The Confidence You’re Building Now Shows Up Later

Most people think confidence is a destination. Like you wake up one day, look at yourself in the mirror, love what you see, and realize, “I am confident!” 

But that’s not how confidence actually works.

Before I break down how it does work, what even is confidence? What do we mean when we say we want to feel more confident? 

Confidence is, put simply, the feeling of belief in oneself. Usually when people say they want to build their confidence, they are searching for the feeling of trusting themselves, feeling good about who they are, and feeling comfortable in their own skin. And while I wish it really was a destination that we land at one day and never have to work at again, it just isn’t the case.

Confidence is built quietly, in moments that don’t look impressive, in choices that feel small, and in showing up for yourself on days when you’d rather not. And the truth is, the confidence you are building right now in these small, seemingly insignificant moments, will show up later when you least expect it and is something that is practiced over and over to maintain. 

Hustle & Flow Dance, and every other company like it honestly, preaches that we build confidence and that you’re going to feel incredible in our classes. But if you’ve ever left a dance class thinking, “I don’t feel confident. That class sucked. I did not do well today,”  you’re not doing anything wrong and you’re not alone! 

Confidence doesn’t usually show up as a feeling first and it doesn’t happen the minute you step into the room. It shows up as a pattern and is built in repetition. (Remember: practice makes permanent, not perfect.)

Every time that you:

• Walk into class even though you had a bad day and wanted to stay at home

• Try the choreography again instead of giving up when you didn't get it the first time (or second or third time)

• Let yourself be seen without waiting to feel perfect

…you are practicing confidence. 

Dance trains you to stay present inside discomfort. When you take a dance class, you are training yourself to trust your body before your mind catches up and to keep moving even when you’re unsure. This practice of showing up for yourself even when it’s uncomfortable is teaching your body and nervous system to try something without knowing the outcome, that you can be visible and take up space and still be safe, and that you can accomplish hard things even when you don’t feel like a pro.

I’ll say it again: 

Confidence isn’t built in breakthrough moments. It’s built in repetition.

One class doesn’t change everything.

But weeks of choosing yourself does.

The confidence you build in the dance studio doesn’t stay there. It shows up later - at work, at home, in conversations, in the choices you make. Slowly, you’ll notice yourself speaking up a little more easily, trusting your instincts instead of second-guessing them, standing taller without even thinking about it, holding clearer boundaries, being present in conversations, and trying new things with less insecurity and self-doubt.

None of this happens overnight.

But it does happen.

One of the hardest parts about building your self-confidence is the delay. There’s often a gap between doing the work and seeing the results and it’s easy to feel like you haven’t made progress because there isn’t always a big “aha” moment. 

But growth is happening long before it becomes obvious and the confidence you are building will show up later in moments where you suddenly realize you handled something differently than you used to. Or when you notice the lack of negative self-talk in our internal dialogue. Or when you realize you spoke up in a meeting at work without overthinking it for hours afterward/ 

And that’s not accidental.

That’s earned.

From the outside, the shifts are obvious. As dance teachers we see:

• Stronger posture

• More grounded energy walking into the room

• Less hesitation before trying new moves

To you, it might feel normal and like nothing has changed. But that’s because confidence often feels like familiarity, not fireworks. But just because it feels subtle doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

So if you’re doubting yourself right now, read this slowly:

You are not behind.

You are not doing it wrong.

You are not missing something everyone else has figured out.

If you’re showing up, even imperfectly, you’re building something that lasts. 

Confidence is not perfection.

Confidence is consistency. 

Keep going. 

Future You is already thanking you.