It’s okay to be scared, often that’s a sign that you are pushing yourself towards greatness. However, it’s equally important to build up your confidence and we hope the conversations presented below can help provide some food for thought around how you can level up your confidence and self-esteem.
Michael Blank
Growing up, I always felt like the outcast. It seemed that everyone else understood how the world works, but I always felt an intrinsic disconnect to social norms and what everyone else felt comfortable conforming to. When a teacher recommended ‘ The Catcher in the Rye’ for me to read, I felt it was too watered down to appreciate and connect to. Read more>>
Ross Alan
I think anyone of a certain age understands that confidence and self-esteem comes from experience and making mistakes. I’m turning 33 and I look back at who I was 10 years ago – hell even 5 years ago, and there was so much insecurity. I was figuring out who I was. And that’s the crux of it right? You feel insecure because you don’t really know what you’re doing or where you’re headed. Read more>>
ELISE
For me, confidence and self-esteem was gradually built overtime. When I was a younger kid, I was extremely nervous to perform in front of even the smallest crowd, but I think the more I pushed myself outta my comfort zone as a performer and entertainer the more Confident I became! Read more>>
Laura Shrewsbury
Oh, I’m still very much a work in progress! Haha! I think that everything we do in life is an outward manifestation of a facet of our interior world. Of our hearts and souls. From our personal style, to home decor, to the books we choose to read and the food we put into our bodies. Read more>>
Becktoria
It took me a really long time to develop my confidence and self-love. I had a spiritual awakening in my early 30s after visiting a Balinese healer who channels Shiva. Just from that first visit, I experienced a change in my mindset which led me on a self-healing journey. I was lost and depressed for over a decade and dealt with insecurities and self-doubt. Read more>>
Marina Gonc
I developed my confidence by learning to listen to myself and staying true to my values and passions. There was a time when I worked in jobs that didn’t resonate with me, which made me feel small and constantly afraid of being called out for not being in my element. This experience taught me the importance of aligning my work and life choices with my genuine interests and strengths. Read more>>
Raylynne Perez-Eggert
I think I have my parents to thank for a lot of my baseline confidence and self-esteem, they were outstanding in building me up growing up. When I finally was out working I had a bit of a fear of public speaking, but you know what cured it? I took a job as a tour guide at Space Center Houston. We would give tours to around a hundred people or more at a time. You realize that a lot about people. Read more>>
Rahi Sarbaziha
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by embracing the understanding that we are all human, living on the same planet. Recognizing that I have the power to make a positive difference in the lives of those around me has been a cornerstone of my journey. I’ve worked hard to contribute meaningfully, helping others whenever possible. Read more>>
Kelsey Settle
Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey, not a destination, for me. Growing up, I struggled with self-doubt like many others and most of my doubt was centered around body image. The turning point came when I realized that confidence isn’t about being perfect; it’s about embracing your imperfections and owning your story. Read more>>
Dr. Dustin Domingo
This is an interesting question. There are still days I don’t feel my best. There are rooms where I don’t immediately feel I belong. But I know I’m so much more confident now than I was years ago. Part of developing my confidence and self-esteem is unlearning the idea that as a queer Filipino person, I’m not meant to be the one celebrated nor the one front and center. Read more>>
Alma Valdez
I’ve always grown up as the shy girl that wouldn’t speak up for herself & never left her mom’s side no matter where I was at. It wasn’t until around the age of 14 or 15 I went through something very personal and that opened my eyes to actually speak up for myself because you can’t always count on certain people to always be there for you and hold your hand. Read more>>
Sabrina Zellis
My confidence and self-esteem have been nurtured by my family, particularly my mother. She has always encouraged me to be myself and to try new things. Her constant support and reassurance that giving my best effort is what truly matters have instilled in me a strong sense of self-worth and determination. Read more>>
Victoria Warren
Growing up in the Midwest with a strong support system provided by my parents and sister laid a solid foundation for my confidence and self-esteem. Their encouragement and belief in me gave me the courage to pursue my dreams. When I moved to San Diego a few years ago, I carried that confidence with me, allowing it to guide me into new experiences. Read more>>
Zoe Olivia
I developed confidence by first changing its definition from that of a “successful performance” to true vulnerability. I shifted it from meaning “external recognition of accomplishment” to “standing consistently in authenticity.” Read more>>
Barbara Peters and Andrea Gould-Marks N/A
It didn’t happen overnight of that I am certain! As an only child I matured quickly, especially when at the age of 11 my parents and I immigrated to the U.S. from Poland and I became our family interpreter, advisor and advocate. I was challenged to learn English quickly and ask tough questions in both personal and home situations. Read more>>
Sasha Owens
That developed as the years continued to go and go. I always knew I was a beautiful girl, however, I’m vitiligan. Therefore, as years went my vitiligo continued to spread. What started as a spot, then an arm, and now pretty much all over it was mandatory that I gained more confidence. So, what I did was love every part of me. Read more>>
