How did you develop your confidence and self-esteem?

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.

Yaroslava Hnatiuk

As a content creator, I’ve learned the power of celebrating small wins. In the past, all my previous endeavors ended before I got to any real victories because I constantly doubted myself and set unrealistic goals from day one. I was too focused on the result, rather than taking it day by day and enjoying the process. But now, I celebrate every small win, whether it’s a positive comment, a new collaboration, or improving my content. Acknowledging these moments boosts my confidence and reminds me how far I’ve come, helping me stay grounded, motivated, and excited about my growth. Read more>>

Jose Salazar

I was very fortunate to have a strong support system that always motivated me to pursue my passion and dreams. Seeing the praise and excitement that came from my biggest supporters as well as from those I’ve never even met fueled my commitment to my projects. Down the line, when more and more individuals reached out to work with me, I felt a great sense of validation. Having earned their respect and trust bolstered my self-confidence, reassuring me that I’m worth my value. Read more>>

Samantha Walker

My confidence blossomed out of a weary place. I wasn’t always confident in myself. Over the years I struggled with depression, poor self esteem and confidence. I learned to take ownership of my life through counseling and therapy services. Making a commitment to my wellness allowed me to become the woman I am now. I always knew the confidence was in there , I had to get to work in order to tap into it. I also feel like developing new friendships that were rooted in and growth mindset. Read more>>

Amy Lewandowski

I grew up mostly as an only child, with parents who encouraged me to give my all at any pursuit I tried. I always worked hard in school to get straight A’s, and to be an accomplished athlete, playing a variety of sports. But I always really loved creative arts, and never felt like I was as good as I wanted to be. Read more>>

Chantelle. Yk

My journey to self-confidence and self-esteem began during my junior high in high school years. I often faced bullying and felt overlooked because I didn’t fit societies idea of the perfect shape or color. Overtime I developed a mindset of not letting other people opinions define me. I built an emotional shield to protect myself from hurt and realize my worth wasn’t tied to anyone else’s judgment. The shift in perspective’s taught me to prioritize my feelings, desires, and self image. I learned to value my unique qualities and focus on developing my unique skills, ultimately embracing the person I am today. Read more>>

Jovanna Tosello

My self-esteem comes from both accepting and embracing my individuality. Growing up neuroatypical meant that being ‘like everyone else’ didn’t come naturally—I was built different. Over time, I’ve learned to fully accept and celebrate my uniqueness. Letting go of the pressure and impossibility of trying to fit into someone else’s mold has freed me to be more confident and, ultimately, happier. Read more>>

Martin Almiron

My confidence was shaped from a very young age, largely thanks to my family environment and education. My mother, who runs a dance school called “Instituto Marynes,” was one of the biggest influences in my life. From an early age, I became involved in teaching and managing large groups, which helped me develop important skills in communication and working with people of all ages. Read more>>

Perrine Darroman

Developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a process that came with life’s experiences and the support of my family. Moving to New York 10 years ago with my husband and our 18-month-old daughter was a big challenge, but it taught me to trust myself and face the unknown. Each time I stepped out of my comfort zone, like when we opened our first coffee shop, I learned that confidence grows with every small success. Read more>>

Whitney B. Hampton

“Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey, not a destination. It started with shifting how I view challenges and setbacks—I began to see them as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. Early on, I realized that confidence comes from preparation and consistency, so I made a habit of setting small, achievable goals and celebrating those wins. Over time, those small victories built momentum and belief in myself. Read more>>

Sharon Well

Developing my confidence and self-esteem definitely took me awhile. Growing up, my attempt to meet my parent’s expectations was nearly impossible. I then developed a trait of people pleasing, that was my worst enemy. This caused my identity to be found within people’s acknowledgements and approval. Everything I achieved was led by how people will perceive me or what I am going to prove to my parents. That whole perception caused my gifts and talents to be laid dormant. I held myself back so much. The voice of criticism caused me to reroute many decisions and choices in my life just to “fit in”. I would lie to myself, making up lies after lies on who I am. But now, let’s keep it real…you ready? Please put on your seat belt. One random day in the month of September 2014, I had a supernatural date with destiny.  Read more>>

