There’s a lot of change going on for a lot of people at the moment, and one of the scariest thoughts when we’re thinking about changing direction in life or career is that we’ll have to start all over again.
I’ve been there.
When I transitioned from makeup artistry to coaching, I was scared, riddled with self-doubt, and the imposter syndrome was raging!
I’d built a business, an agency, a reputation, and suddenly I was stepping into an industry that felt completely different, and you bet I was plagued by a little voice inside my head saying:
“Seriously, who the hell do you think you are to do this… you’re a MAKEUP ARTIST?”
I also felt like I was about to throw away everything I’d worked so hard for.
But deep down, I knew that wasn’t true.
Because the truth is, you are never really starting over.
Every single chapter of your life, no matter how random or messy it feels at the time, leaves you with tools, insights and connections that you can carry forward.
The Makeup Chair Was Never Just About Makeup
Let’s start here, because this was the turning point for me.
When I look back at my years as a hair stylist and makeup artist, what I remember most isn’t the contouring, the lashes, or the red-carpet and wedding prep.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the artistry side. But the real magic happened in the makeup chair.
It was in the conversations.
It was in the vulnerable and intimate moments in the makeup chair that someone admitted what they were struggling with.
The nerves before a wedding. The pep talks before a big event. The moments when someone came in feeling unsure and then the way their energy shifted, and how they carried themselves differently when they left.
Yes, there was makeup on the surface, but the transformation was much deeper.
That’s coaching.
That’s the real transformation.
Not the makeup – the feeling.
And that’s when I realised: I wasn’t leaving makeup behind when I moved into coaching.
It was makeup that led me here.
Because what people really wanted wasn’t perfect eyeliner, they wanted to feel good about themselves.
They wanted confidence.
And I was already holding space for that transformation, long before I called myself a coach.
Every Chapter Stacks Confidence
Here’s the thing: nothing you’ve done is wasted.
Even the parts of life you wish you could erase.
Even the challenges you never asked for.
Even the “failures” that stung at the time.
They all stack. They all prepare you.
For me, that stack looks like this:
- Running a business taught me entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and how to put myself out there even when I was scared.
- Writing my book #NoFilterNeeded taught me how to communicate honestly, connect deeply, and lead with vulnerability.
- Rebuilding my life after rehab taught me resilience, grit, and the power of not giving up on myself.
- Moving to the countryside and starting fresh showed me how to create a life that actually fit who I was becoming, not who I used to be.
- Hosting events and stepping on stage forced me to face fear, find my voice, and trust myself in real time.
So no, you’re not starting over. You’re never going back to zero.
You’re carrying a full backpack of skills, experiences, lessons, and resilience that you’ve already earned.
That’s your foundation. That’s what makes the next chapter possible.
The Truth About Confidence
And while we’re at it, let’s talk about another big myth: that you need confidence before you can take the leap.
I used to believe that too. I thought one day I’d eventually feel “ready.”
That if I prepped hard enough, if I practised enough, confidence would arrive, fully formed, right on time.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.
I’ll never forget the first time I stepped on a big stage to speak back in 2021 – my heart was racing and my palms were properly sweating!
As I listened to the host introduce me, I looked at my Apple Watch and watched my heart rate soar from 60 to 150 BPM in a matter of seconds – I don’t know why I looked at it, as it made it so much worse as I genuinely panicked and thought I might self-combust! 😅
It was still rapidly climbing, but I had to stop looking, get on stage, feel that fear, and damn well speak anyway!
And I did.
My voice shook, my hands trembled, my heart pounded. But I spoke. And my nervous system eventually settled.
The next time I spoke on stage? Still terrifying. But a little easier.
The time after that? A little easier again.
Because each time I did the thing that scared the hell out of me, I collected evidence that I could handle it.
And slowly, the fear lessened, and as it lessened, the confidence grew.
That’s exactly how confidence works.
It doesn’t show up before the action.
It’s built through the action.
You don’t get to feel ready first. You do the thing scared – or petrified even – and then, afterwards, your brain quietly goes: Oh. We survived that. Maybe we can do it again.
That’s how new neural pathways are formed. That’s how you build belief in yourself. That’s how you grow.
Doing It Scared
So if you’re waiting to feel confident enough to go after something – whether it’s a new job, a career change, a big move, or speaking up about your beliefs and ideas – let me save you some time – a lifetime in fact, because you’ll be waiting forever.
The only way to build confidence is to act despite the discomfort, fear, and in some cases terror!
Yes, your heart will race. Yes, you’ll want to run. Yes, it’ll feel messy and uncomfortable.
But that’s where the magic happens!
That’s where growth lives.
And if you can lean into your courage enough to do it scared, then you’ll prove to yourself that you can. That proof becomes evidence. That evidence becomes confidence. And that confidence fuels the next action.
It’s a cycle. And it starts with the scary first step.
Stop Waiting, Start Stacking
So here’s what I want you to know:
- You are not starting over. Every skill, every challenge, every chapter has been stacking to prepare you for what’s next.
- Confidence will not arrive before you act. You build it by taking the step—scared.
- You’ve already lived through harder things than whatever’s in front of you now.
- You already have more tools in your kit than you realise.
A Reflection for You
Take a moment this week to reflect:
- What’s the thing you’ve been waiting to feel “ready” for?
- What past experiences, skills, or challenges have already prepared you for it?
- What’s one step or (my preferred method) one leap that you can take this week to move closer?
Because confidence doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from doing.
When I look back now, I can see that every chapter of my life has led me here. The good, the bad, and all the messiness!,
None of it was wasted. None of it is irrelevant.
And the same is true for you.
So if you’re standing at a crossroads in your career, business, or life, then please remember: you’re not starting again.
You’re not at zero and you never will be.
You’re carrying everything you’ve lived, everything you’ve learned, and everything you’ve overcome into your next chapter.
That’s no weakness, that’s a cast-iron strength, and it’s yours that no one can take from you.
So stop waiting to feel ready. Stop waiting for confidence to magically arrive.
Take the step. Do it scared. And let your future self thank you later.
Remember, the doing creates the confidence, not the other way around.
Confidence isn’t the prerequisite. It’s the result.
And if you’re ready to build confidence – in yourself, your business, and your life – then check out the Glow & Grow Tribe. It’s where you’ll find the tools, support, and community to stop waiting and start doing.
