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.

Bianca Bee

Honestly, developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a journey—and it didn’t happen overnight. Coming from Detroit and then working in fast-paced cities like New York and LA, I was thrown into environments where I had to learn how to speak up, take up space, and not second-guess myself—even when I felt completely out of place. Read More>>

 Ashley Toman

I don’t think I always had the confidence I have today, I think it took many years of self doubt and questioning my worth to finally realize how dope and special I am. I know that nobody can be Ashley the way I can be Ashley. I know what I bring to the table. Whatever I lack, I have a dozen more things I do bring to the table. I think it’s important to be aware of our strengths and weaknesses and be aware of what we DO have vs what we lack. Read More>>

Christopher Rubio

I was raised by my mother in a middle to lower class home but I still never felt as though I couldn’t do anything I put my mind to. If I simply had the desire to do something, I said I was going to do it, and started the process. Then, once I started, it was just a given that I would accomplish my goal. I NEVER even thought there was a different outcome than success. I am a firm believer in toeing the line between confidence and cockiness (my wife says I toe it way too closely).  Read More>>

Jessica Layne

By age 40, I had shed every version of myself that was built to benefit someone else. Confidence didn’t come from achieving things—it came from remembering who I am. I’m a psychic, medium, and channeler of the unseen realms. As a writer and messenger, I serve as a bridge between worlds.

When I speak to someone—online or in person—I read their frequency. I can feel their motives, fears, and desires, and I respond from a place of truth, not performance. Read More>>

Mia Austin

My business is built on a foundation of inspiring confidence thru competence. Many don’t realize they are the biggest influence on how their dog thinks and ultimately behaves. By changing who you are and what you represent to your dog, you can effectively resolve most behavior issues.

My journey to building confidence thru competence began with my rescue Pitbull, Tony. I had lots of experience with fostering and owning dogs, but never a dog like Tony. He’s the kind of dog that if given the opportunity to test a boundary, will undoubtedly take it- every single time.  Read More>>

Kathleen Aharonian

I have developed my confidence and self-esteem by being in the self-development world over the past seven years. I’ve had to look at and heal years of trauma and conditioning to unleash this version of myself. I believe we all have a bold, higher self that lives within us, hidden beneath years of experiences and things that have been done or said to us. When we’re young we take on beliefs from the people around us and the society we live in.  Read More>>

Saray Suarez

I built my confidence and self-esteem by rethinking the world around me. I spoke Spanish first, so school brought challenges. I had to ask, “Why is this harder for me? Why do I not understand things as fast as others?” I noticed how my family and I were watched. Still, I was told I could do or become anything. My parents spoke limited English, but they never held back from moving through the world. This showed me what it meant to try without fear.  Read More>>

Pavish Patel

I developed my confidence and self-esteem over time through a combination of personal experiences, challenges, and intentional growth. One of the biggest factors was stepping outside of my comfort zone and taking initiative, especially when it came to preserving and promoting my culture. Hosting events with prominent Indian celebrities and becoming a Bollywood DJ in Los Angeles were not easy paths—they required courage, planning, and putting myself out there in front of large, diverse audiences. Every successful event helped me build more trust in my abilities and vision. Read More>>

Dena Tibsherany

You know that moment — when you’re standing in a room full of people, smiling, showing up, achieving… and yet, something inside you quietly wonders, “Is this really who I am?”

For a long time, that was me.

From the outside, I had the confidence: the degrees, the leadership roles, the praise. But inside, I had lost touch with the little girl who used to follow joy just because it felt good — who lived boldly, intuitively, and unapologetically in her own world. Read More>>

Ruth Ross

It was a tough slog. I believe it was a mix of looking inward and then looking outward and then taking note of the feedback. I also had my feelers open to opportunity offered by several mentors throughout my career and post-career. Read More>>

Shay Fox

I adopted the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. This perspective encouraged me to embrace challenges, learn from criticism, and persist in the face of setbacks. Recognizing that effort leads to improvement helped me build resilience and confidence. I became aware of my inner critic and actively worked to reframe negative thoughts. Instead of thinking, “I’m not good enough,” I reminded myself of my strengths and past successes. Read More>>

Emily Passman

I grew up in a family with 4 siblings. Hearing music played, talking loudly – sometimes over each other, drawing, smelling food, hearing duets played on piano and violin, and always on a Saturday my father had the opera on the radio. Running in and out of the house informally, heading off to a friends on my bike. This was the scene. Perhaps a half-finished science or art project was on the kitchen table, with boxes of crayons around. Read More>>

Alexandria Taylor

My confidence wasn’t born from ease, but forged through fire. As a third-generation Mexican-American, I was often the only brown face in a sea of white – first in classrooms as a student, then in the teacher’s lounge, and eventually in leadership positions. Rather than shrinking from this isolation, I used it as fuel. Read More>>

Erika Joseph

Confidence, for me, wasn’t something that developed overnight. Like many, it began with seeds planted by my parents. They weren’t perfect (most aren’t), but they parented through a lens of love. They poured so much into me and expected just as much in return. Because of that foundation, I grew up holding myself to a high standard. I had no choice but to demand more from myself. Read More>>

Priscilla Salisbury

When I arrived to this country from Mexico, I was just finishing fifth grade and stepping into the unknown world of middle school. I didn’t speak the language. I didn’t know who I was yet—just a quiet, unsure girl trying to find her place in a sea of unfamiliar faces, sounds and culture.

