Confidence can open doors and is at the heart of so many amazing success stories across industries and disciplines and so we’ve always been interested in learning how we can help our readers and community members increase their confidence and self-esteem. Below, you’ll find highlights of some of the great conversations we’ve had on this topic.
Christina Linhardt
Building confidence and self-esteem can be one of the hardest hurdles to overcome. People are sometimes surprised to hear me admit to feeling insecure. Having acting skills, i’ve learned to fake confidence. I remember an acting class years ago, where the instructor told me i came off “apologetic” as if i didn’t feel i deserved to be up there on stage. I took that to heart and did my best to walk and present with poise, but to avoid seemingly arrogance or conceit. I remember once hearing a legendary singer say on stage “When will people realize i’m still faking it.” Read More>>
Pamela Harmon
Hello Voyage and thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts on creativity as an abstract artist!
At this stage in my life, I’ve had enough experience, time and discipline to develop my skills as a fine artist.
I think it may have taken me longer to feel comfortable introducing myself as an artist because following a less formal path can bring doubt and insecurity that might not be as prevalent if I’d had a formal arts education and a fine arts degree to support my confidence. Read More>>
Aatmica Ojha
I started my journey as an artist since I was 2 years old. I used to paint the walls of my room, make greeting cards for my friends. Art became profession in 2016. I did my first show with the prestigious “Sara Arakkal Gallery” in Bengaluru, India. Since then I have participated in over 40 group shows and 15 solo shows. My work has featured in the leading newspapers and magazines globally. I have won quite a few awards as well. In 2020, I got the opportunity to be associated with “CPAA – Cancer Patients Aid Association” that treat the cancer patients in India. Read More>>
Lisa Rouse
As a child and teen, I went through a phase where I lacked any type of confidence. Gaining confidence did not happen overnight. I was unsure of all the things that most young people go through; am I smart enough, tall enough, pretty enough you name it I questioned it. I think I gained the most confidence when I succeded by setting goals and then seeing those goals came to reality. I did well in school, joined the Army, and was able to clear what I saw as barriers with no problem. I went on to find a career that I loved and did well in that career. Read More>>
Hannah McMahon
Genetics may have played a factor in this and somehow I managed to get a mix of my dads stubbornness, by grandmothers grit and my moms complete inability not find a way though. And that’s something I’ve always loved about myself- this ability to find a positive, or find a way though. My mom has always described this to other people as this incredible quality that I have, and it makes me proud to hear her talk about it. “She just DOES it,” She’ll say to anyone who listens. “She says she’s going to do it and no matter what, somehow she just makes it happen.” Read More>>
Zack Goodman
Fake it till you make it, pure and simple. I think a lot of people say things like this and it sounds like such a cliché, but in my experience iv found that if you can project that level of self confidence it becomes second nature. Read More>>
Jennifer Mason
With my mother’s invaluable guidance, I nurtured unwavering confidence and soaring self-esteem. In my formative years, she skillfully sowed seeds of belief that blossomed into a resilient and self-assured spirit. As I matured, I embraced my true identity as defined by God, and a transformative shift occurred, empowering me to conquer any challenge life presents Read More>>
Lacey Hennessey
The moment I stopped worrying about what my friends and family thought of my business, I began to thrive. I believed in my skills and had a genuine curiosity to learn and knew I could achieve great things if I let go of insecurities others were projecting on me. If I had listened to even half the people who told me a career in art wouldn’t lead to success, I wouldn’t have the thriving business that I do. If you are lacking confidence, lead with blind confidence. Fake it til you make it! Put your head down, focus on YOUR goals, and you can do big things. Read More>>
Toni McKinley
Developing confidence and self-esteem is a gradual and ongoing process. I started by facing my fears. This meant going out of my comfort zone and confronting my fears head-on. Some of my fears were that I wasn’t smart enough or that if I messed up, people would be critical of me. Each time I faced those fears, I gained confidence in my ability to handle challenging situations. To continue to grow my confidence, I had to develop my skills and knowledge in the areas I wanted to be respected. Read More>>
Hussle Porter
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by always been told by my parents early on in life that I could do anything that I put 100 percent effort into. Something so small that sounds so cliche really put a battery in my back to truly believe that I can accomplished anything that I give 100% effort to. I feel that confidence and consistency are the key ingredients for becoming successful. Read More>>
Felica DeRoza
The biggest influence on my confidence and self-esteem have been my parents. Growing up with having Eczema, people were often very cruel. They said really hurtful things and this was adults as well as children. My parents taught me that despite having a skin condition, it didn’t take away from who I was as a person. People who openly criticize and say unkind words because of what they don’t know or understand, is their problem. Overcoming those feelings of being different was hard, but it has fueled my growth in the skincare industry. Read More>>
Kadina Grant
Well, I still believe my confidence is still growing but I can say it’s very different than when I was 18/19 years old . We all know the phrase fake it until you make it & that’s exactly how I started out, I was seeing on YouTube that affirmations and positive self talk were like the most beginner friendly steps you can take and even if you didn’t believe in what you were trying to affirm about yourself, it allows you to train your mind and eventually starts to replace those negative thoughts about yourself with the ones you affirm one at a time Read More>>
April Diaz
Confidence is one of the primary areas women identify as a struggle in their life and leadership. I think people look at me and think “She’s a confident woman! I want some more of what she’s got.” But my confidence hasn’t always been there and still isn’t always strong. Read More>>
J.D. Reager
There are certainly days where I don’t feel particularly confident as an artist or just in life – no one is supposed to feel confident all the time. But the secret, if there is one, is to get comfortable enough with yourself at your best and worst to just keep going after it – whatever it is. Read More>>
Kyle Geller
A lot of work! To be honest, I am still working on this stuff. I think it’s one of those things you always have to work on and stay on top of. These things are very overlooked a lot of the time and can turn into larger problems that spiral out of control. When I decided to crawl out of the darkest time in my life I started to do a lot of digging into myself and dealing with a lot of past bullshit, dad issues, self-esteem stuff, all of that good stuff that comes with life. I read a ton of books, I really worked on myself to become the man I am today. Read More>>
Christina Santini
I believe true confidence comes from being able to walk the talk: being authentic and true to your own core values. First step is obviously knowing your core values, which I think can be a real challenge for most today with all the shallowness and use-and-throw-away mentality (even when it comes to other people) many of us have succumbed to today. I was raised with emphasis on empathy, integrity and the importance of acting even when you are afraid. No one is fearless in life, but we must learn to act in spite of fear. Traits I have aimed to stay true to in my own tumultuous growth as a human being. Read More>>
