--- title: 'How to build confidence when you know you’re different ' description: "When I was young, I knew I was different. I had dyslexia and a lisp, and I loved Dungeons\_& Dragons. People made fun of me, but it didn’t stop me from being self-confident. Here’s how." slug: how-to-build-confidence-when-you-know-youre-different author: Mimi Schweid published: '2020-06-17T20:21:16.769Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/536oT4mzRNGRLkKLxCTdLs/fb80161c9936e4fb3a223a37630d06b8/3_tips_on_how_to_build_confidence_Mimi_Image.jpg source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-to-build-confidence-when-you-know-youre-different lang: en --- # How to build confidence when you know you’re different When I was growing up, I knew I was different than the other kids around me. I had [dyslexia](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-dyslexia) and a faint lisp/stutter. And I was passionate about TV shows like *Xena: Warrior Princess *and *Avatar: The Last Airbender.* I didn’t let my differences stop me from being confident, though. When others made fun of me, it just made me more passionate about my interests — out of sheer rebellion. I’m going to share three tips about confidence I’ve followed over the years. I think they can work well for a lot of people, and I hope they work for you. ## 1. Take pride in what you can do. Please, be proud of yourself and what you do. Be kind to yourself. If you got an A on an essay, or beat a video game, or cooked a new dish for yourself, be proud. You *created something*. It may sound small, but I compliment myself all the time when I accomplish something in the video game Animal Crossing. Sometimes the hardest thing is just starting to feel better about yourself. Get the ball rolling by taking pride in your accomplishments. ## 2. Embrace what makes you happy. I’ve always been a fan of a lot of different things, like comics and Dungeons & Dragons. In middle school and high school, I didn’t really embrace it as much as I could or should have. When I reached my freshman year of college, I realized that no one cared that I was interested in so many different things. That’s when something clicked in my head. It’s such an overused saying, but *no one’s opinion matters but your own*. I allowed myself to embrace all the things that made me happy. These days, you can even find me coming up with new Dungeons & Dragons characters. I’m comfortable with myself and thus, more confident. ## 3. Find your people. Join a club, use the chat app Discord, or go to a convention for something that interests you! I’ve made some of my best friends at conventions. New York Comic Con is one of my favorites. And it’s helped build my confidence. When I’m surrounded by people who are interested in the same things that I am, I feel a certain kind of peace. I love that feeling of being at a convention (or in a Discord chat nowadays) and knowing that I’m among people who *get* me. --- ## Explore related topics and articles - [How to help your child build strengths from challenges](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/strengths-that-come-from-challenges) - - Kids who learn and think differently often face challenges in school and socially. - Dealing with challenges helps kids build emotional strengths. - These strengths can help kids cope with tough situations throughout their lives. Many kids who learn and think differently face challenges every - [Make dyslexia about strengths, not shame](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/make-dyslexia-about-strengths-not-shame) - Let me introduce myself: My name is Ben Foss, and I am dyslexic. When I was a kid, my mother read out loud to me. When I went to college, Id fax my term papers home to her in New Hampshire so she could read them to me over the phone and help me find spelling mistakes. I know what its like to feel lo - [Nonverbal learning disabilities and sports: How I debunked the myth](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/nonverbal-learning-disabilities-and-sports-how-i-debunked-the-myth) - Flashback: Im 11 years old and sitting in gym class. The two captains are picking teams for soccer. I perk up, hoping to be chosen. I want to be an athlete. I want to be strong. But Im picked last again, and I feel a sense of anger and hurt building up inside me. Growing up, my difficulties with mo --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-to-build-confidence-when-you-know-youre-different#webpage","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-to-build-confidence-when-you-know-youre-different","description":"When I was young, I knew I was different. I had dyslexia and a lisp, and I loved Dungeons & Dragons. People made fun of me, but it didn’t stop me from being self-confident. 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