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.
Joey McIntosh
My self-esteem & confidence is rooted in my wild journey from Los Angeles, CA to Richmond, VA. Unfortunately, I was forced to leave my hometown of L.A. very early in adulthood due to a series of circumstances that left me having to figure out how to survive on my own. Through a lot of prayer, perseverance, and a couple choice people I had in my life at the time; I was able to support myself and find my footing in a strange, new city on the opposite end of the country. Read more>>
Ree
Your average female will face insecurity early on, and this is especially true for women who are above average, meaning plus size or curvy. My confidence developed in my later teen years when I used to watch a YouTuber who was advocating for those with larger frames. I had already become convinced I would never be a noticeable person because I didn’t fit a beauty standard. Read more>>
Malik Levingston
Honestly…..for me that’s always been a battle. I was raised by a great mom that taught me always to have confidence in myself. Not to look down on myself or wish I had what others had because it’s always someone in the world that’s worst off, so I should be grateful. And I carry that ideal to this day and even promote it to others. Read more>>
Yifeng Ma
As an artist, I want to address this question from two perspectives: developing confidence and self-esteem as a person and within the art industry. I didn’t grow up as a very confident person, and even now, I still have my moments of doubt. However, I have become much more confident than I used to be. Read more>>
Jas Hart
I really love this question 💕 because this skill was one of the most pivotal ones I have developed (and continue to develop, because I believe that growth is ongoing). I experienced a lot of criticism and ridicule from my peers during my adolescence. My interests, appearance, disposition, and way of speaking were often the topics of ridicule. Read more>>
Bao Hu
My confidence has developed through experience and practice. Over the years, I’ve consistently pushed myself out of my comfort zone, whether by learning new tools or tackling projects in unfamiliar ways. A few years ago, I challenged myself to become better at 3D design and motion graphics. Read more>>
Dimitris Zogaris
Developing my confidence and self-esteem was a very very hard process for me. From a young age i was bullied in school for having a silent personality and being different than the other kids in school. I went through really tough times as a teenager. Read more>>
Sabina Zadeh
For me it’s been a quite long journey to develop my confidence. I was really introverted. Especially when it came to socializing with people and making new connections. Despite this is really important for an artist. I would say this changed after I found my people. I realized socializing is not that hard anymore. Read more>>
Kaylee Gresh
Before I became a business owner, I always struggled with my confidence and self-esteem. Whether it was with my weight, my appearance, working with the public at my jobs, you name it and I struggled with it. When I started taking pictures, it was of my sister playing basketball and softball in high school. Read more>>
Mariah Salae
Sometimes it’s hard staying confident and feeling good about yourself because there’s soo many people that do the same things as you so it can easily feel like competition all the time. For me I just know that I love performing so regardless of what people think I know that I’m having fun! And performing isn’t an easy thing to do in front of people! So I give myself props for that hahaha Read more>>
Shaina Manuel
Ooooooh, it’s pretty funny that I’m fielding this one. Confidence and self-esteem have not come naturally to me. However, it has improved with age! I’d love to travel back in time and give my younger self a TED Talk on this topic. It’d go something like this: Read more>>
Nadia Everitt
Confidence and self-esteem are often seen as something that you’re either born with or without. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The reality is that you can practice having high levels of both. My self-confidence is heightened each time I get a “win” in my day. Read more>>
Patrick Shatter
True confidence and self-esteem cannot be dependent on external factors. Many of us fall into the trap of seeking validation from others, hoping that their approval or compliments will finally make us feel confident. However, the reality is that no matter how many signs or compliments we receive, if we don’t genuinely believe in ourselves, our confidence will remain elusive. Read more>>
Deisy Jurim
Building confidence and self-esteem is a gradual process that involves several key steps:1. Self-Acceptance: Embrace who you are, including your strengths and weaknesses. Accept that you are unique and valuable. 2. Set Achievable Goals: Break down your larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks. Achieving these smaller goals can give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your confidence. Read more>>
Samantha Newby
I had to stop relying on my romantic partners to fill a part of me that lacked self-love. I was desperate for love, approval, and validation, but all I got was one failed relationship after the other. After the last, I realized the only person that can make me feel good about myself, is myself. So I started to go to therapy, prioritize my physical health, and cut back on drinking. Since then I’ve realized how crucial it is to begin a self-love journey-so much so that my first solo show is based around my own. Read more>>
Sarah Rivera
Being the youngest of four children, in a loving family of six, there was an immediate source of comfort, protection, love and attention I received as a child. I’m thankful to say that my family was, and still is, amazing. While supportive and protective, they were also challenging, direct, and assertive. I was challenged to keep up, stay up, and keep pushing forward, even when things are difficult. Read more>>
Ashlyn Booth
Developing my confidence and self-esteem was not a simple or easy journey. It was something I had to cultivate out of necessity. Throughout high school, I often felt looked own on and underestimated by my peers. This constant feeling of being overlooked forced me to find inner strength and determination. Read more>>
Mindy Spencer
Through my life experiences, I learned what love wasn’t. Finally at forty, I found the greatest love. Love for myself. Today I practice giving myself grace, patience. Turning my pain into power is now my constant motivation. Read more>>
Tera Finley
I grew up in a suburb named Fridley, right outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Where lush grass swayed and cool water flowed during the summer, and cold snow blew for the other (practically) 3/4 of the year. Although I’ve lived outside of MN for the past 11 years, I am still prideful of my hometown, including the people I shared it with, and how it helped me become who I am today.