Leigh Slayden

Although an artist since my youth, my career was in business, and during that time I also studied for an art degree. Inexperienced in my chosen media of oil paint, I completed my assignments in oil paint, learning its behavior while allowing myself the freedom to discard these “practice” pieces. Read more>>

Sloan Rajadhyksha

I build my confidence by practicing with integrity, ensuring my actions align with my core values.
Helping others and hearing their gratitude certainly bolsters my self-esteem, but the most
empowering aspect is recognizing my own worth. This understanding reminds me that my value
isn’t dictated by others’ opinions or actions. It’s my choices—especially those made in
challenging moments—that define me. Choosing to do the right thing, even when it’s hard,
allows me to hold my head high and trust in myself. Read more>>

Ruth Jackson

This is a deep soul-searching question! Honestly, I wasn’t always confident in myself. As a Deaf Black woman who grew up surrounded by predominately white and hearing people, I often saw myself as the oddball. I was constantly trying to be someone I wasn’t. There wasn’t anyone I looked up to or felt comfortable asking for advice. When I started learning ASL and meeting other people who were Deaf Black, my world opened up. Instead of acting like I was hearing, I started acting like I was Deaf. This boosted my self-esteem to the point where I considered myself unique instead of trash no one cared about. Read more>>

Melea Nelson

Gaining confidence in my work and myself as a photographer took longer than I would have liked and has been and up and down journey. When I was in school studying photography we had regular critiques on our projects. This gave me a constant flow of many opinions from both peers and instructors that were usually positive with some technical critiques and differing opinions. I finished school feeling confident that I would start booking jobs and progress my career. But it came much more slowly for me than others. I fell into the trap of comparison and lost a lot of my self confidence as I watched my peers careers blossom while I was still trying to book clients without the same “amount” of success as I thought others were having. Read more>>

Sheila Kennedy

Confidence and self-esteem are two different things, and I am so glad that the question included both. In 2010, after my divorce from a dysfunctional and unhealthy marriage was final, I began a journey of discovering what confidence and self-esteem were in relation to my life. I had no idea that there was a difference between the two and have spent the last fourteen years or so researching, sharing, and teaching how they impact our lives and how to improve levels of both. Read more>>

Simone Hunter

Confidence has always been a part of who I am, and I have my upbringing to thank for that. As an only child, my parents always held me to a higher standard. They made sure I knew I was the prettiest and smartest in any room. Whether or not that was true didn’t matter because it gave me the mindset that I belonged—and that was all I needed. Read more>>

Richard “parlay” Copier

I can say I developed my self-esteem through massive failures along the way.
I know that it was a lot of trial and error to reach the point that I have due to the fact I never had anyone to coach me and I really had to find and pull from sources before me that I could study.
I always say that a failure doesn’t stop you to getting to the destination. It’s just the left or right to the destination. A lot of people don’t realize it, but I’ve been in the music business before photography and situations like even getting robbed at gunpoint for all that I have which built courage and self-esteem that nobody could take me down or break me down. Read more>>

Mikey Akers

Growing up with childhood apraxia of speech (a neurological speech disorder), I was always very self conscious about the way I spoke. So much so that right up into early adulthood, I would not speak in front of people I didn’t know. I had a huge anxiety around anything that involved my speech. At the age of 13, I started sharing my story of growing up with CAS, as I didn’t want any other family to feel the loneliness my family and I felt growing up. After a few years I caught the attention of Apraxia Kids and they asked me to travel to America to share my story at one of their National Conferences. This would be my very first attempt at public speaking. When the day can I was a nervous wreck. I remember looking out at the 400+ faces looking my way, all waiting to hear me speak. The anxiety hit but it was too important not to share my story. Everyone listened to every word I said.  Read more>>

