Let’s talk about self-confidence. I know how hard it can be to enjoy yourself fully and honestly. No matter how much we grow, achieve, or improve, there is always something we want to change or fix. And very often, this constant desire to “be better” transforms into pressure that we put on ourselves. We look into the mirror and see only the things we don’t like. We hear one small comment and suddenly forget everything we’ve already accomplished.

But the truth is that self-confidence has much less to do with how we look and much more to do with how we feel inside. You can work out every day, eat perfectly, get into the best shape of your life, or even change something about your appearance. Yet none of this will matter if you continue to talk to yourself without kindness. Confidence comes when you learn to accept yourself first, and then build on that foundation.

I also have days when I look at myself with a very critical eye. Sometimes I judge my body, my face, even my behavior. And usually it has nothing to do with real changes in my appearance. It’s simply a reaction to stress, lack of sleep, bad mood, or someone’s unnecessary comment that I took too personally. When I notice this, I stop myself and ask why I’m being so strict. The answer is almost always the same: I’m tired or overwhelmed, not “suddenly unattractive.”

And do you know what I do then? I apologize to myself. Truly. I tell myself that it’s unfair to talk this way to the same body that carries me through life, through work, through motherhood, through challenges and achievements. And when you shift your mindset, even in small steps, it becomes easier to appreciate progress instead of ignoring it.

Confidence isn’t about perfection. It’s about understanding your value without waiting for external approval. It’s about remembering how much effort you’ve put into becoming who you are today. It’s about embracing the parts of you that make you unique, even if someone else doesn’t understand or approve them.

Only you can create your own confidence. No one knows your story better than you do. No one knows how much strength it took to get where you are now. So be proud of yourself. Stop comparing. Stop chasing someone else’s version of beauty. And never try to become a copy of someone else. Real beauty is always an inside job.