If you’re lacking confidence, this one is for you

What worked for me will also work for you

Author

stephanie laurent
March 01, 2026

Bonjour everyone! ☀️

What a week!

One of those weeks where everything accelerates. When you realize how quickly time is moving. But I did take some time to pause To look back at the journey I have been on for the last few years… both personally and alongside my amazing clients.

Today, I consider myself confident.
Confident about what’s happening in my life, what’s coming… and who I am.

But that wasn’t always the case.

There was a time when:

  • In meetings, I would overthink 10 times before speaking.

  • Public speaking felt like a hall of embarrassment.

  • I needed to have all the information before making a decision, otherwise I didn’t feel legitimate.

  • I would mumble my answers and literally turn red in interviews

If you have read Brené Brown, you know she talks a lot about how vulnerability and courage go hand in hand. Back then, I couldnt’ see it that way. I thought confidence meant eliminating doubt.

It doesn’t.

So I’m asking you:

  • Do you replay what you said in your head after a meeting or an interview?

  • Do you wait until you feel “100% ready” before raising your hand?

  • Do you delay your decisions because you’re not 100% sure?

If you recognize yourself in one of more of these situations, you’re simply lacking permission.

Here’s what changed everything for me:

I stopped trying to be the most prepared person in the room.
I started focusing on being the most present.

Confidence is built through repetition.

Let’s be clear: I didn’t wake up one morning feeling confident. It took time. Hundreds -probably thousands !- of small repetitions. Some failures. Many wins. but all in all, a lot of discomfort.

What you can do to build your confidence

So I started doing this:

  • Speaking once before feeling fully ready.

  • Sharing an opinion without a 10-minute internal rehearsal.

  • Accepting that having 80% of the information is often enough to move forward.

Behavioural psychology is very clear on this: confidence grows through action, not reflection alone. The more you act despite discomfort, the more your nervous system recalibrates. What once felt terrifying becomes manageable.

You have to be willing to tolerate discomfort.

So before you think,
“I’m just not confident. I’ll never be.”

I need to remind you that confidence is like a muscle. It’s not something you either have or don’t have. It’s something you train.

And if you’re ready to start building that strength, let’s talk.
30 minutes to explore how career coaching can help you step into the room differently.

This way »»» Send me a message

I leave you with this quote which I love: “Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” – Peter T. Mcintyre

See you next week!

Stephanie