Jeremy Bryan
I’ve developed confidence and self esteem from experience. Just like working out builds muscle, so to I’ve built up confidence from previous experiences which helped me succeed in life. Now anything that requires a financial/health toll, I’d rather learn from other’s experience than my mine own. I think that’s practical wisdom. Read more>>
Colleen Virgili
As a female, I can recall many instances where I wasn’t taken seriously or seen as an equal to my male peers. If you let it, those experiences will lead to self doubt. It’s been vitally important to me to stay focused on my goals, both personally and professionally. Read more>>
Future Davis
I get my confidence by just knowing who I am and know that I am my mother‘s child and she is one of the most confident, strongest woman, I know Just being her daughter is enough to stay confident and know who I am and that I can make it through anything and that I am beautiful because my mom is. Read more>>
Mandy Hobel
I would accredit my confidence and high self esteem from the support of my family. From my brother and sister’s compliments and push, to my family standing behind me with the highest support in what I do. A decade ago I would not have imagined that I would be a full time professional photographer. I moved into diving into the deep end and buying my equipment and going all in. Read more>>
Heather Macias
Gaining confidence and self esteem is still something I find myself working on a lot and I feel a lot of us are. It’s just really nice knowing that I am great at what I do just from the growth of my business the past 2 years and the 12 years of being a massage therapist puts that confidence right there. I am now not as afraid to say “I am an amazing massage therapist and great at what I do”. Read more>>
Amanda Lien
It might sound cheesy, but being willing to set aside caring what people may or may not think about you has done wonders for my confidence and self-esteem. I spent so much of my adolescence worried about what people might be thinking or saying about me –– when, in reality, none of that mattered because they weren’t saying it to my face! Read more>>
Ashley Pakulski
Confidence is something that you aren’t born with but it is a skill that is learned. We all have stories and things we have been through in the past that create the little lies in our heads known as limiting beliefs which affect our confidence and how we show up. For me this was a long journey but it’s the power of morning routines that transformed my life. This is doing the inner and mindset work at once. Read more>>
Lindsay Teske
Obviously, a part of it is the result of time and experience. For instance, I’m significantly more confident now than I was when I had my first internship at nineteen. Primarily, though, I’ve always been pretty confident and had high self-esteem because I have no reason not to. I don’t believe anyone does. Read more>>
Katie Gutierrez
Sometimes confidence freely flows because it’s earned through preparedness, experience, practice, positioning, etc. but sometimes even with loads of that, confidence can be low for a slew of other reasons. In that case, confidence has to come by choice. Read more>>
Ryan Rubin
I look at life like this, we got one life and I’m gonna enjoy it. Everyone has a lottery ticket in life and one day that number will be pulled and I’ll know that I lived this life to the fullest, I had fun, and I was 100 percent Ryan Rubin. Enjoy this life be comfortable with who you are and do what makes you happy because only you can control your own happiness. Read more>>
George Weinstein
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through trial by fire: forcing myself to assume leadership roles even when I didn’t know what I didn’t know. To improve my public speaking skills, I took every opportunity to lead discussions or meetings. Read more>>
Kate Roberts
Building confidence in the beauty industry definitely took time. Looking the part by having my hair, makeup and nails done, and wearing a stylish outfit definitely helps. But it wasn’t until I really narrowed down my services to what I really enjoyed doing and honed in on those skills that I gained the confidence and self esteem that I needed to succeed. Read more>>
Jacy Kirby
I developed my confidence and self-esteem after years of having none. The phrase, “fake it ’til you make it,” were words I lived by. I’d wear a jovial mask, but internally, I was a swirling pool of insecurity, chaos, and self defeating diatribe. I think on this journey of life, we all have moments of unsureness or doubt, but I was made up of it. It took learning that I as myself, as the being I am, is enough. Read more>>
Amanda Rome West
I developed my confidence and self-esteem through dedicated work and focus on my goals + dreams. Through founding our own full-service media and production company, Watchlight Entertainment, my fiancé, and I have converted our wishes into reality by simply focusing on how we can use our strengths in marketing + advertising to cater to others’ business objectives. Read more>>
Tony James
Growing up biracial, with a black father and white mother, my journey to confidence began amidst the racial prejudices of a perplexed world. Observing the reactions and gestures directed at my white mother as she navigated the complexities of being in a community with mixed-race children, I witnessed her unwavering confidence and willingness to speak out against negativity. Her resilience in the face of adversity instilled in me a sense of pride and self-assurance. Read more>>
Paige Killian
Certainly confidence can ebb and flow with our changing circumstances. While we can “do the work,” and look within, and try to keep outside influences at arms length when they’re harmful, and only let them in when they’re helpful, we’re still human. I feel so blessed to have been raised in a supportive home with parents, extended family, and a tight friend group that have allowed me to put myself out there, try new things without the fear of judgement, and feel the love when things get difficult. Read more>>