Chelsea Proffitt

It took me a very long time to get where I am today confidence wise. I spent the majority of my life crippled with social anxiety and doing everything I could to fit in and blend into my surroundings. Although I fit in well and had a good group of people surrounding me I was not happy and I felt like I did not belong. This really took a toll on my confidence. Around my sophmore/junior year of high school I began cutting people out and isolating myself. While this is not a great coping mechanism it was definitely what I needed to become who I am. I started doing the things I enjoy and not worrying about doing things that did not fulfill me. I started focusing on my art and developed my passion for photography. If I was still worrying about pleasing everyone else there is no way I would have chose to go to art school, but focusing on things that bring me joy helped me have the confidence to follow my dreams. Read more>>

Carlos Jair Rodriguez

Growing up, confidence didn’t come naturally to me. Like many teenagers, I struggled with severe cystic acne that affected nearly every aspect of my life. I remember avoiding mirrors, ducking away from photos, and sometimes even making excuses to stay home rather than face social situations. The physical discomfort was one thing, but the emotional impact ran much deeper. Read more>>

Queen Pedii

I developed my confidence and self esteem through writing, learning voice and piano and other creative outlets. Writing gave me a way to write down my emotions whether it be a poem, song, stories etc. Singing helped me get over my anxiety of speaking in front of large crowds. Read more>>

Brandon Lanard

FASHION SAVED MY LIFE. Growing up as the only child in my household I was extroverted, shy and timid. So I felt like I never had a voice or confidence. I realize that I loved clothes & that changed the way I viewed myself & gave me the confidence to live in that space. Read more>>

Diego Soto

I really like this question because it’s one of the main aspects I help people with—elevating their confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. In my personal case, it’s a combination of several tools. Everyone, absolutely everyone, experiences drops in self-esteem, whether due to internal traumas, something someone said, or a way someone made us feel. Over time, these factors manifest as deficiencies in certain areas of our lives. Read more>>

Tessa Bertamini

Oh, where to begin? Let’s just say it’s been a journey—and one I’m still very much on. I haven’t mastered self-confidence, but I’ve learned to embrace the process. Here’s the tea:

–> Doing the hard stuff – The things I thought were totally out of my league? Yeah, I did them anyway. Not perfectly, but enough to realize, Oh, hey, I didn’t crash and burn! Even tackling a tiny piece of a hard task gives me the confidence boost to keep going. Read more>>

Jaeden Yates

I had to hype myself up when I felt down in my younger years. Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood with little to no black representation in the media that I was consuming, I didn’t have any blueprint to work off, so I had to paint an image of what I believed to be success. I was super in my head and even had moments of hatred for standing out, but as I grew up I slowly learned to perfect my representation of myself to the public to be what it is today. In short, self love with a pinch of delusion and narcissism (in a healthy way of course) Read more>>

Salavat Fidai

They are developed in various ways over a long period. However, I can share some things that helped me personally.

First of all, the support of my wife and family. They have always believed in me and my success. During the most challenging times in my life,

when I lost hope and doubted myself, my wife and children convinced me that I could achieve what I had planned. Read more>>

Denise Bayron

I’ve cultivated confidence through persistent practice. I’ve embraced failure as a stepping stone to success, viewing it as a catalyst for growth. Fear shows up as a frequent companion, but every time I’ve overcome fear, I’ve reinforced my conviction in my potential. Read more>>

Bridget Soden Mills

I owe my initial spark of confidence to my parents. My mother was an elementary school teacher, and my father was an entrepreneur, both these chosen professions require a great deal of self-confidence in my opinion. Having an initial spark of confidence shown to you at an early age is a gift, but what you as an individual choose to do with that gift is where it gets real. Being an entrepreneur or a teacher is probably one of the most challenging directions in life, but also the most rewarding. I believe the sense of reward gained from accomplishing something challenging builds self-confidence and nurtures self-esteem. Pushing yourself on a daily or weekly basis to be the best version of yourself is something that not everyone does but should. This particular quote really guides me: “Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice, and the happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” Read more>>

Kristen Giles

My confidence and self-esteem developed gradually as I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone and witnessed firsthand the positive impact of my work. Early on, it was intimidating to guide clients through vulnerable shoots and trust my own creative instincts. But over time, seeing clients light up when they reviewed their images, hearing their heartfelt gratitude, and noticing their newly found self-assurance helped me understand that what I do truly matters. Every positive response, every tear of joy, and every moment of connection reinforced that I was on the right path and capable of helping others see themselves in a more empowered light. Read more>>

