I think that it's better to gain confidence from within. A lot of people externalise their confidence onto receiving positive reinforcement from others. It's possible instead to internalise your confidence by seeking validation from only your own set of values and expectations which then enables you to stop being scared of the reaction of others.

This takes effort though, becoming conscious of the moments in which you are seeking validation from others and reminding yourself that you don't need it and can give yourself your own validation. It also requires a healthy set of values in the first place, a person with a bad set of values turns into a reactionary when they do this.