Perspectives on Developing Confidence

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.

Liubov Trif

I think in every profession ,confidence is a big factor in the job.
I am a makeup artist and hair stylist and in my profession, confidence is one of the most important puzzles of a successful look. Confident master = calm client.
Of course, at the beginning of my journey I was very afraid, I was completely unsure of myself. But, step by step, I overcame my fear and learned from my mistakes. Read more>> 

Amanda Centeno

I was often told I was confident, but I never felt it. For a long time, I did not see myself as ideal; I did not consider myself conventionally attractive, I knew I was smart but not the smartest in class, I knew I was talented but not the most talented.
And despite that, I delighted myself.
I laughed at the stupid things that came out of my mouth.
I found so much joy in my fashion choices and my self-presentation. Read more>>

Ellie Curry

I used to think confidence was something you either had or didn’t have. That if I wanted to become confident I would have to become someone I wasn’t. So I searched for confidence outside of myself. I would become who I thought people wanted me to be instead of embracing who I actually was. Then I realized, I was doing it all wrong. The more I was able to embrace my authentic self, confront the self-judgment I held, and practice kindness toward myself the more confident I became.  Read more>>

Jerry Hernandez

Growing up I had pretty good self-esteem, but when it came to my art I was not as confident. It wasn’t until my early 20’s that I decided to start painting. Back then there wasn’t internet so I got my inspiration by watching PBS art programs. I would spend hours watching artists create their masterpieces and observing their techniques. One day I decided to take the plunge and bought a bunch of art supplies. Read more>>

Angelic Mister

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by facing my fears. I had experienced some life challenges that compelled me to shift in my thinking and my approach to life. I realized that I had to see myself differently in order to be different. When I made the mental shift, I became more confident. I had to reflect on the women in my family who were confident women, like my grandmother. I had to remember that I am of the same fiber and had the same DNA. Read more>>

Yume Danae Shanti

I learned with much trial and error to trust my gut feeling, a whisper from my heart and a sense of intuitive awareness. When I respect these signals of wisdom, which I call the Voice that is Wise Inside, and follow their promptings everything works out for the best for everyone. I wrote a book about this which teaches people the seven easy steps I call The Hero Formula. the book title is Wise Inside. Read more>>

Makayla Marley

I developed my confidence through many trials and errors within the beauty industry and continuing my education in various different parts of esthetics. Time is what really builds an estheticians confidence in this field. I also became the woman I strived to be by pretending to be her day by day. I would think to myself how would she handle this situation ? How would she present herself to others? I “pretended” to be this confident woman every day and then one day I realized I wasn’t pretending anymore. Read more>>

Goran Popovich

My confidence and self-esteem developed through faith in God—a simple yet profound concept that has guided me through the ups and downs of life. Trust, in its most fragile form, is the foundation of my confidence. When you’ve experienced failure and you find yourself at the rock bottom; it’s that exact fragile trust in yourself that becomes the lifeline, the belief that you can rise again. This belief- this faith, is where my self-esteem was forged. Read more>>

Shant Zadouri

I had always struggled with gaining confidence, I could never trust myself to reach the goals that I intended on reaching. Until, I came to a point in my life where I realized I needed to be consistent in reinforcing my thoughts and taking action. I did this by doing all the things I had put off doing, one of which was directing and producing my first indie film. I began production on my first film, ‘The Hit’ in late 2021 to mid 2022, I developed confidence by throwing myself into unfamiliar situations, but my mindset was, “If I don’t know something or I cannot find someone to help me in achieving a task, I am willing to learn and do it myself”.  Read more>>

Jonathan Dublin

Confidence and self-esteem have always been a part of who I am. My parents often remind me that, even as a child, I was outspoken and sure of myself. I hold a deep belief in my ability to grow; if there’s something I’m not good at, I know that with time and patience, I can master it. I’m the kind of person who isn’t afraid to ask for what I want and speak my mind.Music has always been one of those passions that have fueled my confidence. Read more>>

