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.

Isaac Fletcher

As long as I can remember I always had a great deal of confidence and I know it came from my relationship with Christ. I always knew God gave me a lot of talents so I just leaned into that. If I wasn’t meant to do somethings, God wouldn’t have given me the desire nor the skills to do it. I never said the word “can’t” growing up and people know that about me.  Read More>>

Xuanyu Ye

I used to be a very introverted person and often lacked the courage to express my opinions to others. I also felt a sense of shame when presenting and describing my works. I’m not sure where this feeling came from, but it did have some negative effects on my life and social interactions. But later, I realized that it might be because I cared too much about what others thought or was overly perfectionistic, fearing that I might say or do something wrong. Read More>>

Shayma Abu-esba

I’ve developed my confidence and self-esteem by focusing on my own growth and effort. The more I invest in myself and my work, the less I find myself comparing my journey to others. When I’m fully engaged in my craft and striving toward my next goal, I feel fulfilled. That sense of progress fuels my confidence because I know I’m constantly evolving and moving forward. Read More>>

Brielle Larocca

I wasn’t always the confident, self-motivated person I am today. In fact, for the longest time, I was the complete opposite. I doubted myself, self-sabotaged, and let insecurity run the show. But now? I’m overflowing with confidence, and my goal is to help others tap into that same energy within themselves. Because that’s the thing about confidence—it’s already inside you. You just have to embrace it. Read More>>

Carlton Lee Jr.

Confidence. I think that is something that will be forever evolving for me. I can definitely say confidence and I have not been friends for very long. Growing up, I lacked both confidence and self-esteem. From early on I knew I was different than most kids. I was black in a predominantly white space, I was gay, I was a creative, & I was not great at sports! I never felt like I truly “fit in” in any space I was in. Even in the circles I found, I internally didn’t feel like I belonged. Because of this, I went on a long journey to find out who I was and where I belonged.  Read More>>

Kela Woods

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through a journey that began in my childhood and was nurtured by the unwavering support of my family. Growing up as a dark-complected, chunky child in a community where those traits were often seen as unfavorable, I quickly learned that my value extended far beyond what the mirror could show.  Read More>>

Elektra Yao

My confidence and self-esteem come from years of making mistakes. By constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I have failed multiple times and I am no longer afraid of mistakes. Mistakes bring me closer to my goals. Every time I have failed, i have learned something that made the subsequent try better and closer to my goal. Read More>>

Chantell Pfitzer

Confidence and self-esteem, for me, have always been rooted in self-love. I’ve always had a strong sense of both, but like anyone, life has tested them. Over time, I’ve learned that confidence isn’t about never doubting yourself—it’s about recognizing your strengths, leaning into them, and refusing to let anyone take that from you. It’s also about the way you speak to yourself, the company you keep, and the boundaries you set. Read More>>

Reuben & Amber Lara

Amber writes:
Growing up in a household that taught me principled based decision-making in the midst of a loving environment, helped me have confidence at a young age. I’ve come to understand that my self-esteem is derived from the quality of the important relationships in my life, namely: my family, my God and my friends. Being a husband/wife team, taking on an entrepreneurial endeavor can understandably put stress on one’s relationship. Read More>>

Seunghee Park

When I opened this store, my husband cheered me on a lot. Confidence comes from me, but it would have been difficult to take a step forward without the sincere support from the people around me. I wouldn’t listen if someone other than my husband had started saying negative things to me. It’s no help at all, it’s not their job, and I’m the only one who controls my life. But I’m a human being, sometimes it’s hard.  Read More>>

Sandra Dutton

A number of places. I grew up in Norwood, Ohio, in the center of Cincinnati. I remember giving a book report in fourth grade. So nervous I was, I remember looking down and seeing my arm shaking. But I learned a trick with my next report. I made illustrations for the story and showed them on a screen. And as I spoke, I was amazed—everyone paid more attention to my drawings than me, and I talked merrily away. Read More>>

Miguel Muzquiz

There are tons of ways to boost your confidence and self-esteem! A big thing for me was picturing how I wanted to feel—strong, fit, determined, and successful. I used to weigh 260 pounds and worked as a DoorDash driver, making $120 a day for 12-hour shifts, but I knew I needed a change! I started enjoying little things in life, like solo movie nights, eating out, and kayaking a 7-mile stream every other day. Kayaking with audiobooks helped me truly understand who I was as a person and how my past as a kid affected me. Read More>>

Meimei Liu

As growing up, my parents were my biggest supporters. They always encouraged me to explore the things I loved and were willing to give me opportunities to showcase myself, no matter how small or big the occasion was. Their support went beyond simple words of encouragement—their actions showed unconditional trust. For instance, whenever I showed interest in something, whether participating in a small activity or stepping onto a bigger stage, they would let me give it my all without hesitation or limitation. Read More>>

Yana Liner

Confidence and self-esteem come from a mix of skill, experience, and mindset. For me, it started with a deep focus on quality—pushing myself to improve, perfecting every line, and being honest about my strengths and weaknesses.

Over time, confidence grows naturally when you see the impact of your work—how clients react, how your designs live on skin, how your name carries weight. I also believe in delegation: focusing on what I do best and letting specialists handle what they excel at. It allows me to fully immerse myself in my craft without distractions. Read More>>

Elizabeth Askren

For me, nothing replaces commitment and consistent effort. All of my professional skills were acquired through rigorous studies and diligent training, followed by professional experience in the field. This has taken many years – even decades! – to achieve, and yet I am still very humble about what I have yet to learn and master. Once you have done the real work, confidence and self-esteem naturally follow. Read More>>

Krishna Kayastha

For a long time, I didn’t think confidence was something I could develop. I thought it was something you either had or didn’t—something reserved for people who weren’t constantly battling self-doubt, perfectionism, and the weight of feeling misunderstood. Read More>>

D’pelotage

Confidence didn’t come overnight for me—it was a process of growth and perseverance. I owe much of my confidence to embracing every challenge as an opportunity to learn and improve. Starting my business, D’pelotage Signature Wedding & Events, in a university business class back in 2008 forced me to step out of my comfort zone.  Read More>>

Kelly Reid

Honestly, it all came from my daughter. When she was born, I had this huge realization: if I wanted her to grow up confident and self-assured, I needed to be the best example for her.

With the world being what it is, I knew I couldn’t control what others might say or think about her—but I could teach her that the most important opinion is her own. And to do that, I had to start living that truth myself. Read More>>

Nicole Williams

I developed my confidence and self-esteem along the way. Because of my life’s journey, it wasn’t instilled in me and was hard for me to accept myself. As I journeyed through life, and began to see my accomplishments as accomplishments, and be invited into rooms that I had never imagined, I began to tell myself, “Nicole, you belong in every room God places you in, and if you are here, there is something in you that brought you here.” Read More>>

Galit Friedlander

Putting myself in scenarios that are out of my comfort zone (in the healthy way) have always helped with both confidence and self-esteem. One example is with one of the first major dance studios I taught at: Movement Lifestyle. I had wanted to pitch to teach there and one day, instead of waiting, I decided to step into the studio as I happened to be passing by. I needed to, in that moment, hone in on the confidence to (a) walk in and (b) speak! Read More>>