Finding confidence can be a difficult thing to do in today's society. We are constantly hearing about individuality and how we need to be "unapologetically us," but the reality is that there are still standards that we are supposed to meet. If our views differ from someone else, then we are ignorant. If we don't fit in a size 2, then we should lose weight. If we lose too much weight, then we have a problem.

I have struggled with confidence for years, and while I have more confidence than I did in middle school, it is still something I struggle with. I have talents and I will acknowledge them, but I add something after this acknowledgment. I'll say, "I did really well in my voice recital yesterday, but I still wasn't as good as _______," or, "I did great in the musical, but I shouldn't have done _______." It started off as constructive, but ended up leaving me second guessing myself. Adding the "but" statement to the end took away from what I had done. I always looked for a way that I messed up, that way I could mention it before someone else did. I was always scared of what people were going to say, and in some ways I still am.

I'm in my second year of college and I can say that I am more confident today than I was on the first day of classes freshmen year. I found my confidence through a series of things. First, there was my relationship with God. As I grew closer to Him, my confidence started to rise and I started realizing my true value. Second, there was my family and friends, they've done nothing but support me throughout my college career. Then, I have Odyssey. I started off as a Content Creator wondering if I would ever get any page views. Now, I am the Editor-in-Chief my Odyssey community. These things have really helped me in the past year and a half and have helped me gain the confidence that I need.

I determine my own strength. I can't walk around wondering what people say about me. If I do that, then I will never be able to live up to my full potential. Some people are born with confidence, while others have to find theirs. I found mine and each day I am getting more and more.