Flute 360 | Episode 352: "Stop Shrinking—How to Take Up Healthy Artistic Space as a Musician"

If you've ever felt yourself shrinking—apologizing for your sound, playing small in rehearsal, or holding back your musical voice—this episode is for you. Today, we explore why so many musicians collapse inward (mentally, emotionally, and physically) and how to reclaim the healthy artistic space you were designed to inhabit.

Across all ages and stages—middle schoolers, college musicians, adult hobbyists, professionals—this pattern appears: talented artists who know what they're capable of internally but feel unable to express it externally. In this conversation, I walk you through the deeper causes behind shrinking behavior and how past comments, environments, or relationships may have taught you to retreat rather than rise.

We talk about understanding your worth, advocating for yourself, releasing toxic narratives, and learning to stand in a posture—physically and emotionally—that supports confident, resonant playing. This work is not just about tone or technique; it's about identity, healing, and showing up with presence and intention in your artistry.

This episode invites you to notice where you've made yourself small, question the origins of those patterns, and begin stepping forward with courage, clarity, and joy.

What We Discuss:

Why musicians across all ages tend to shrink in certain environments
How authority figures and educational settings shape artistic confidence
The difference between healthy respect and unhealthy silence
Physical collapse vs. mental retreat, and how the body reveals fear
How past comments and old narratives get stored in the lungs and breath
Why embodied confidence is essential for expressive, resonant playing
How reclaiming artistic space restores joy in practicing and performing
A framework for identifying where and why you're minimizing yourself
Ways to release old stories so your authentic musical voice can emerge

Main Takeaway:

You are designed to take up healthy artistic space. When you stand in your God-given identity—emotionally, physically, spiritually—your artistry expands. Your breath frees. Your sound opens. Your presence shifts. And the music you share becomes a reflection of the truth of who you are, not who past voices told you to be.

Join Us Live – Flute 360 Accelerator on December 20, 2025:

If this episode resonated with you and you're craving deeper support, community, and accountability in your artistic growth, join us for the next Flute 360 Accelerator session:

Saturday, December 20, 2025 from 11 AM–1 PM CT

We meet once a month for live coaching, artistic development, and meaningful connection with fellow musicians.

Save your seat for December 20th inside the Accelerator — click here!

Follow Heidi!

Follow Flute 360 via TikTok!
Follow Flute 360 via Instagram!
Follow Flute 360 via Twitter!
Follow Flute 360 via LinkedIn!
Follow Flute 360 via Facebook!
Subscribe to the Flute 360's YouTube Channel!
Join the Flute 360 Newsletter!
Join the Flute 360 Family's Facebook Private Group!
Join the Flute 360's Accelerator Program Here!

Episode 352: Stop Shrinking—How to Take Up Healthy Artistic Space as a Musician