Building Self-confidence

You’re standing at the entrance of a party or a major school event, and your stomach is tied in knots. You want to walk in, but the thought of navigating small talk, making a good impression, and trying to act chill feels like climbing a mountain. That rush of anxiety—the racing thoughts, the sweaty palms—can…

You spend hours scrolling through social media, watching everyone else nail the “perfect aesthetic”—the perfect hair, the perfect filters, the perfect life. You try to copy a style, or force yourself to like a trend, but it never feels quite right. You end up feeling fake, trying to fit into a box that wasn’t designed…

Everyone online seems to have it figured out. They’re amazing at coding, they ace every sport, or they have a clear career path planned. Meanwhile, you’re stuck in a loop: What am I good at? What do I actually care about? It feels like your “thing” is hidden, and you worry you’ll graduate without ever finding the…

You mess up an easy task, and instantly, a voice screams in your head: “Ugh, you’re so clumsy. Why can’t you ever get anything right?” That voice—your inner critic—is often the harshest one you know. It’s relentless, always pointing out your flaws and past mistakes. If a friend spoke to you the way you speak to yourself,…

You get back the test score, and it’s worse than you thought. You didn’t make the team. You asked someone out, and they said no. That gut-punch feeling of failure is awful. It makes you want to curl up and avoid trying anything difficult ever again. In a world where everyone only posts their wins…

The new school year starts, you get motivated, and you write down a huge goal: “I’m going to get straight A’s, make varsity soccer, and write a novel this semester.” Two weeks later, you’re overwhelmed, stressed, and you’ve already given up on two of the three. It feels like everyone else has their life together, but your…