When I was 22, I applied for an internship at the Television Academy in Los Angeles. They loved my video interview (back when that meant recording on a giant camcorder and FedExing a VHS tape). I waited for weeks, feeling hopeful, and then found out….I wasn’t selected.

At the time, still living with my parents in the Chicago suburb where I grew up in, I thought, “How am I ever going to get to LA?” 

(If you’ve ever had a dream that felt miles away, you know that feeling).  I share more of that story in another post here.

Fast forward 30 years: I returned to the Television Academy (Emmy Headquarters), not as an intern, but as an actress with 80+ TV and film credits (and a new series on the way), as a Television Academy Member for the past decade, and as a repeat Special Guest Speaker, sharing my Unshakeable Confidence Blueprint with a room full of actors and Television Academy members.

It was a magical night with almost one hundred incredible creatives. The energy in the room was palpable. Laughter, tears, and nods of recognition, all served as a reminder that even in a room full of accomplished artists, we’re all still learning how to trust ourselves, believe again, and stay aligned through the unknown.

🎥 Click below to watch the 50-second highlight reel — you can feel the magic in the room.

When I was invited to speak about Unshakeable Confidence, I realized this wasn’t about pretending to have it all together, it was about redefining what confidence truly means.

Because as a creative warrior, confidence will ebb and flow. What matters most is how you reconnect to it.

And at the end of the day, it’s about training your brain daily to get comfortable being uncomfortable. 

Here are a few key takeaways from my talk:

Confidence isn’t something you wait to feel. it’s something you practice. You do more of what scares you, until…over time, it doesn’t.

Nerves aren’t the enemy. They are energy.  They’re not something you need to push away or get rid of, but rather to embrace and invite to the party. 

Slow seasons aren’t punishment, they’re preparation.

The camera doesn’t need your perfection, its capturing your presence.

And as artists, we are here to illuminate humanity.

– Wendy Braun

And perhaps my favorite reminder:

Alignment then action changes everything.
Because when you practice alignment first,
the action that follows 
is easier, braver, and 
more effective.

Toward the end of the evening, I led everyone through a short heart-centered meditation and we all experienced a collective exhale. 

In that quiet moment, I felt something I’ll never forget: the entire room softening into self-trust.

It was a living reminder that confidence doesn’t come from applause, achievement, or approval.
It comes from remembering who you are, even when the world feels uncertain.
It comes from finding stillness in a noisy world.
It comes from getting clear on what scares you, and not waiting for fear to go away before you begin.

Confidence isn’t found in control, it’s found in connection…to the truth of who you really are.

☀️ Three Mantras to Anchor Your Confidence

My dream is bigger than my doubt.
I don’t allow my fear to decide my fate.
Today, I choose courage and cultivate unshakeable confidence.

That’s what Unshakeable Confidence really is…
Not being fearless, but choosing courage in spite of feeling the fear.
Showing up again and again while #DoingItScared

Maybe you’re in your own season of reinvention right now, between projects, between reps, between what was and what’s next.

Trust this: you’re not stuck. You’re evolving. 

You’re becoming the next level version of you, and yes, that process can feel wildly emotional and uncomfortable. (I know, because I’m right there with you).

I’ve gone from ugly crying as I take big bold risks, to speaking to Academy members, all within the same week, as I teach what I most need to learn and continue to move forward #DoingItScared.

And that’s what this whole journey is about:
Not waiting to feel ready.  But deciding to leap.
Not waiting to be fearless.  But feeling the butterflies in your stomach and showing up anyway.
Not waiting to book the next job or sell the screenplay to feel confident.  But choosing it now, operating from a new headspace, embodying a new way of being – and watching how everything begins to shift.

Then noticing the evidence that appears that surprises and delights you. Those little winks from the universe that make you say, “Wow… that was practically magic.”

The dream in your heart is there because you’re meant to live it, and everything you’re walking through right now is preparing you to hold it.

Allow the love in your heart to be louder than the negative noise in your head (or the outside world).  Keep taking bold, brave, messy action and do it scared. 

That’s the doorway where you walk into Unshakeable Confidence.   
I’ll see you on the inside.
☀️Keep going, Sunshine.

Love + Gratitude
Wendy

P.S. Declare in the comments which mantra you’re going to take with you today:

My dream is bigger than my doubt.
I don’t allow my fear to decide my fate.
Today, I choose courage and cultivate unshakeable confidence.