Confidence, According to an 8-Year-Old



Adults spend years, sometimes decades, trying to figure out confidence. We buy books, attend workshops, follow influencers, and stand in front of mirrors repeating affirmations. But sometimes, the truest, simplest wisdom comes from the heart of a child.

Meet my niece, Colin. She’s 8 years old. She’s unapologetically herself. She loves chips. She’s flexible, friendly, and firmly believes she’s “the best Colin in the world.”

And honestly? She might be on to something.

What Is Confidence?

“When you know you’re going to kill it.” – Colin, age 8

Confidence isn’t arrogance. It’s not perfection.
It’s a deep, quiet knowing that you can show up and be great  not because you have every answer, but because you know who you are and believe in what you bring.

Colin doesn’t need external validation to believe in herself. She doesn’t wait for applause before deciding she’s got this. She just knows.

And that’s confidence.

How Do You Get Confidence?

“You just think about it.”

Simple. Underrated. True.

Confidence starts in the mind. It’s a thought before it’s a feeling.
It’s saying to yourself, “I can do this” before anyone else gets the chance to.

As adults, we often think we need a long resume, years of proof, or someone else’s stamp of approval before we’re allowed to feel confident. But Colin says no, you just think it. You just decide.

What Are You Confident In?

“My personality and my flexibility.”

Confidence is knowing what you’re good at and owning it.
Maybe it’s your creativity. Your empathy. Your ability to bounce back (literally or figuratively). For Colin, it’s her personality and her flexibility.

Because here’s the truth:
Confidence doesn’t come from being everything. It comes from being something and knowing that “something” matters.

What Does Your Personality Do?

“Helps me understand who I am.”

That line alone could be in a self-help bestseller.

Your personality isn’t something you perform. It’s something you know. And the better you know yourself, the stronger your confidence becomes not because you’re trying to prove anything, but because you’ve made peace with your own design.


Who Are You?

“I’m Colin. I’m pretty, great, good at making friends, and I love eating chips.”

That’s it. That’s the energy.

Confidence is being able to describe yourself without shrinking.
It’s naming your strengths without flinching.
It’s admitting what you love even if it’s just chips  and saying it with joy.

Confidence isn’t loud. It’s honest.

Colindependent: A New Word for a New Kind of Confidence

Colin invented her own term: Colindependent

“I know how to do things by myself. I don’t have to rely on other people.”

That doesn’t mean she never needs help  it means she knows how to move even when no one else is clapping. She trusts her ability. She tries before she doubts.

That’s not just cute. That’s powerful.

What Would You Tell Someone Who Doesn’t Have Confidence?

“I’m the best Colin in the world.”

She doesn’t try to convince them. She simply shows up as proof.
Confidence isn’t always taught. Sometimes, it’s modeled.

The most powerful thing you can do for someone who’s doubting themselves is to stand in your light fully  and let them see what it looks like to believe.

Final Thought: Channel Your Inner Colin

Next time you feel small, stuck, or unsure, try this:

  • Think about what you're good at.

  • Say something kind to yourself.

  • Be Colindependent — do the thing, even if you're scared.

  • Eat the chips.

  • Remind yourself: "I'm the best [Your Name] in the world."

Because you are.

And if an 8-year-old can remind us of that  maybe it's time we believe it too! 

Sensai


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