years. The majority of them never made the cut so you could say the majority of them weren’t great songs. But it makes the ones that are good stand out even more to me as the writer. Read more>>
Krystal Davis
As a makeup artist, confidence and self-esteem have been foundational in both my personal journey and in building KBK Beauty. I developed my confidence through years of practice, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and staying committed to my vision of helping others feel beautiful. When I first started, I wasn’t always as confident in my craft, but over time, each client I worked with boosted my belief in myself. I learned that confidence isn’t something that happens overnight, it’s a journey. It comes from trusting your abilities, embracing your unique style, and learning from every experience—whether it’s a success or a challenge. Read more>>
Annmarie Pisano
I used to be very timid, especially at work! I would wait until the big bosses left the room and then whisper questions to my office friends. But several mentors encouraged me. One said, “Your ideas are really good! You should try to, you know, share them with someone who isn’t me.” Another former boss told me that his dream was for me to put him out of a job by taking over so many of his advanced tasks, he could just go home. Read more>>
K $tarr
Actually it took a minute! I grew up a shy kid but would always come alive on a stage, i did a lot of stage plays as a kid and a lot of dance routines as i got older causing me to join a few professional dance teams. Realizing that i had a gift to entertain and growing up caring less and less about others opinions of me gave me the confidence you see today! Read more>>
Alyshia Jackson
Having to rebuild my confidence and self-esteem was necessary after unexpectedly becoming a mother and to completely change the course of my life. Despite thinking I had everything planned out after high school, I faced a lot of doubt and uncertainty about the path ahead of me. I refused to let the label of ‘ young single mom’ define me and knew that I wanted more for myself and child. This experience pushed me to do the necessary self- work and take on any challenges I knew was best for me but not created for me to regain my confidence and self-esteem. Read more>>
Liz Thompson
I think for a lot of women, self-confidence tends to revolve around appearance. There’s always this pressure to look a certain way, and it can be exhausting. For me, the biggest challenge wasn’t about how others saw me at work but just learning to like myself for who I am. At some point, I realized that no one is paying as much attention to me as I thought they were, and that was incredibly freeing. That’s when I came up with my personal mantra: ‘If you act confident, people will just think you’re eccentric, instead of a disaster.’ Read more>>
Hennelie Hawes
A big part of my confidence comes from my faith! Knowing that I was created in God’s image to be exactly who I am today, to look exactly how I look today, and knowing that in His eyes it is perfect is what gives me confidence from within. I hope to radiate His light into each room I am a part of and onto every person I meet in life. Being strong in my faith is what gives me the confidence and self-esteem I need in any situation – because I am never alone! God is always right there with me. Read more>>
Mary Jameson
The very nature of being an artist is presenting yourself to the public. You put yourself out there knowing that your work represents you and developing confidence is something that expands as you do. The uncomfortable situations are the real building blocks, and there are many along the way. When I reflect on my goals from 5 or 10 years ago and see the progress I’ve made, that’s a big confidence boost! For example, when I first started working with seaweed in my art I wasn’t quite sure how the public would respond. Read more>>
Clarence Hairston-bellotti
As I’ve gotten older, I reflect on the little moments that would make the younger me proud. Whether that’s a big life achievement like marriage, buying a house, or something small like having a fun night at home with my husband and dog doing nothing and wishing or wanting nothing else. In these moments of reflection, I often find myself trying to retrace my course and asking, “How did I get here!”. There is always an array of ideas and synopsis on how it got done, but the number one thing that pops up in each of my memory lane strolls is my ability, from a young age, to believe in myself and that no matter what, I’ve got to keep going. Read more>>
Lala Woods
Growing up I had alot of practice having to be confident in myself , my abilities , my decision making and more. As a latch-key kid I spent a lot of time traveling by myself to and from school with my younger siblings. I was also in a ton of activities like cheerleading, dance teams, drill teams, plays, afterschool programs, choir, community groups and more. In most groups I found myself in a leadership position. Being a leader of your peers can be hard, intimidating & pressure. It was so much so that by my late teen years I was running from being a leader in any space I was in. Read more>>
