Meet Anya Shumskaya

We recently connected with Anya Shumskaya and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anya, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Confidence and self-esteem development is a never-ending journey for me – it evolves alongside my life. I’ve always struggled with insecurities about my body: wearing concealer to bed at sleepovers, waterproof foundation to swimming practice, or avoiding short skirts without tights to hide my cellulite.

It wasn’t until I started writing and talking about my acne journey online that I realized my experience wasn’t unique. Many people related to that constant feeling of not fitting in and comparing themselves to others’ “better” details. I now call those people my community. We lift each other up and feel safe discussing sensitive topics I once thought only I struggled with.

To answer the question, my confidence grew as the support around me grew – and as I realized I wasn’t alone in my confidence struggles.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Professionally, I’m a content creator and mental health advocate, focused on helping women build confidence and self-worth through honest conversations and examples. My background in clinical psychology from Columbia University deeply influences the way I approach my work – I care about making people feel seen and understood.

In comparison to other creators, I really try to make my online presence authentic and real. From discussing body image and acne to talking about self-esteem and healing, I aim to create a space where women can show up as they are.

Recently, I launched The Daily Empowerment Journal, a guided journal designed to help women connect with themselves and strengthen their confidence through daily reflection. It’s the project I’m most proud of because it brings everything I’ve learned – from psychology to personal experience – into something tangible that can support others on their journey.

My brand is all about realness, growth, and community. I want every woman who comes across my page to feel a little less alone and a little more empowered to love herself as she is.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, my knowledge of mental health, being able to empathize with people, and being brave has impacted my journey the most.

My knowledge of mental health from my Columbia University studies has contributed to my introspective and extrospective emotional analysis of myself and others. I was able to understand my own deep personal feelings and how I can successfully communicate them online. This ties into my empathy, because once I started receiving feedback on my vulnerable videos about other people’s experiences, I was immediately inspired and pushed to continue creating for my community. They are my biggest inspiration, and I wouldn’t be doing this without them, truly.

However, there was a certain level of bravery and dissociation that contributed to my content journey. I went from posting filtered and heavily edited photos my whole life, to recording a reel with bare skin, in heavy breakouts, crying on camera – that’s incredibly brave and heavy. But I am so grateful I made that commitment.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Living in New York City can drain all of your life juices out of you. However, after living here for over 14 years, you learn how to cope. When I feel overwhelmed, I disconnect from the chaos. I go for long walks without music, sit in a park, or journal to get everything out of my head and onto paper. Writing helps me make sense of what I’m feeling instead of letting it spiral.

I also try to check in with my body—have I eaten properly? Slept enough? Sometimes overwhelm isn’t emotional, it’s physical exhaustion disguised as anxiety.

My advice is to slow down and stop trying to “fix” the feeling right away. Let yourself feel overwhelmed without judgment. Once you stop fighting it, you realize it always passes.

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