Jonni Jean

Confidence and self-esteem were things I really struggled with growing up. When I was a child, I played softball and was involved in multiple musical theatre productions, choirs, and plays. I wasn’t into most of the “girly things”- I played video games. I always knew I enjoyed acting and entertainment! However, I stood out from the rest in all of these activities. I was often teased about my loud personality, weight, and dedication. My peers constantly told me that I “cared too much” or I was “too loud”, and that really affected me. These activities were my escape from reality- a place where I could be myself, have fun, and be creative. While growing up, I knew I always looked and sounded different, but I also learned to understand that those things made me unique. Read more>>

Shana Gibbs

I credit my mother with really instilling these qualities in me, during my formative years. Not a day went by where I was not affirmed by my mother, who told me that I was beautiful, smart, bold, caring, *insert any & all affirmations*. She was haunted by her own insecurities and instead of instilling fears of the world in me, she took her deep seeded doubts and created a positive environment for me to gain traction to find and be myself … every day, I was told that I would (not could!) make a difference in this world. Read more>>

Mickael Jacquemin

My confidence comes from action. I have always approached new projects with a significant amount of self-doubt, accompanied by that all-too-familiar feeling of impostor syndrome. Yet, it’s only when I truly dive into the work, when I start creating, that this sensation begins to shift. Over time, I’ve come to view doubt not as an obstacle, but as an ally. It’s doubt that pushes me to question myself, to aim higher, and to explore uncharted territory. Read more>>

Kayla Freeman

It’s funny to reflect on my journey as a photographer. During college, while studying Graphic Design at Chadron State College, I worked for a professional photographer over the summers. My mentor at the time would always tell me, “You’re going to be a photographer someday.” I’d laugh and brush it off, saying, “No way!” I gave her every excuse—I’m too shy, I don’t take photos of people, and I’d never want to do something like that. The truth was, I had zero confidence in myself. Read more>>

Jasmine Garner

Confidence and healthy self-esteem were something I lacked greatly in my life up until my early 20s. It wasn’t until I met Jesus and learned who He was that I was able to discover who I was. As a young lady, confidence is easily drowned out by the noise of the culture or the voices from your past which further causes challenges with self-esteem. You lose who you are when your attention is on what “they” think versus what God thinks and knows about you. Read more>>

Rachel Mruczkewycz

If you had asked me 7 years ago whether I’d become a wedding and portrait photographer, my answer would have been a firm “no.” I never imagined that one day I’d be a full-time photographer and business owner, leaving a 9-5 job to pursue this passion. At the time, I was comfortable capturing nature and landscapes—subjects that didn’t require posing or direction. Photographing people felt like unfamiliar, intimidating territory, and I had no idea how to make someone feel at ease or look their best in front of the camera. Read more>>

Niki Kay

Over time, I’ve learned that confidence is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. I stopped waiting for the “perfect moment” or for fear to disappear. Instead, I trusted that I would figure it out as I went.

But it wasn’t always like that. Growing up, I was incredibly shy. I can still remember days in school where I didn’t speak a single word—the whole day just passed me by in silence. I was so shy, I was practically mute. It wasn’t because I didn’t have thoughts or feelings; in fact, I had so much I wanted to say, so many insights and ideas that just lived inside me. But I couldn’t express them. That shyness held me back from connecting with others, and I didn’t have many friends because of it. Read more>>

Rowan Cooper

Building confidence and self-esteem is no easy task—especially in a world dominated by comparison and external judgment. My experience in the acting industry in Los Angeles was a harsh awakening. When I first arrived, full of hope and ambition, I worked for someone who promised career success but instead undermined my every effort. Week after week, I endured critiques of my appearance, my voice, and my entire being. One day I was “too fat for the industry,” the next my hair was the wrong length, my clothes were “too loud,” and my makeup “not good enough.” Slowly, I began to internalize these criticisms, believing them to be reflections of my worth. I became a punching bag for someone else’s projections, and my confidence crumbled. Read more>>

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