Feeling Less Confident Than You Used To? You're Not Alone

Have you ever walked into a meeting and felt like you didn't belong there? Doubted an idea you knew was good? Hesitated to apply for a job because you didn't meet every single requirement?

You're not alone. Confidence is something almost everyone struggles with at some point, and for many working women, the last few years have made it harder than ever. That's the challenge Helene Lerner tackles in Confidence Booster, a practical guide to overcoming self-doubt in a rapidly changing world.

The pandemic reshaped how and where people work. Offices emptied, then partially refilled. Many workplaces became hybrid, with people splitting time between home and the office. For a lot of workers, returning after time away brought what's often called re-entry anxiety, the unsettling feeling of stepping back into an environment that has changed, and wondering whether you still fit. At the same time, the pandemic placed enormous strain on working women, who carry most of the childcare and eldercare responsibilities in many families. When your routines, your workplace, and your family demands are all in flux, it's no surprise that confidence can take a hit.

Lerner, an author, workplace consultant, Emmy Award-winning television producer, and founder of WomenWorking.com, has spent her career helping women navigate exactly these challenges. In Confidence Booster, she offers a clear, five-step program designed to help readers rebuild their confidence and move forward with purpose. The book is filled with practical tips and inspiration to help people navigate both the internal and the social barriers they face every day.

That distinction between internal and social barriers is one of the book's most important ideas. Some of what holds us back comes from inside: self-doubt, perfectionism, fear of failure, and the nagging voice that says we're not good enough. Psychologists have a name for one common version of that voice. Back in 1978, psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes described what they called the "impostor phenomenon," now widely known as impostor syndrome: the persistent feeling that you're a fraud and will be found out, even when you're clearly capable and accomplished. Many high achievers experience it. But not everything is in our heads. Workplaces themselves can create real barriers, from unequal expectations to the extra load of caregiving that often falls on women. Lerner addresses both, helping readers recognize the pressures around them while still making deliberate choices about their own goals.

What makes her approach effective is that it's practical rather than preachy. Confidence isn't treated as a personality trait you either have or don't. It's treated as something you can build, step by step, through action and reflection. Lerner offers concrete suggestions and encouragement that readers can put into practice right away, whether they're returning to work after time away, adjusting to a hybrid schedule, stepping into a new role, or simply trying to feel more sure of themselves in their daily lives.

The book is compact and accessible, the kind of guide you can read in a weekend and return to whenever you need a boost. It's especially valuable for working women balancing careers with family responsibilities, for anyone navigating a career transition or return to work, and for managers and mentors who want to support the people around them.

If you've been feeling less confident than you used to, Confidence Booster is a warm, practical reminder that you can get it back, and a clear plan for how to do it.

Confidence Booster by Helene Lerner is available now in paperback and hardcover.