Both men and women struggle with confidence.
And there’s no shortage of advice on how to build it—books, research, techniques, and tips. Entire industries are built around helping people feel more confident.
But here’s what we’ve found:
Confidence isn’t something you have all the time.
It’s something you can grow.
Not in a single breakthrough moment.
But slowly—over time.
Through experience. Through effort. Through small wins that start to add up.
What Is Confidence, Really?
Arianna Huffington describes confidence as an “inside job”—rooted in quieting self-doubt and practicing self-care.
Brené Brown calls it “grounded confidence”—a skill built through curiosity, vulnerability, and practice.
Dr. Ivan Joseph says it plainly: confidence is a skill. You can learn it. Practice it. Strengthen it.
Reese Witherspoon puts it even more simply: confidence comes from doing—not from waiting for it to appear.
Different perspectives. Same truth.
Confidence isn’t something you wait for.
It’s something you build.
So the real question becomes:
How do we create more of it?
And more specifically—how can something as simple as gardening help?
Confidence Is Universal—And Personal
Up to 85% of people struggle with confidence or self-esteem at some point in their lives.
By the time they’re teenagers, a majority of young people—especially girls—report struggling with confidence. And for many, that feeling doesn’t disappear with age. It follows us into adulthood, into our work, and into how we show up in the world.
Confidence isn’t something we figure out once and move on from.
It’s something we are constantly building—or losing.
And yet, when I think about confidence, I don’t think about research.
I think about my daughter, Jillian.
Jillian is the most confident person I know.
She is non-ambulatory and non-verbal. There are things she physically cannot do.
And yet—when she sees someone playing hockey or doing gymnastics, she doesn’t hesitate.
She looks at it and says:
“Me too.”
No pause.
No comparison.
No hesitation.
Just belief. And desire.
She hasn’t learned to question herself.
She hasn’t learned to compare.
She hasn’t learned to hold back.
Somewhere along the way, many of us do.
We learn to measure ourselves.
We learn to compare.
We learn to hesitate.
Confidence shifts from something instinctive…
to something conditional.
But what if confidence isn’t about ability?
What if it’s about willingness?
The willingness to try.
To begin.
To believe something might work—even if you don’t know exactly how.
The Moment Confidence Begins
At Gardenuity, we work with companies across the country, bringing gardening workshops to employees.
At one of these events, an employee named Parker joined the Zoom call a little early.
Before we even began, she shared something honestly:
She didn’t think it would work.
Not because she didn’t want it to—but because every time she had tried to grow something before, it hadn’t worked.
“I even kill snake plants,” she said.
She had bought plants.
Followed instructions.
Watered when she remembered.
And somehow, it never quite worked out.
So she showed up curious—but cautious.
Interested—but not confident.
Like so many people, she wanted the experience of gardening.
She just wasn’t sure she could succeed.
So she planted her garden with hesitation.
A few weeks later, our Grow Pro team received an email:
“It worked. Thank you. I have fresh herbs ready to be picked and a few baby tomatoes starting to grow.”
What was growing in her patio garden was more than tomatoes and herbs.
It was her confidence.
And that’s the moment that matters.
Not the planting.
Not the product.
But the feeling of:
“I can do this.”
Because once someone feels successful, they don’t stop.
And this isn’t just a feeling—it’s a pattern.
Research across behavior and wellness shows that early success dramatically increases the likelihood of continuing a new habit. Small wins build momentum. Progress builds belief.
Confidence isn’t just emotional.
It’s behavioral.
How Confidence Actually Grows
Confidence isn’t a personality trait.
It’s a series of small, repeated experiences that tell you:
This is working.
I can do this.
I’ll try again.
Confidence grows through evidence.
Not perfection.
Not expertise.
Not information.
Experience.
And that’s what makes gardening such a powerful confidence tool.
Because it gives you something rare:
A living, visible signal of progress.
You water something—and it grows.
You adjust—and it responds.
You show up—and it changes.
It’s not abstract.
It’s real.
Why We Lose Confidence Over Time
If confidence is built through small wins, it’s also shaped by the environments we spend time in.
And today, many of those environments don’t make it easy.
We’re constantly exposed to polished outcomes—perfect homes, thriving gardens, effortless routines—often without seeing the process it took to get there.
Over time, that creates a quiet comparison.
And comparison has a way of interrupting confidence.
Because instead of asking, “What can I try?”
we start asking, “What if I get it wrong?”
The Role of Social Media
Social media has made inspiration more accessible than ever.
But it has also made starting feel more intimidating.
When everything looks finished, it’s easy to believe you’re already behind.
That your first step won’t measure up.
But confidence doesn’t come from perfect examples.
It comes from participation.
From trying. Adjusting. Seeing what works—for you.
Nature Doesn’t Compare
This is where gardening—and time in nature—offers something different.
Nature doesn’t compare.
It responds.
It doesn’t expect perfection.
It doesn’t rush outcomes.
It doesn’t ask you to get everything right the first time.
It simply reflects back what you do.
And that creates a different kind of feedback loop.
One that is patient.
Forgiving.
Encouraging.
You water—and something grows.
You learn—and something changes.
And slowly, confidence returns.
The Power of Doing It Together
Confidence doesn’t just grow individually—it grows in shared experience.
We see it in workshops, in workplaces, in small groups gathered around a table planting together.
Someone asks a question.
Someone shares what worked.
Someone notices growth—and says it out loud.
And suddenly, the experience shifts.
It becomes less about getting it right—and more about growing together.
Because confidence is contagious.
Confidence in an AI World
We’re entering a moment where technology—especially AI—is making it easier than ever to access answers.
But access to answers doesn’t always translate into confidence.
In fact, more information can sometimes create more hesitation.
Because confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything.
It comes from doing something—and seeing that it works.
That’s where gardening becomes essential.
It moves us from consuming information…
to creating outcomes.
From scrolling to growing.
Measure Less. Tend More. Grow What Matters.
For years, we’ve been taught to measure everything.
Optimize it. Track it. Improve it.
But confidence doesn’t come from measuring perfectly.
It comes from tending consistently.
Showing up.
Paying attention.
Adjusting along the way.
Measure less. Tend more. Grow what matters.
Grow What Matters
This isn’t just about growing herbs or vegetables.
It’s about growing something that matters to you.
A moment of calm.
A sense of accomplishment.
A small win in your day.
Confidence doesn’t start with big outcomes.
It starts with something small—grown well.
Because in the end, confidence doesn’t come from always being right.
It comes from not being afraid to try.
And the future of gardening doesn’t start with products.
It starts with people.
And the quiet moment when someone realizes:
“I can do this.”
Because when that happens—
everything grows from there. 🌱
Frequently Asked Questions
How does gardening build confidence?
Gardening builds confidence by creating small, visible wins. When people see plants grow as a result of their care, it reinforces a sense of capability and progress.
Is gardening good for mental health?
Yes, research shows gardening can reduce stress, improve mood, and support overall mental well-being by encouraging time in nature and hands-on activity.
Why is confidence important for well-being?
Confidence helps people take action, try new things, and build positive habits—all of which contribute to better mental and emotional health.
Can beginners really succeed at gardening?
Yes. Starting with the right setup—like fully rooted plants and simple guidance—can help beginners experience early success, which builds confidence quickly.