How To Trust Yourself Again with Hilary Hahn

We all know what it feels like to be hard on ourselves, question whether we're good enough, or let someone else's opinion become our own inner voice. All of this comes down to self-trust.

In this deeply personal conversation, three-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn (!!!) and I talk about self-worth, perfectionism, creativity, long-term dedication to your craft, and the lifelong process of learning to trust yourself. Hilary shares what decades of performing have taught her about self-trust, quieting her inner critic, finding her own style, and staying connected to the parts of herself that exist beyond achievement.

You will learn…

• How perfectionism can disconnect you from your creativity, and what Hilary has learned about letting go of the need to get everything exactly “right”
• Why self-worth cannot depend on awards, praise, or other people's opinions, and how to recognize the voices you've internalized
• What performing has taught Hilary about self-trust, presence, and getting out of your own head
• Why your imperfections may actually be part of what makes your work and your presence more authentic and human
• How to cultivate creativity by giving yourself time to think, experiment, process, and develop your own ideas
• What it means to stay committed to your craft

Remember: Your self-worth does not have to be earned through achievement or perfection. Self-trust grows when you learn to listen to your own voice, recognize what you value about yourself, and give yourself permission to be fully human.

Hilary Hahn is a three-time GRAMMY Award-winning violinist known for her expressive musicality, technical expertise, and curiosity both within and beyond the classical music world. She has commissioned and championed works by more than 40 living composers, while her recordings have earned some of the highest honors in the music world. She also created #100daysofpractice, a social media initiative that has transformed practicing into a community celebration of creativity and artistic development, with more than one million posts shared by performers and students. She currently serves on the string faculty at Juilliard and continues to perform, record, commission new works, and connect with audiences around the world.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @violincase.

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