Mark Jeffries (aka Dilisio)

As a kid I always lacked confidence. In just about everything I did. Sports, music, girls, you name it. I had a very hard time being myself and trusting my abilities to achieve what I wanted to achieve. I remember before little league baseball games being SO nervous throughout the day leading up to the game, that I would just wish and hope for the game to get canceled for some reason. Read more>>

Lee Densmer

Confidence and self-esteem doesn’t come easily for many of us, especially women. And it doesn’t come easy in a corporate setting, where so often what you do isn’t what you’re great at or what you want to do – it’s just chipping away at a job description for someone who doesn’t truly want you to grow. This all to say that often our professional circumstances do NOT help us develop our self-esteem, even if you know you are smart, capable, and hard-working. Read more>>

Alex Ho

I have always had issues with my confidence and self-esteem since I was a child. Growing up I wasn’t one to speak out a lot or stand up for myself. I’d keep my head down and just do my own thing. This continued into my 20’s when when I was working as a project manager in construction and didn’t feel quite comfortable with arguing over little things that I really could care less about. In 2010 I was feeling lost and unsure what I wanted to do with my life so I decided to have myself a “Yes Year” where I would say yes to anything (within reason) to break me out of my comfort zone. Read more>>

Lori Melnitsky

I stuttered severely as a child. It originally lowered my confidence and negatively impacted my self esteem. This forced me to take a close look at myself and my life. I had to confront the areas where I felt insecure and pinpoint the sources of my self-doubt. This self-awareness was crucial in understanding what I needed to work on and what I truly wanted. Read more>>

Betesha Bloise Ponciano

I developed my confidence by facing challenges, even those I once believed I couldn’t overcome. Through these trials, I proved to myself that I was bigger than my circumstances and realized that, despite my fears, I was always capable of taking action. Read more>>

Alexander V. Johnson

First, you have to cease to compare yourself to someone else out there you want to be like. I’ve heard it said that if you want some attribute of a person, you have to assume you take everything on. So if you want Elon’s money, you also have to accept that you’ll have a hard time communicating with people, you’ll have 11 kids with multiple different people, and you’ll be working 14 hours a day. So in essence, you can’t just pick a specific trait, because someone had to sacrifice to have those traits. There are no solutions, just trade offs. Read more>>

Minh Ta

I was one of the only Vietnamese kids in my school, who was a bit overweight and also didn’t have money for nice clothes. I learned early on that opinions only matter as much as you make them to be, and so I carried myself in a way that I was happy with others disliking. You do have to fake it until you make it, but if you make it then it isn’t *really* fake. I believe that acting brave while you’re terrified in itself is an act of bravery, and the same could apply to your self-esteem and confidence. However, as I’ve gotten older, I find that confidence was never affirmations in the mirror; it’s a list of undeniable skills and traits that do not change despite other people’s opinions. Read more>>

Jacqueline Huang

I have developed my confidence and self-esteem through both the quality of my work and the strength of my personality. As a designer, my confidence grows with each successful project I complete. Creating work that not only meets aesthetic standards but also encourages people to view topics from a fresh perspective gives me a deep sense of fulfillment. It reassures me that my contributions extend beyond visual appeal, impacting thought and dialogue. Read more>>

Yooyeon Nam

The essence of being a painter lies in my confidence and self-esteem. I believe my work is exceptional, meaningful, and holds significant importance. My confidence grew as I transitioned from a businesswoman in South Korea to a painter in the U.S. Discovering my true passion and dedicating myself to it was transformative. Read more>>

Alicia Watley

There are so many questions here that I wanted to answer but I felt this one fit me the best. It wasn’t an easy journey for me and I still fight to overcome it every single day, but I am so grateful for where I mentally am now and knowing what my purpose is.. Read more>>

