Action is a high road to self-confidence and self-esteem” – Bruce Lee
Confidence feels impossible when your inner critic is louder than your voice.
All my life I was waiting. Waiting to feel ready, to feel confident, to feel good enough. But that waiting only kept me stuck, because no matter how much I did—how many classes I took, how many books I read, how many certifications I acquired—I never felt ready or confident.
And because I didn’t feel confident, I found excuses. I chased perfection and got discouraged by every obstacle. And the fear of what people were going to think was so heavy, it paralyzed me.
It was an ongoing loop that kept me stuck, unfulfilled, and frustrated. Until one day I decided enough was enough. The only way to break the loop was to jump with both feet into action.
That decision came after attending one of the many workshops I joined when I was trying to reconnect with myself after the transformational journey of motherhood. In that workshop, the facilitator talked about the importance of imperfect action.
The Power of Imperfect Action
Doing is the key to progress, confidence, and fulfillment—not waiting for things to be perfect or for yourself to feel ready. Imperfect action became my mantra. I repeated it every time I felt afraid, insecure, or tempted to fall back into old patterns.
And guess what? The more I did, the better I felt. Little by little, my confidence grew. Because confidence is not a feeling—it’s a skill you can develop by taking action and learning to trust yourself.
True confidence isn’t about feeling ready. It’s about having an unshakable belief in yourself and your ability to handle whatever happens.
Why Self-Trust Is the Foundation of Confidence
When you keep the promises you make to yourself, you learn to trust your capacity to follow through. You believe in yourself, know you can figure things out and trust yourself and your ability to handle whatever happens.
And how do we build that self-trust? Let’s be honest—we’ve all broken promises to ourselves. I know I have! How many times have we said we’d start an exercise routine or eat healthy? Remember New Year’s resolutions?
The reason many of us quit (or never even start) is because we don’t have a clear and compelling “why.” Or if we do, it’s for the wrong reasons. If your why is rooted in fear of what others think, comparison, or “because everyone else is doing it,” you might start—but eventually, you’ll quit. Those reasons aren’t deep enough to sustain you.
For example, let’s say someone wants to start exercising.
A not-so-good reason might be:
“I want to work out because I don’t want people to think I’m lazy.”
That’s rooted in fear, comparison, and other people’s opinions. It might get you moving, but it won’t keep you going. Eventually, when no one’s watching, the motivation fades.
A good reason might be:
“I want to exercise so I have more energy to play with my kids and feel strong in my body as I get older.”
That’s clear, personal, and meaningful. It connects to values, health, and joy. That kind of “why” makes it easier to keep showing up, even when it’s hard.
How to Develop More Confidence
1. Confidence Starts in the Body
If you want to feel more confident, start with your body. Stand tall, shoulders back, take deep breaths, and smile. Here are some proven benefits of using confident body language:
- Shift in hormones: Holding expansive postures (like Superman or Wonder Woman) for just 2 minutes can increase testosterone (linked to assertiveness) and decrease cortisol (the stress hormone). This makes you feel calmer yet more powerful.
- Tricks your brain into safety: An open, expansive, grounded body tells your brain, “I’m safe here.” That reduces anxiety and signals confidence before you even consciously feel it.
- Changes how others perceive you: Body language is read before words. Open, grounded stances project leadership and authority.
- Boosts presence and focus: Expanding physically helps you take up more space, anchor in the moment, and stop “shrinking in” from nerves.
- Builds a confidence loop: Body posture → shifts hormones and mindset → you act more confidently → others respond positively → reinforcing your confidence skill.
2. Confidence Compounds with Action
Every time you take action, you build evidence that you can trust yourself. And remember—self-trust is the foundation of confidence.
- Start small: Especially if you’ve struggled with confidence and keeping promises to yourself. The goal doesn’t need to be big; it just needs to be doable. Accomplishing small wins fuels energy for bigger challenges.
- Stay consistent: Growth comes from what we do consistently, not occasionally. Going to the gym twice a month won’t change much, but showing up regularly will transform your results—and the same is true for confidence.
- Leverage momentum: Remember physics class? An object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Confidence works the same way. Once you take the first step, momentum makes the next step easier.
Confidence isn’t built in one giant leap—it’s built in motion.
3. Confidence Comes from Preparation
Let’s be real—you won’t feel confident speaking about or doing something you know nothing about. Preparation is key.
- Do the work: Study, practice, research. Confidence grows when you know your stuff. Preparation doesn’t guarantee perfection—it guarantees clarity.
- Visualize success: Mental rehearsal primes your brain. When you picture yourself handling a situation with ease, your brain responds as if it already happened. That makes the real moment feel familiar, not threatening.
- Practice in safe spaces: Rehearse in low-stakes environments—mirror practice, recording yourself, or working with a friend or group. Safe reps build muscle memory, so when the real moment comes, your brain recognizes it as “already done.”
I saw this in my own journey. When I was planning to launch my coaching program, I was told I needed to do lives on Facebook or Instagram. I was terrified—I’d never done one before. Luckily, I was part of a Facebook group dedicated to practicing and mastering skills in a supportive environment. They challenged us to go live every day for 30 days.
The first day, I was sweating and unsure. But I kept showing up. Some were better than others, but by day 30, I felt like a pro. Now I do weekly lives in my Facebook group with full confidence—all thanks to preparation, repetition, and safe practice.
The Truth About Confidence: It’s Not About Winning
Confidence doesn’t mean you’ll always get it right or always win. It’s about trusting yourself and your ability to handle whatever happens. Failure is part of life. Every mistake brings lessons and opportunities to improve.
The journey to confidence is one of the most rewarding paths you can take because it’s you against yourself—pushing, growing, and stepping out of your comfort zone every day. And the beautiful part? Once you build confidence in one area, it radiates into every part of your life. You start to feel more assertive, more grounded, and more sure of who you are.
Final Thoughts
Confidence isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build. Through self-trust, consistent action, and preparation, you can develop unshakable confidence that carries you through challenges and into growth.
What’s one area of your life where you’d love to feel more confident? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to cheer you on!
Thanks for reading and keep growing!
With love,
Nathalia Mahecha
