The Lie You’ve Been Told About Confidence

I used to think confidence was something you either had or didn’t have.

Like some people were just born walking into rooms like they owned them… and the rest of us? We were stuck overthinking every word we said, worrying if we were “too much” or “not enough.”

So I waited. I thought confidence would magically happen one day.

Maybe after I hit a certain goal.
Maybe after someone validated me.
Maybe after I finally “became” the person I was supposed to be.

But that day never came.

Because confidence doesn’t just show up at your doorstep one morning, fully formed. It’s built, step by step.

And the first step?
Doing the thing before you feel ready.

Not waiting for the fear to disappear.
Not waiting for the self-doubt to vanish.
Not waiting for permission.

I learned this the day I said yes to something that terrified me. My hands were shaking, my voice wasn’t steady, but I did it anyway. And when I got through it, I realized something: Confidence isn’t the absence of fear. It’s proof that fear doesn’t have to stop you.

So here’s the truth: No one is born confident. They just decide to show up anyway.

And today, that gets to be you.

That thing you’ve been putting off because you don’t feel “ready”? Do it.
That version of yourself you’ve been waiting to step into? Be it.
That voice inside telling you to go for it? Trust it.

Because confidence isn’t something you get.
It’s something you become.

Keep owning your worth, always,
Joanna