May Fearnley

As a professional Belly dancer/chorographer/instructor, I gain my confidence and self-esteem throughout the years of experience. It was not easy to begin due to my body type and ethnicity and how world of eyes focus in different areas than artistry. I have had criticism and failure about my work, I failed and I got up and make me stronger and better next time. I also proved to myself and others by winning multiple competition, festival performance and theater performance throughout the years. Read more>>

Doug Foltz

I think we all know how important confidence is – in any pursuit. But in the creative fields – where many times you’re putting your intimate thoughts or feelings out there on public display – it become essential. Certainly there must have been a conscious decision somewhere about what I could do to work on that – to loose my fear – but I really think its been an evolutionary thing for me… and it’s still going on. Getting past fear doesn’t mean you’re not concerned about how you or your work is going to be received… it just means that your driven by something you feel is more important. Read more>>

Dj Turn Up

First things first, I was able to lay down a good foundation for myself. 1st I love music, I was always into listening to the radio & then when I got a little older, I was into listening to the newest music & determining what the hit songs were going to be. Then when I got a lil older, I was always at every party, so I knew what I knew what the people wanted to hear if I ever were to become a DJ. Then I first got started djing, I was always in my friend’s room (who was also a DJ) & we were always working on our djing ability like transitioning/mixing songs & transitioning/mixing amongst each other. So when I did my 1st party it was beyond a success & the rest was history.  Read more>>

Pamela Manning

My confidence and self-esteem have been shaped through life’s struggles and the resilience I’ve developed by overcoming them. There’s immense satisfaction in working hard, especially when it positively impacts someone else’s life. Tackling challenges I once thought were beyond my reach, and ultimately succeeding, gives me an incredible rush and a deep sense of self-worth. I’ve learned that I can achieve things I never imagined possible. Staying true to my values and maintaining my integrity has been the solid foundation that keeps me grounded and empowered. Read more>>

Dee Lightfull

I think the interesting thing is that I’ve always had a lot of confidence but low self-esteem. In retrospect, I can see that I was often in relationships with people who tried to keep me small, whether it be family, friends, or ex-husbands (yes, plural). When I was in my 40’s, my mother developed Early Onset Alzheimer’s. She was 62, and she declined rapidly. As I watched her and took care of her, I kept thinking how 62 wasn’t really that far away for me! I decided to Marie Kondo my life! I took an honest and hard look at my life and decided that I was getting rid of anything and anyone that didn’t bring me joy.  Read more>>

Betty Ke

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through a journey of self-awareness and cultural adaptation. Growing up in Taiwan, I often felt shy and less confident, influenced by social norms that prioritized others’ needs over my own. For example, in school, I hesitated to ask questions out of fear that my concerns might seem foolish or waste others’ time. This mindset extended to social situations, where I rarely voiced my needs. Read more>>

Nacho Colombini

Developing confidence and healthy self-esteem has always been a challenge for me. To achieve this, I forced myself to face situations that took me out of my comfort zone. Every time I overcame an obstacle, no matter how small, I not only felt a great sense of satisfaction but also gained more self-confidence. I learned to value my achievements without comparing myself to others and recognized that growth is an ongoing process. Surrounding myself with supportive people and maintaining faith in myself have been crucial on this journey. Read more>>

Raed Ahsan

Throughout my journey, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. From the very beginning, I was aware that the road ahead would be filled with challenges, uncertainties, and moments that would test my resolve. Negativity would inevitably come my way, trying to deter me from my path. But deep within, I believed that my journey was divinely inspired. Read more>>

Jasmine King

Just simple by being myself,Never tried to or wanted to be like the next person.i do my best with ignoring criticism it’s honestly always funny to me especially if it’s negative cause it’s from people who don’t even know me.Just always stay positive.
Growing up i definitely struggled with loving my skin tone because I was dark skin it was always folks in middle or high that would pick on me because I was too dark. Now that I am an adult I embrace my skin color & love it. I also get compliments a lot something that is very new to me being that I was once that ugly duckling growing up. Read more>>