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.

Maria Freeman

I believe that we are all born with 100% confidence and perfect self-esteem. Later, our childhood experiences and environment shape our ideas and perceptions of ourselves. If we didn’t have a solid foundation—parents who raised us with a mindset of self-acceptance and love—we grow into adults who live in a perpetual state of shame, anger, resentment, hatred, and fear toward ourselves. Read More>>

SNØ BLVK

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by pivoting through many failures and overcoming things meant to destroy me.

I’ve overcome the stereotype of being a young mother, homelessness, divorce, etc. I remember even putting my business on pause while I tried to figure things out. Read More>>

Kelsi Eastman

Honestly it is something that I still struggle with, but I think that my kids have really helped with that. When I started making cakesicles I was really worried about how they looked or tasted and if anyone would even WANT them. But people have! Which is amazing but it is hard not to question if it is because they want to support me or genuinely like the cakesicles!
My husband is a huge supporter and will help me as I develop flavors but has I have grown one of the greatest feelings is when I catch him off guard during a taste test. Such a huge boost to see his real and raw reaction! Read More>>

CR Reid

Ah, confidence. Self-esteem. The elusive unicorns of modern psychology. I didn’t wake up one morning, gaze into a sunbeam, and suddenly decide I was enough. No—mine came the old-fashioned way: repetition, deliberate reinforcement, and a fair amount of internal arm-twisting.

Early in life, I was about as confident as a wet sock. Charming, I know. Every mistake felt like an indictment of my entire character, and every compliment a clerical error. But being both stubborn and slightly allergic to helplessness, I decided to treat my own self-perception like I would a patient with a severely under-stimulated prefrontal cortex and a hyperactive limbic system. In other words, a nervous system running the show while the executive board took a smoke break. Read More>>

Elizabeth Jackson

I believe confidence and self esteem are always a work in progress, a continuous ebb and flow. Some days, I will feel like an expert, and other days, I will feel like I still have so much work to do. I believe confidence and self esteem also build over time. When I first started photographing newborns, there were times when I felt unsure of how I was handling them. Now, after so many years of experience, I have the confidence to know exactly how to handle them, soothe them, and even give advice to parents.  Read More>>

Peter Guzman

I developed my confidence and self-esteem from my father. He was my hero and he hugged me and never let me go. I truly believe that his complete love for me, set the tone for believing I could do anything I put my mind to. This was the foundation for my success in life. Read More>>

Alex Morales

Building your confidence and self-esteem has been a journey marked by intention and growth. You’ve challenged self-doubt not by ignoring it, but by learning from it—setting small, meaningful goals and celebrating each step forward. You’ve learned to speak kindly to yourself, replacing old inner criticisms with affirmations rooted in truth. The way you now carry yourself—with clearer boundaries, greater self-respect, and a willingness to take on new challenges—shows just how far you’ve come.  Read More>>

GFE Guap

Coming from a hard past, building my self-esteem and confidence as a music artist wasn’t easy but it was necessary. I had to face the darkest parts of myself and unlearn the doubts that came from my environment and upbringing. For a long time, I battled with feeling overlooked, misunderstood, and like I didn’t belong. But everything started to shift when I surrounded myself with the right people those who saw my potential even when I couldn’t. Their belief in me, paired with my own inner work and dedication to the craft, helped me grow not just as an artist, but as a man. Over time, I stopped questioning myself.  Read More>>

Samantha Morales G.

Modeling played a huge role in helping me build genuine self-confidence. For a long time, I lived by Rihanna’s motto—“fake confidence, no one can tell if it’s real”—and it worked, to an extent. But eventually, I stopped pretending. I started truly feeling confident and believing in myself. Modeling was a turning point—it gave me the tools, experience, and self-awareness to appreciate my body for what it is: my home. I learned not just to take care of it, but to truly cherish and respect it. Read More>>

Declan Chapin

For me, confidence and self-esteem didn’t come from one big moment, but from a lot of small, intentional choices over time. A few things that made a big difference:

Leaving my hometown and close-knit community at 18 to move to Texas on my own. That experience taught me how to stand on my own two feet, find my voice, and create a life from scratch—far from everything familiar. Read More>>

Richard Tevlin

I found real confidence and self-esteem when I realized that, for better or worse, confidence is often just how other people perceive you. For a long time, I thought you had to feel confident first, that it had to come from some deep place inside. But one day it hit me: fake confidence is confidence. If you carry yourself like you know who you are and expect others to treat you that way, most people will. That whole “fake it till you make it” mindset? It actually works. I started acting like the person I wanted to become, and eventually, I grew into that version of myself. Read More>>

