Confidence is not wearing red lipstick or speaking perfect English.
It’s not even having all the answers.
Sometimes, confidence is a whisper,
The kind that tells you: “Apply for that job anyway.”
“Ask the question…”
“Speak up, even if your voice shakes.”
Growing up, I wish someone had told me that confidence wasn’t something you magically woke up with one day. It was something you built, moment by moment, by showing up even when you doubted yourself.
As a transitioning adult, I meet many young girls who are waiting to feel confident before they begin. Before they raise their hand. Before they say, “I can learn this.” But here’s the truth:
Confidence doesn’t come first; courage does. And courage is not the absence of fear.
And courage is built through action.
You don’t need to feel like the best in the room. You just need to start.
One Step at a time. One “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out.”
What I wish more girls knew is that confidence is not a personality trait. It’s a practice, much like writing; it improves the more you work on it.
So today, I write this not as someone who has “arrived,” but as someone still growing and hoping my words give another girl permission to grow too.
What did confidence look like for you growing up?
What does it look like now? I’d love to hear your story.
