When aspiring model Katie Piper became the victim of an acid attack in 2008, it seemed her dreams were over. However Katie was not willing to let her attackers win that easily.
In the nine years since, she has rebuilt her life and is now a TV presenter, businesswoman, mother, wife and head of The Katie Piper Foundation - a charity which helps people with burns and scars to reconnect with their lives and their communities.
And now she has written a book - Confidence: The Secret - to share her secrets to the confidence that has helped her to rebuild her life and make her dreams her reality.
We caught up with Katie to talk about motherhood, reaching your goals - and her tips for how we can all grow in confidence in 2017.
Firstly, how would you define confidence?
I would define confidence as something that we all have. It's almost like a muscle - some are stronger than others, and how hard we work on it and how much effort we put into it is the amount that we're going to have.
For me, it's a question that I'm always asked - how am I confident? There's not one particular answer. Some people think that confidence can come from one thing – looking good, being thin, being pretty – but it doesn't. Those things can all be factors, but confidence can come from multiple places that makes us a well-balanced, rounded person.
And what do you think is the key to having better confidence?
I think that confidence is a lot about self-acceptance. Sometimes we can have unrealistic aspirations, but as soon as we can accept our limitations we can move forward and show people the best version of who we can be, rather than aspiring to be like somebody else.
Life is rarely simple - what's your advice for when things go off track?
I would say that the destination you want to get to is never in a straight line - it always veers off, but as long as you focus on the goal, you will get there. Also, I find if you've worked extra hard at something, it can be a real confidence boost.
And what is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
I've been given quite a lot of advice from a big range of people, but one affirmation that stuck was: "Worry is the biggest waste of time – all it does is ruin your joy and never, ever helps the situation; it's such a waste of emotion." It's something that has really helped me so much in my recovery.
You became a mother in 2014 - how has motherhood changed you?
I'm shattered! I spend my life in soft toys and swimming lessons at the weekend! It's nice, it's a new area of confidence. In the book, it says that if we have life-changing events happen to us, whether good or bad, we can learn to love ourselves a little bit more. It's been a great experience and is definitely one of the best things I've done with my life.
What advice would you like to pass onto your daughter?
I want her to be her own person, but I want to encourage her to know that she can do anything she wants to do – there are no restrictions or limitations. I'm a great believer that barriers don't really exist unless you make them, feed them and keep them alive.
And how have you found balancing motherhood with work?
In the beginning I found it very difficult, but now I'm nearly three years in and I've learnt not to punish myself if I have to go away or when I'm at home and the emails are building up. Whatever I have to do, I do it. When I'm at home with Belle I focus on her, and when I'm at work I'm not going to beat myself up, I'm going to do the best that I can do.
What has been your proudest achievement across the last nine years?
I think I'm most proud of the people I work with at my charity. Some people are not directly affected by burns, but they all come together and are as passionate as I am about the cause. Meeting people like that, who genuinely care and have a vision and want to change things, it raises my belief in myself and the charity.
Is there one person/story in particular that has stuck with you?
On a daily basis I hear about inspiring people, and I think that's why I wanted to interview those people and put them in my book. Beauty blogger Jordan Bone is amazing. She was paralysed in a car accident when she was 19, but now she does make-up videos. She's a really strong, independent woman. She doesn't hide her disability, she talks about it, but it doesn't define her.
And finally, what's the one piece of advice you'd like to give us for building our confidence in 2017?
Recognise the confidence that you have. Confidence is there for all of us, so don't envy other people and wish you were more like them. Make yourself who you want to be - make it your mantra. Think about who you want to be a year from now and just make this the year that you make it happen.
Katie's book Confidence: The Secret is available to buy from Amazon, £12.99.
Do you have any tips for being more confident? Share them with us over on Facebook and Twitter.
Like this? Now read these:
WATCH: Katie Piper shares candid video of herself putting her makeup on
From acid attack victim to inspiring survivor: Katie Piper’s life in pictures
Burns survivor Terri Calvesbert: 'A child with burns would be lucky to grow up with Katie Piper'