Taylor Hall

Confidence comes from knowledge, indisputable fact, something that can prove to your self and others if necessary. When I talk about proving yourself to another person, I am not talking about convincing unsafe people of your worth. What I am talking about is having well-guided, well intended action behind your claims. Read More>>

Desiree

My confidence and self esteem was secure and developed at a young age! Growing up, I was always taught to be confident in everything I pursued in life. My confidence also comes from being secure with myself and surrounding myself around people who are also confident. Even as a kid I knew who I was. I might not have known exactly where I was going at the moment but, I knew that I had this fearless spark inside of me that I trusted to guide me. Read More>>

Zoe Johnson

I got my confidence and self-esteem from the way I was raised by my parents and the people who believed in me. My mom always reminded me that I was born to shine, not in a way that made me feel pressured, but in a way that made me feel prepared. From a young age, I was taught that I was not created to fit in and to embrace my uniqueness. Whether it was my voice, my style, or my spirit, I learned to embrace each part of who I am. Read More>>

Carla Sanchez

From a very young age, I was a bold and expressive child, unafraid to create and command my own stage—literally. At just six years old, I would construct makeshift platforms in my living room and deliver impassioned monologues about poetry, family dynamics, and even politics (though I barely understood them). I was a natural performer, eager to connect, to share, and to be heard. Read More>>

Sylvie Barnett

I’m still figuring out my confidence and self-esteem. Honestly, I’ve struggled with feeling like I wasn’t enough for most of my life. Working in music festivals and live shows where things are always moving fast, there are a million details, and the pressure is high – it really puts that to the test. There were so many times I questioned if I belonged or if I was doing a good enough job behind the scenes but I keep showing up anyway. Read More>>

Renarda Fox

My confidence came from self awareness, once I realized that the person with my best interest is the person in the mirror I began to cherish her, falling madly in love with myself in my late teens. Read More>>

Logan Lockhart

I’ve always been an innately confident person. From a young age, I truly believed I could do anything I set my mind to. But as I got older I began facing real setbacks for the first time. I didn’t always land the job, win the client, or get the outcome I was working toward. That was humbling.

What I’ve come to understand is that while external setbacks are often unavoidable, internal ones—like breaking promises to yourself—are within your control. Confidence, I’ve learned, is built not by avoiding failure, but by consistently following through on what you say you’ll do. And that only works if you’re setting realistic expectations with yourself. Read More>>

Crystal Griffin

By being thrown into the fire and deciding to rise anyway. Motherhood taught me resilience. Life taught me grit. I didn’t always feel confident, but I showed up like I did and eventually, I realized I wasn’t pretending anymore. I was becoming her. The woman who handles business, who leads with her heart, and who holds it down at home too. Read More>>

Heather Walker

My confidence and self-esteem have been built through discipline, consistency, and a deep commitment to the process—much like the philosophy in the book “Chop Wood, Carry Water.” I’ve learned that success isn’t about grand moments but about doing the small, often unseen tasks day after day, even when you don’t feel like it. Read More>>

DeAnna Curtis-Bowens

Following Jesus has given me true confidence and self-worth. As I read the Bible daily, I’ve learned who I am in Christ — a loved and valued child of God. His love, power, and guidance are what empower me to walk confidently and stand strong. Read More>>

Bree Frye

Confidence was something that came seemingly easy for me, as my mom always instilled it in me from a young age. I was always taller, thicker, and quirkier than my peers and she taught me to lean into all of that! We spent countless days watching America’s Next Top Model, and she always reminded me not to shrink myself when I enter a room, but to command it. Read More>>

Supreme Ape

By working with a couple famous artists and just realizing not just anyone can do that. Read More>>

Matthew Lampart

In my twenties, I felt completely untethered — like I didn’t quite fit anywhere except the solitude of my parents’ basement, where I spent countless hours making music for no one but myself. I didn’t have a plan or a clear path forward; I just knew I needed to create. Read More>>

Isaiah McGirt

I developed confidence and high self-esteem in photography by consistently practicing my craft, embracing both my successes and mistakes as learning experiences. Over time, I began to trust my creative eye and unique perspective. Positive feedback from clients and peers helped reinforce my growth, but most importantly, I learned to believe in my own vision and style—knowing that every shot I take is a reflection of my progress and passion. Read More>>