Both my parents had extremely traumatic childhoods. Read more>>
Jade Harper
My confidence as both a designer and an individual has grown through a lot of trial and error and learning to be comfortable in my own skin. I wouldn’t be as confident as I am today if I hadn’t made mistakes along the way. Design wise whether you’re self-taught or have a formal education, the longer you design, the more you’ll learn. And as you learn more, you’ll naturally build confidence in your design work and in how you communicate with clients or future clients. Read more>>
Walker Campbell
I have always loved music, and acting. When I was younger, people would kid me about it, or just razz me in general. Going into middle school especially, some people would try to make me feel uncomfortable about my music and acting. On the lacrosse field, the other teams would taunt me by yelling out my lyrics or blasting my songs before games. Read more>>
Ryan Shand
Growing up, my mom played a pivotal role in developing my confidence and self-esteem. She always encouraged me to believe in myself and my abilities, no matter the challenge. Her constant support and belief in me helped build a strong foundation of self-worth and resilience. Read more>>
Shamina Austin
How did I develop my confidence and self-esteem? Well, I guess I can sum that up with one word “Father”! My father was the first person to tell me that I was beautiful and to work smart not hard. I watched my father very closely as young girl as he navigated through life. Unlike my mother my father was not a college graduate, but his confidence and sense of self-worth opened many doors that others may have shied away from. Read more>>
Michael Gatty
Growing up, I was shy, quiet, and bullied. I hated middle school and high school — constantly being taunted and ridiculed for being “a faggot”. In college, things got better, and I came out of the closet, started working as a photographer for a small, gay, community news paper, and began to find a glimmer of my stride. But it wasn’t for another decade that my life changed. Read more>>
Jessica Dueñas
Confidence is not something I was born with; in fact, I was socialized not to have it. As a little girl with a complicated relationship with food, the message I received from both home and society was that I would only be acceptable if I was thin. This set me on an eternal fight with my body, a constant tug of war to change it. Read more>>
Katelyn Molesky
I have learned through modeling that confidence is key. Throughout the past few years, even when I was not modeling, I have took a lot of time learning to love myself. It is something that I have often struggled with but I am finally to the point of being happy and secure with myself. Read more>>
Alex Marie
I was partially raised by my mother who struggled with self-sabotage throughout her life. Her bipolar disorder, substance abuse, and negative mindset created a unique and often difficult environment to understand as a child. Observing her behavior and comparing it to how others responded to similar situations, I noticed stark differences. Read more>>
Alison Heilig
Throughout my childhood and teenage years, any confidence and self-esteem I came into this world with were dismantled my father and largely stripped away by mean kids in school in the small poor, rural Pennsylvania town I grew up in. By my late teens, there wasn’t much there. Read more>>
Joy Wolfe
I am one of the most confident people I know, and it has been a consistent and conscious choice to trust myself each step of the way despite all my self doubt. My childhood was very traumatic, and it left me with crippling self hatred. Despite being high achieving, I found school growing up very anxiety inducing, and I became extremely shy. Read more>>
Adeel Ahmad
My confidence and self esteem began to develop and grow once i realized that the only person i can count on growing up from here is myself. How can i be the man i want to be without believing in myself and telling myself what i need to get done in order to get the life i want. Read more>>
Devon Potts
I think I have taken probably over 1000 people’s pictures in the past decade. Every single one of these shoots begin with the same nerves and self-doubt. Entering new environments, conversations, and challenges is what has built my confidence. I still have the same doubts and nerves going into every job, but I have learned how to better navigate each circumstance, and this is what I believe develops confidence. Read more>>
Dr. Rachel Stricker
My confidence comes from a deep trust and knowing of myself that took many years to arrive at. When I was a teen and young adult, I had a rather low self-esteem that I often tried to hide with false bravado. I was extremely self-critical and immensely driven by a deep fear of failure and loss of control. This all served me well for a while, as it allowed me to achieve a great deal at a young age. I graduated from both high school and college a year early. I earned my first doctorate at age 26 and opened my first business at age 27. Read more>>
