“Be confident!” is one of the most cliché, yet essential pieces of advice a person can receive. You are easily able to distinguish between an individual who shines with confidence and someone that doubts themselves. However, this is something that is easier said than done.

Growing up, it was never easy for me to feel confident in myself. I struggled a lot with being the person I always wanted to be because I let other people sway my opinion and perception. Middle school was the first time where I distinctly remember struggling with confidence. I was so caught up in everyone else besides myself that I forgot what it was like to be me.

In high school, my confidence level boosted as I began to become more outgoing and charismatic with new and familiar faces alike. However, it took me all the way until college to say I am truly confident in the person I am today.

Why did I struggle so much with confidence? Personally, I believe I can attribute it to judgment and expectation. Not only did I not want to feel judged by other people, but I felt the pressure of having high expectations to excel.

When you push that aside, you can embrace yourself. Learning to love yourself helps you to be comfortable in your own shoes. This is SO important because without confidence, you have yet to see what your maximum potential is actually like, and it makes everyday life more difficult for you.

There are endless benefits to being confident, but the most important in my opinion is the world of opportunity opens to you. If you’re already confident in yourself, please keep it up because the world needs more people like you. If you aren’t, push your boundaries and forget about everyone else aside from yourself. Remember, self-confidence isn't something that just happens either, it is something that takes time.