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.
Michael Orgeman
Self-esteem and confidence are attributes that need to be cultivated and monitored. I’m naturally an introverted person, a symptom of that can be a lack of confidence and self-esteem. I develop my confidence through practice and repetition. Read more>>
ShayLa Smith
I developed my confidence and self esteem through trial and error. Believe it or not, I was extremely shy when I first started. I believe this came from me being around people that underestimated my ability to be what I am today and will be in the future. Read more>>
Alexandra Medel
It’s something I work on everyday. There are days I feel confident and beautiful. That I can do anything. I feel like I’m shinning. Then I have days I don’t feel confident and my self esteem isn’t there; those are the days I have to push myself. Read more>>
Emma Jean Scott
The most important thing I learned in developing my confidence and self-esteem is that self love is not selfish. I have a tendency to be very critical of myself. I truly want to be the best, to improve the most, to create things that are incredible, but I often fail to recognize that that isn’t going to happen overnight. Read more>>
Chellis Baird
As an avid dancer I like to compare facets of the self to building new muscles. Lack of self-confidence is common in all of us. We each accommodate in unique ways and can overcome this through building new thought patterns or experiences. Read more>>
Makenna Paige
I developed my confidence and self esteem from a lot of internal work. Spend time learning to love every part of you, forgive your past mistakes and learn from them. Ensure you’re a good person in every way you can be. I sleep well at night because I know to my soul I am kind and loving. Read more>>
Yeshe Jackson
I developed self esteem by changing the way I talked to myself in my head. When I was younger and something went wrong, I used to really beat myself up inside, using language in my thoughts like “That didn’t work out because you are a loser,” or “You’ll never be good at this,” other similar phrases. That just made things worse, of course. Read more>>
Ashley Mosaic Dickinson
I learned at a young age that developing my confidence and self-esteem was going to be an inside job. However, this awareness alone did not make the process any easier. I went through several lows in my life, and as a child, I often felt deeply misunderstood, figuratively, and literally as I even had a stutter. Read more>>
Julie-Anne Lee
Coming from a place of low self-worth and lack of self-value, I made many choices in my life that reflected outwardly this foundation. I was always a dreamer, fascinated by the mind and the power of our thoughts to create our reality. One day, I had a moment of clarity and made a new choice when these questions popped into my mind: Read more>>
Lakisha (Coach LA) Austin, MBA, LICSW
Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a journey centered around the principles of my BET on SELF mantra: Believe, Empower, and Transform. **Believe:** I started by believing in myself and my abilities. This involved recognizing my strengths, acknowledging my achievements, and having faith in my potential to overcome challenges. Read more>>
Heidi Yarger
Having a business named “Spitfiregirl” definitely embodies confidence and self-esteem, but it wasn’t always that way. I grew up in a small Vermont town where being assertive wasn’t exactly encouraged, and conformity was the norm. I’ve been an artist since age 2, and being recognized for my talent, along with the support of my family and mentors, helped foster my sense of self. Read more>>
Dr. Remina Panjwani
I believe confidence and self-esteem becomes a stronger quality each time you step outside of your comfort zone and try new things. I developed my self-confidence and self-esteem through a journey marked by perseverance, resilience, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Read more>>
Brandy Hunter
I feel as if my confidence and self esteem are always growing and changing today but I believe it really started to develop it in my early teens. I always felt like I was different growing up, not in an extremely isolating way, but just that I wanted more. More to this life, more than just blending in and falling in line. Read more>>
Meme
This took some time for me to do. I’ve been bullied in school, called names and so forth, which led me to believe some of the things that were told to me. I was always self conscious about the way I looked because of that. Read more>>
Jing Huang
Growing up in an Asian culture, you’re always being told that you’re not good enough so you can constantly improve, and that’s exactly what I had to do. I never received any compliments when I was younger and even when I attended the best college in China, that didn’t earn any compliments from anyone either. Read more>>
Kristin Pavlick
I developed confidence over time. Each new project, with each new client, each vision you chase down and execute I earn one feather. Over time you continue to put the feathers in your hat, you can’t help but gain confidence. For me confidence comes from growth. Read more>>
Gabrielle Lopez
For me, it all began in 1994 when my family moved from Fairfax, Virginia to Black Forest, Colorado where everyone had horses. Being complete newbies, my sister and I were eager to ride horses, and our neighbors generously let us borrow theirs. Read more>>
Brandon “MINDFRAME” Russell
I believe my confidence and self-esteem developed like most people… I started off with very little. Close to none! I was very shy and timid as a kid growing up. I struggled with being able to connect with others as myself. Read more>>
Tawnie Breaux
Confidence is something you build over time, just like any other skill. It starts with your relationship with yourself and learning to trust your instincts. Stepping into new situations and thinking, “I got this,” you’re already on the right path. Read more>>
Emma Rose Rowell (Emmursss)
I’ve always had a very strong personal drive pushing me towards my goals. Sagittarius is the sign of the archer, (often said that we’re on an ‘eternal quest’ for knowledge, experience, or whatever that may be) and my unrelenting ambition is something I love about myself. Read more>>
Jessica Lane
I faced issues with confidence and self-esteem for a long time. Looking back, I believe it was influenced by insecurities, seeking approval from others, and being around individuals with a negative mindset. Read more>>
