Confidence isn’t loud its steady

🌟 Confidence Isn’t Loud — It’s Steady

By Tina, The Devon Coach

Confidence is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot, especially in healthcare, education, and leadership. We talk about “building confidence,” “being more confident,” “showing confidence,” as if it’s something you can switch on like a lamp and somewhere along the way, many people start to believe that confidence looks like being outspoken, bold, assertive, or the loudest voice in the room.

But the more I work with nurses, students, teams, and the families I meet through ceremonies, the more I realise something important: confidence isn’t loud — it’s steady.

And here’s something else I’ve come to believe deeply: confidence doesn’t come first. Courage does. You feel the courage, you take the step, you do the thing — and confidence grows afterwards, like a flower you’ve tended with patience and care.

🌱 The Myth of the Big Personality

We’ve been conditioned to think that confident people are the ones who speak first, take charge, and fill the space. But some of the most grounded, capable, quietly powerful people I’ve ever met barely raise their voice at all.

Confidence isn’t volume, its presence and clarity. It’s knowing who you are and standing gently in that truth.

Some of the strongest leaders I’ve worked with are soft‑spoken. They listen more than they talk and they think before they respond. They create calm rather than noise and people trust them because of it.

🌿 Courage First, Confidence Later

This is the part people often forget. Confidence grows because you showed up, not the other way around.

Courage is the shaky breath before you speak its the hand that still trembles a little. Courage is the quiet voice that says, “I’ll try.”

And when you act from that place — even if you feel unsure — something beautiful happens. Confidence begins to take root and slowly at first, then more steadily, until one day you realise you’re standing taller than you thought you could.

Just like a flower you’ve nurtured, confidence grows with attention, patience, and gentle repetition.

🌊 Confidence in Healthcare

In nursing and healthcare settings, confidence is often misunderstood. People assume it means being decisive, fast, unshakeable — but in reality, confidence is often quieter and more relational.

It’s the nurse who asks a question rather than guessing and the student who admits they don’t know something yet. The team member who says, “Let’s pause and think this through.” The leader who listens before they act.

These are the moments where confidence truly lives.

🌾 A Personal Note

I often watch the sea on the quieter days — the ones where it’s not crashing or roaring, but simply moving with its own rhythm. There’s a confidence in that softness, a quiet strength that doesn’t need to prove anything.

💛 A Gentle Invitation

If confidence is something you’re exploring — or something you’ve been told you “should have more of” — you don’t have to figure it out alone. Sometimes it helps to have a space where you can untangle what confidence means for you, not for everyone else. If you ever feel curious about that, you’re always welcome to wander over to my website or reach out. No pressure, just a quiet invitation.

🌟 For This Week

Notice the moments where you feel steady. Notice the moments where you feel brave. Let courage lead the way — and watch confidence grow in its own time