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.
Brandon Luther
Through the compliments and support from my clients and my art collectors. Hearing how much they like my work really boosts my confidence. Read More>>
Maria Mercedes
I’d say my confidence has always been there. My self esteem was a slow bloomer and my voice has strengthened with age. Read More>>
Rachael Dickhute
I built much of my confidence through two early experiences: sports in high school and my first real job in sales. Sports taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to push through discomfort. But it was my sales job in my early twenties that truly shaped my self-esteem. Read More>>
Janelle Taylor
I believe it takes finding self love to develop confidence and self-esteem. It is hard work to be aware of yourself and to take time to go inwards and learn about yourself. When we take the time each day to connect with our higher selves we develop confidence and self-esteem naturally. To help me do this I use breathing techniques and meditation each morning. Read More>>
Luke Steichen
I think it’s important to always stay humble, even if you’re the most confident person in the room. That’s what separates being confident from being cocky. In my career, I’ve learned that confidence comes from knowing what it takes… to fail. Nobody starts their career confident or even qualified. And if they think they are, they’re probably delusional. Read More>>
Karina Bromberg
I think confidence and self-esteem are things we build continuously — they naturally fluctuate depending on what’s happening in our lives, like after a “failure,” a “success,” or when we’re facing something new. Over time, I realized that for my own growth, confidence will only strengthen if I separated it from my career accomplishments. Read More>>
Keara Jewel
Well, i am still developing my self confidence. But what has helped me was learning myself , gaining new skills and doing shadow work. I love to say affirmations and focus on my strengths to get me through any challenge i face. Read More>>
Leah Varney
Confidence and self-esteem didn’t arrive overnight; they were built through experience, failure, and the decision to keep showing up anyway. Photography taught me that perfection doesn’t exist; it’s about seeing beauty in real imperfect moments. That perspective has carried into everything I do, especially real estate. When you’re helping someone buy or sell a home, you can’t fake confidence, clients will feel it immediately. Read More>>
Kathryn Johnson
I feel like my confidence and self esteem grows the most when I am doing things that scare me or make me uncomfortable. It’s like I prove to myself that I can overcome and get comfortable with the things that I shy away from which makes me like hellll yeah, okay, my mind was playing tricks on me damnit. Read More>>
Danielle Cowdrey
Lately, I’ve been exploring patterns—playing with rhythm, repetition and movement—and figuring out how to bring them into my creative process. It’s been such a fun and freeing way to experiment and evolve as an artist. Read More>>
Jamie West
I’m an only child, so growing up I had to pull myself out of really bad depressions and days. It created a safe haven for me to be who I wanted to be no matter what was going on. I knew that, or at least I thought, nobody would understand or relate—until I started therapy. People around me had support systems and I didnt. Read More>>
Matt Bedell, PsyD, LPC-S, LCDC
I love the way this question is framed because I often say, “Confidence comes after action.” My life has been an ongoing evolution of learning and growth, and I hope it always stays that way. Over time, I’ve accepted that when we start something new, feelings of uncertainty and insecurity naturally come with it. Those feelings aren’t flaws; they’re signals. Read More>>
Gayle Faulkner
As an academic child and young adult with a degree in Sociology, the idea of an art career was somewhat ludicrous. One day, I literally pulled from the air the idea that I wanted to be an artist. As a self-starter, I took the risk. Read More>>
Marcel Herms
What helps is getting older. Then you (at least I do) become less concerned about what others think of you. And that’s a good thing. You can’t please everyone. Read More>>
Odunayo Aboderin Alao
Developing self-esteem or confidence as a business person isn’t a day’s achievement,i must say. It comes with daily mastering and determination, attimes you feel you’re not worth it, attimes you feel you’re inferior, but with persistence, I am sure everyone would get there. Read More>>
Jynae Bergeron
Developing my confidence as a visual artist has been a gradual process, full of peaks and valleys that continue into the present day. Throughout my 20’s, I created art as a hobby; dedicating all of my spare time to making art. Read More>>
DPAK @dpak.world
My confidence didn’t come naturally — in fact, it came from not having it. I was bullied a lot growing up, and as an only child raised by brilliant Indian parents, I didn’t have many confident male role models or examples of bold leadership. Culturally, I came from a background that prized intellect and perfection, but not necessarily charisma or risk-taking. Read More>>
Ed Porter
Honestly, my confidence didn’t come from getting everything right. It came from surviving the moments where everything should’ve broken me but didn’t. I grew up around strong, resilient people. My parents, my grandmother folks who didn’t always have the luxury of self-doubt. They just showed up and made a way. Watching that, I learned early that confidence isn’t loud. It’s not bravado. It’s consistency. Read More>>
JOSEFINA DELAVEAU EGUILUZ
I get my confidence and self esteem from my ability to achieve the goals I set for myself. Every time I decide to do something, I focus completely on it until I make it happen. When I finally achieve it, it reminds me that I’m capable of even bigger things. Read More>>
Lakhinder Vohra
By being rejected, ridiculed and disrespected by others. Everytime somebody tried to put me down I came back stronger. Read More>>
Ryan Stock
Confidence, for me, has always come from clarity — knowing who I am, what I stand for, and trusting that there’s a purpose behind every step. I didn’t grow up with direct family ties to hospitality, so most of what I’ve built came from trial, error, and frankly a strong confidence that I could just figure things out along the way. Read More>>
Seth Thielges
Honestly? Do you ever really stop developing those? I think practicing trust in myself, making those conscious choices to follow my gut, even if my brain was screaming “DANGER,” really was the thing that boosted my self-worth the most. I also think there’s confidence in knowing when you’re wrong and being able to admit that. Read More>>
Michael Pierce
You know, being an actor really forced me to develop both confidence and self-esteem — not in a superficial way, but in a complete survival way. You dont really have a choice except to build your confidence. You walk into audition rooms where you have to sell yourself over and over again, and put yourself out there. Read More>>
