Welcome to the final episode of our CREATE spiral series! Today we're diving into expansion - the phase where all your internal artist development starts showing up externally through strategic risk-taking.
If you've ever felt ready to share your work more boldly, raise your prices, or submit to shows but didn't know how to manage the fear that comes with growth, this episode is for you. I'll share my three circles framework for understanding your capacity for risk, plus the crucial piece most artists miss: how to recharge after expanding so you can take progressively bigger steps without burning out.
What You'll Learn
- The three circles of risk-taking: comfort zone, stretch zone, and terror zone
- How to read your nervous system to know when you're stretching vs. when you're pushing too far
- The difference between healthy recharging and avoidance (and why this matters for sustainable growth)
- Common expansion mistakes that lead to burnout or stagnation
- Why expansion naturally leads back to curiosity, creating an upward spiral of growth
- Practical steps to start expanding strategically this week
Key Takeaways
The Three Circles Framework:
- Comfort Zone: Where you feel safe and competent - no anxiety or stress
- Stretch Zone: Uncomfortable but manageable - where all growth happens
- Terror Zone: Too far - leads to shutdown, procrastination, and overwhelm
Reading Your Body: Learn to recognize your personal signals of stress (chest tightness, restlessness, stomach queasiness) and use "name it to tame it" to stay present.
The Recharge Cycle: You MUST return to your comfort zone after stretching to rebuild capacity for bigger risks. Healthy recharging = intrinsic enjoyment. Avoidance = coming out more tired.
Common Mistakes:
- Pushing too hard/fast → shutdown and overwhelm
- Staying too small/safe → stagnation and resentment
Memorable Quotes
"The beautiful paradox of expansion is that it requires both tremendous courage AND exceptional self-care."
"Expansion isn't about taking massive leaps that terrify you. It's about understanding exactly how far you can stretch without breaking yourself."
"You don't have to be fearless. You just have to be willing to take one small, strategic risk and then care for yourself afterward."
Episode Timestamps
- 00:00 Welcome & CREATE spiral recap
- 01:28 What is expansion?
- 03:22 The three circles framework (comfort, stretch, terror zones)
- 08:27 Reading your nervous system & "name it to tame it"
- 12:49 The recharge cycle: healthy recharging vs. avoidance
- 16:13 Common expansion mistakes (pushing too hard vs. staying too safe)
- 17:05 Real artist example: Sarah raising her prices strategically
- 19:57 How expansion leads back to curiosity (completing the spiral)
- 21:42 Practical steps to try this week
The Complete CREATE Spiral Series:
- SPP350: Curiosity
- SPP351: Resistance
- SPP352: Exploration
- SPP353: Alignment
- SPP354: Trust
- SPP355: Expansion (this episode)
Take Action This Week
- Choose one small risk - sharing a painting, entering a show, having a pricing conversation
- Practice nervous system awareness - check in with your body throughout the day
- Plan recharge time in advance - schedule genuine rest and enjoyment
- Trust the process - you can handle whatever response you get
Connect with Antrese
Ready to practice expansion with support? Join us in Growth Studio where we help artists take strategic risks in a supportive community environment with somatic and mindset exercises to keep you centered.
- Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
- Growth Studio
Share This Episode
Know an artist who's ready to expand but feeling scared about taking risks? Share this episode with them! Growth is always easier with community.
The CREATE spiral isn't a one-time journey - you'll move through curiosity, resistance, exploration, alignment, trust, and expansion over and over again, spiraling upward into the artist you're meant to be.