Gabrielle Fitzpatrick Rooney
My confidence and self-esteem have experienced a tumultuous journey of highs and lows. When I first embarked on my entrepreneurial career, I was fearless, embracing the challenge of building my first business, Damn Right Cocktails, from the ground up despite skepticism from others. Read more>>
Staci Millard
Confidence and self-esteem for me were built in two ways. First, I think you build confidence by doing things. The more you show yourself you can do it and do it right, confidence is built. Read more>>
Danielle Williams
I’m a little bit of a perfectionist, so I’d say that my confidence and self-esteem comes from a lot of life experiences that pushed me out of my own comfort zone and allowed me to see myself in a different light. Read more>>
Toccara Samuel
I think what helped me build my confidence and self-esteem is my honesty and authenticity. Being my true self as I journey through life has helped me develop my confidence. I am not afraid to share my challenges and I am not afraid to relate to my audience and my clients during my journey. Read more>>
Landon Donoho
When we first start out in film-school or making things on our own, SO much of the process feels like delving into this mystical art of lighting, lenses, and vague understandings of what makes a camera good or bad. Read more>>
denardjoel
This is a process, and the old adage “practice makes perfect” comes to mind. My confidence stems from the countless hours dedicated to perfecting my craft. Consistency and discipline brew confidence – similar to learning to ride a bike or tie your shoes as a kid – the more often we practiced, the sooner the bunny ears were second nature and the training wheels came off. Read more>>
Joshua Ketchmark
Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a long road that I’ve struggled with for years. Growing up, I felt like I wasn’t good enough to do much of anything I did, except for one. I started drawing around the age of two. My parents called it talent. It was something I really enjoyed to do. Read more>>
Farhaan Hussain
Confidence and self-esteem, those twin pillars of personal strength, are not bestowed overnight. They are painstakingly cultivated through a journey marked by setbacks and triumphs, underscored by an unwavering commitment to rise above adversity. Read more>>
Kate Owensby
I think my confidence and self-esteem comes from growing up in a family that traveled a lot and meeting new people on a regular basis. I was always surrounded by new faces and different environments when I was younger so I think that definitely played a huge part in not really being scared to jump into anything new. Read more>>
Helene Galek
It is a mixture of a great support system, doing a lot of mindset work and simply growing older and becoming the person I was meant to be. (thank you, David Bowie!) Read more>>
Miki Lansdowne
We are all born as blank canvases. Confidence or the lack there of is learned and influenced by many things in life. Sometimes people and challenging situations can really affect our confidence, especially as children. Read more>>
Paula VM
When I moved to a new town in a different state, I knew no one and felt an overwhelming sense of isolation. To overcome this, I forced myself to get out there and meet people, making a point of networking and getting in front of as many individuals as possible. Read more>>
Davis DeLisi
I believe confidence and self-esteem are entirely mental. I have found that it is so important to earnestly encourage belief within yourself, because having the freedom to be confidently and uniquely yourself, is the secret sauce to life. Read more>>
Caroline Waterwall
Having confidence and self-esteem isn’t something, I believe, that you just have. It is a journey shaped by experiences and influences in our lives with a compounding effect over time. Read more>>
Charles Galbreath
Confidence and self-esteem are two of the greatest gifts my childhood village gave me. I grew up in a beautiful town Fulton, Missouri. I was born into a very loving family. My parents are retired educators, as I was growing up their presence in the school system was a great advantage to my K-12 experience. Read more>>
Veronica Prager
Developing confidence in our choices takes practice, especially when it comes to one of life’s biggest decisions. For over ten years, I was caught in a gray zone about the choice of having kids. Read more>>
Jelisa Dallas
In my latest book, “Soul Work: Disrupt Self-Sabotage, Renew Your Mind, and Transform Your Life,” I embarked on a journey of self-discovery that bolstered my confidence and self-esteem. By identifying five key areas that significantly impacted my well-being, I found the path to genuine transformation. Read more>>
Mei Krusenklaus
Being in the photography business / creative business can be rewarding, but it is also easy to always compete or compare yourself to others. When I started Mei Krusenklaus Photography, everyone with a camera was starting to do the same thing and I always found myself comparing to other people’s work. Read more>>
Nick Hiter
Understanding that confidence is a skill is a powerful realization because it shifts the focus from seeing confidence as something innate to something that can be developed and improved over time through practice and experience. Here’s how I developed my confidence and self-esteem: Read more>>
KENDRA GAUNTLETT
At a young age, my parents graciously supported my curiosity and enrolled me in a few sports and hobbies that I had shown particular interest in. Little did I realize, how the lessons I learned from the countless practices, classroom time and workouts would evolve into some of my core beliefs. Read more>>
Dijon McCain
To be quite honest, I am still developing confidence and self-esteem. I don’t think that is something I will ever fully master in this life time. We live in a society that often reminds us of what we are not. Since moving to Los Angeles, I have learned that this place is centered on status. Read more>>
Linda Joseph DThM
I used to struggle with low self-esteem because of past childhood trauma. Recognizing that my low self-esteem was rooted in my past helped me begin my healing journey. Read more>>
Bonnie Bitz
“The source of confidence, self-esteem, grit, and perseverance is simple, yet not easy to attain. It has taken me 72 years to understand this. I’ve learned that my identity doesn’t come from external things, my feelings, or the opinions of others. It comes from who God created us to be, all along.” Read more>>