But there was one thing I did know: I had a passion for singing. Read More>>

Beki Song

I tend to find confidence through my work. It’s really a sense of accomplishment that gives me self-esteem. When I’m in the process of making something, or when I feel satisfied with the result, I feel like I can hold onto my self-worth.

But when I’m too busy or don’t have enough time to work, or when I don’t like how a piece turns out, my self-esteem tends to drop a lot. Still, I try to be kind to myself. I believe we grow through mistakes and failures. Read More>>

Alicia Benoit

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through Shade & Blade Brow Boutique by helping others find their own beauty and strength. Seeing the transformation in my clients—how a simple brow enhancement can light up their face and completely shift how they see themselves—reminded me of my own journey. Building this business from the ground up, pouring my heart into every detail, and watching it grow has been more than just a professional success—it’s been a deeply personal healing and empowering experience. Through serving others, I found myself. Read More>>

Isai Rodriguez

Confidence can be a tricky concept; I believe that there is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant. It’s important to know the difference and to manage those differences. In my personal case, confidence means trusting the process and keeping your expectations open. Knowing that something can go wrong prepares you to be ready in case you need to act in the moment. Being aware of your surroundings can help you feel confident. Read More>>

Taren Lutchey

It definitely didn’t come easy. Since I was a child I’ve fought with things like low self esteem, self doubt, and imposter syndrome. My mother would make me sit in the mirror and look at myself and say 10 good things about myself everyday. 5 things that I liked physically, and 5 things that I liked that aren’t physical (ex. smart, funny, nice, etc.). When she found out I was being bullied, she would always make sure to tell me things like “Unless someone is paying your bills, Read More>>

 Ameia Hill

Growing up I was told I was too skinny, I was called ugly because of my complexion through out the year I gained my weight back I start learning about the love of God which caused me to gain self love, I started to pour into myself I had to learn to love every part of me because if I didn’t no one else will, it was God who helped me develop confidence and self esteem. Read More>>

Giorgia May

This is a really interesting topic because I think it’s a constant work in progress your entire life, but eventually you get to a state of peaceful acceptance. As a woman you grow up always being told how to dress yourself, how to act for others, being put in competition with other women and being shaped in ways that you cannot control because it happens so insidiously. Once I started to question and challenge ideas of why I was doing certain things or changing myself, I started to understand that a lot of our behavioural patterns and choices we make really are centered around what we are taught growing up – Read More>>

Chelsea Martin

Confidence has definitely been a work in progress. I didn’t just wake up one day feeling sure of myself, it’s something I’ve built over time. For me, it started with showing up for myself, being surrounded by people who truly believe in me, and having an incredibly supportive husband and family. They’ve been my foundation every step of the way. Read More>>

Natalie Micale

The best way to develop your confidence and self-esteem is to keep your promises to yourself, even when things are hard. Even as a kid, if I signed up for something I would stick with it (my dad taught me this) and I’d become completley obsessed with it until I could actually be halfway decent at whatever it is I put my energy into. I did this 100% with musical theatre and dance and joined a traveling children’s choir, attended a performing arts high school and even got into a BFA program on a full ride for musical theater. Read More>> 

CoCojenkins (one Word)

I say this as unseriously as possible – I have the pleasure of being an only child, raised by two loving parents, and I also happen to be a LEO. The stereotype of Leos is that they’re full of themselves, and I am, with a lot of love. I truly hope everyone loves themself as much as I love myself, and I have a hard time understanding when people doubt themselves, because humans are so amazing!
The stereotype of only children is that they’re spoiled, and I was/am – with love. Read More>>

Fileve Tlaloc

The foundation of my confidence comes from my name and the connection to family. My first name, Fileve, is a combination name of my maternal and paternal grandmothers.

My maternal grandmother was Filvie or Fulvie. Supposedly, it means tawny colored in French, which described her color. They were of Indian descent from Mauritious. Filvie was also the name given to my grand mother to honor her father’s twin who passed away at a young age. My paternal grandmother was named Eve the biblical mother of all. Read More>>

Esperanza Green – Gonzales

Growing up, I have always felt like I was different. I definitely was the black sheep in my family and very different in school. Self-esteem and confidence has been something that I have had to work on consistently throughout my whole life. In still do sometimes. Over the years, I learned to love my uniqueness. However, that has taken a lot of inner work, deep self reflection, and healing. My path has not been easy, yet I am extremely grateful for it. It has made me the person that I am today. Read More>>

Danielle Atkinson

First, I believe confidence is not arrogance, it is a knowing of oneself, truly. Confidence and self-esteem come from a place of being unsure but being totally convinced of who you are. This walk is truly a journey, and both of these attributes come from a lot of insecurities and a lot of failures along the way. I was called names as a young woman because people didn’t like how I looked. It started in school because I attended a school where I was the minority which made me see myself as different from most of my peers.  Read More>>