Raising Confidence in a World That Profits from Insecurity

By a Mom Who’s Been There

I'm in marketing, and one of the golden rules is this: either make them want what you have or solve a problem.

The problem with that?
We’re raising our kids in a world that constantly tells us — and them — that we’re not enough… just so it can sell us the “solution.”

It’s wild when you really think about it.
Social media filters. Diet fads. “Perfect” influencers. The next must-have trend.

Sure, we had some of that growing up.
Magazines told us what was cool — like Swatch watches and L.A. Gear jeans — but today’s kids (and let’s be honest, we moms too) are constantly bombarded 24/7.

For me, my Instagram grid is full of how to build muscle, eat clean, lose the menopause weight, take the right supplements… And of course, it’s also filled with flawless influencers who seem to have it all — multi-million dollar homes, designer wardrobes, picture-perfect families on luxurious vacations.

It can send you into a tailspin if you’re not grounded — if you’re not confident in who you are, how far you’ve come, and where you’re still going.

And if that’s hard for us as grown women… imagine how our daughters feel.

So how do we protect our daughters — and ourselves — from the constant pressure and messaging designed to chip away at our confidence?

It starts with awareness.
Recognizing that much of what we see online is a carefully curated highlight reel — or a calculated marketing strategy — not real life. It’s smoke and mirrors, meant to trigger a desire or insecurity so we’ll click, buy, or compare.

Here are a few reminders I keep coming back to, and ones I encourage every mom to share with her daughter:

💬 How to Talk to Ourselves and Our Daughters About Social Media “Marketing”

1. Call it what it is: marketing.
Help your daughter understand that influencers, brands, and even everyday accounts are often selling something — even if it’s just a lifestyle or image. Knowing that it’s curated on purpose makes it easier to emotionally detach.

2. Compare less, connect more.
Encourage conversations that focus on real-life experiences, achievements, and feelings. Create space to celebrate who she is — not who social media says she should be.

3. Practice talking kindly to yourself.
Model self-love. Say things like “I’m proud of how far I’ve come” or “I’m learning and growing every day.” When your daughter hears you speak to yourself with compassion, she learns to do the same.

4. Curate your feed.
Follow people who inspire, educate, or uplift — and unfollow anything that makes you feel “less than.” Remind your daughter she’s in control of what she consumes.

5. Bring it back to values.
Instead of chasing trends, guide her to ask, “What kind of woman do I want to become?” Then help her align her actions, goals, and role models with that vision.

We may not be able to silence the noise of social media, but we can teach our daughters (and remind ourselves) how to navigate it with confidence, clarity, and a strong sense of self.

The world may profit from insecurity —
But in this house, we’re raising girls who know their worth.

Xx Kim