Confidence Looks Good on You: How Fitness + Community Built Me Up (and Continues to Build Up Our Athletes)

Let’s talk confidence.

Not the surface-level kind. Not the “fake it till you make it” kind. I’m talking about the kind of confidence that’s earned. That’s built, one day at a time, through hard workouts, sweaty high fives, mirror selfies, and a whole lot of showing up for yourself — even when it’s hard.

When I first stepped into a group fitness class, I had the personality for it. I carried myself like a confident person because that’s just always been me. But inside? I knew how unfit I was. I knew I wasn’t in a great place physically, and it showed in how I moved, how I felt, and even how I looked at myself.

Back then, you wouldn’t catch me taking mirror selfies. I didn’t feel like there was anything worth showing off. But the game started to change when I got consistent. I kept showing up to the gym. Day after day. Week after week. And eventually, something shifted.

The mirror selfies started. At first just one here and there — a little flex as I walked by. Then they became a weekly thing. And suddenly? I’m taking my shirt off in class. I’m posting thirst traps on Instagram. (Listen, I was single as hell and trying to be someone’s muscle mommy, okay?)

But seriously — what was happening underneath all that?

Confidence. Real, authentic confidence.
Confidence that came from putting in the work, from getting stronger, from becoming proud of who I was — inside and out. Confidence that didn’t come from validation, but from dedication.

And now? I get to be on the other side. I’m the coach. And I get to watch our athletes — many of whom started exactly where I did — build that same kind of confidence.

The thing about our workouts at Rare Breed? They’re hard. Like really hard. And that’s the point. Because when you conquer something physically demanding, it creates a ripple effect. You walk taller. You believe in yourself a little more. You handle hard things outside the gym with more grace, more strength, and way more belief in your ability to persevere.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:
If you can push through our workouts, you can conquer anything your day throws at you.

You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t already have a little dawg in you — that mental toughness, that “I’m not giving up today” kind of energy. And that right there? That’s what we celebrate most.

I’ve seen so many transformations at Rare Breed — and not just the physical kind (though those are incredible, too). I’m talking about people who walked in with low self-esteem, unsure of themselves, nervous to even pick up a barbell — and now? They’re PR-ing, leading workouts, rocking crop tops, walking in with swag and confidence like they own the place.

That first sit-down — the No Sweat Intro — is often full of nerves. People tell me they want to lose weight. They want to feel better in their skin. They want to stop feeling so uncomfortable in their clothes or self-conscious in their day-to-day life. And I get it — I’ve been there.

But then they get their first workout in. They realize they can do hard things. And with each session, that nervous energy fades. Their posture changes. Their smile hits a little harder. Their confidence builds.

And when they’ve been here a few months? You can’t even believe they were ever nervous in the first place. The confidence, the comfort, the friendships — it’s all there.

That’s the magic of Rare Breed.

We started as strangers — now we’re throwing engagement parties, hosting happy hours, taking vacations together, having sleepovers, and celebrating life outside of the gym. These aren’t just gym buddies — these are lifelong friendships. This is community. And this is what makes Rare Breed so damn special.

Yes, we care about the physical changes. But what we care about even more is helping people feel like they belong. Helping them build connections. Helping them believe in themselves.

Because when you’re surrounded by people who cheer for you, support you, and love you for you — you walk differently. You show up for yourself differently. And that confidence? It follows you everywhere.

So if you’re reading this and you’re nervous to start — you’re not alone. We all started somewhere. But the more you show up, the better you feel, the more you believe, and the stronger you become — inside and out.

Confidence looks good on you. Come get some.

‍