Lance Cowan

For years, as a songwriter, I had difficulty being objective about my work. That’s a tough one. It’s hard to step back from what you pour your heart into and believe that what you’ve done is worthy. So for years, I’ve kept my songs, pretty much, to myself, despite encouragement from my family and friends, many who are in the music business and deal with so-called critics’ darlings. Read More>>

Chris Gilbert

The way that I developed my confidence and self-esteem is several phrases that I have always kept in mind “It Doesn’t; Hurt to Ask”, ” You lose nothing by trying” “It’s not like you have it and will lose it by asking for it” the word no does not phase or bother me one bit. Being told that I am too much of this or not enough of that only adds fuel to my fire. You live this life once. You have to make the most of it. I developed my confidence and self-esteem from keeping my head up and going after what I want. Read More>>

Ramon Quinones

I really enjoy every and each step in my life , with my craft I had create an environment of self confidence that make me feel empowered and confident at the same time. Read More>> 

Jahlil Brooks

The ways that I developed these skills are by focusing on self-acceptance, positive self-talk, and surrounding myself around supportive people . The type of person that i have grew up to be i never really cared about anyone else thoughts or opinions as long as i can see the progress in every shoot and I’m doing what i enjoy doing! Read More>>

Andrea Lopes

I see life as a journey full of lessons—and I’ve learned that if you don’t grow from them, they tend to repeat themselves. Over time, I’ve developed confidence and self-esteem by embracing those lessons, even the hard ones, and allowing them to shape me.

Being a single parent really pushed me to grow. I knew I had to become the best version of myself—not just for my own sake, but to be a role model for my children. You know they see and hear everything around their environment. I carry a deep sense of purpose in making sure the next generation is stronger, more emotionally aware, and more resilient. Read More>>

Niteria Fox

I developed my confidence and self esteem by pouring into myself. I make myself a priority. Make time for myself. I give myself the love that I give to others. Once I planted the seed of self love and self care I made sure to water it daily. Until it became who I am. Now it’s a part of me and I wear it naturally. Read More>>

Belinda Gaines

As a kid—and honestly, well into adulthood—I was bullied for my weight and countless other things. My own father used to call me fat. I’ll never forget the day he grabbed my wrist and said, “See? You’re not big boned, you’re just fat.” I was just a child, confused and hurt. I didn’t understand how a father could say something like that to his own daughter. And the wild part? I looked just like his side of the family. Pot calling the kettle black, I guess. Read More>>

Melody Morrison

Confidence and Self-Esteem, for me, has come over time. When we are born, we are innately confident, but over time, that confidence erodes as our eyes are opened to the world, to good and evil, and to other people. Read More>>

Jonathan Goff

Confidence comes from doing hard things, not participation trophies or empty praise. Doing hard things, things you doubt you can do, and succeeding brings confidence. And even if you fail, you learn what not to do. And so you try again, applying the lessons you learned from your failure. You keep trying until you succeed. Confidence is born from both our failures and successes. But if you’re not given the opportunity to fail, you’ll never build confidence. Read More>>

Emmanuella

I engage with uplifting and encouraging worlds within and it becomes very reciprocal.

I begin to build with what is non- destructive and focus on what is wholesome. Read More>>

Aman

Growing up, I was incredibly shy and awkward. I was super introverted – I would literally bring a portable DVD player or a book with me to restaurants and parties so I could just sit in a corner and keep to myself. I loved escaping into movies or fantasy novels and, looking back, I think it was because I never had the skills to make my life as entertaining as these worlds. Read More>>

Paisley Baker

It’s important to remember that we all come into this world with our own unique personalities and a given set of circumstances – we each have our own story. My story started in a small town in Texas where everyone knew my family and seemed to, by default, know me. That may sound overwhelming to someone who grew up in a larger population with a bit more anonymity, and I won’t pretend it didn’t feel overwhelming at times, but feeling seen and a part of a community was definitely the starter kit for my sense of self confidence.  Read More>>

Natalie Cass

I was asked to write this at a time when I had to literally rewire my brain, body, nervous system, community, and life—rebuild my self-esteem and confidence from the ground up.
Unfortunately, I experienced a complete rupture of empowerment. I went through disempowerment, disembodiment, nervous system dysregulation—everything I believed to be true, safe, and real was shattered.  Read More>>

Chandon Sanders

Early in my career I chased perfection so hard that I kept projects on my desk long after they were ready. Deadlines slipped, opportunities vanished, and I finally realized that holding out for 100 percent often delivers zero impact. A make-or-break product launch forced me to change: I had to ship at what I estimated was 95 percent. The result? The release performed well, users were happy, and no one noticed the tiny flaws I’d agonized over Read More>>