Creative Work – Henriette Nolte

How to Create More

Posted on August 4, 2026August 4, 2026 by Henriette

Some might wonder why I go so deep into emotional processing. The biggest reason was always to counter endless tendencies of avoidance. I saw (early on) that I could not get any creative work done if I was clogged up emotionally.

My goal with emotional processing wasn’t to dissolve all negative feelings forever—that’s unrealistic. Rather, my goal was to increase my creative output. There are many benefits to emotional processing. For instance, it allowed me to be more comfortable with uncomfortable emotions. It helped me to resolve long-standing anxiety issues. Things like this. But these things were never my main goal. My main goal had to do with creative output.

Create Something Great

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Henriette

In a previous post, I wrote about how creating something tiny, like a drawing for instance, can show us just how distracted we are. By creating something tiny, we build focus. We might even achieve flow state.

Creating something large and majestic, on the other hand, can show us something different. Creating a larger piece of art does something more than build focus. It shows us our level of inner maturity.

What AI Can’t Do

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Henriette

A list of what AI (Large language models or LLMs) can’t do.

Not Smart Enough? Or Just Afraid To Feel?

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Henriette

Over the years, when I talk to people about mathematics, reading, writing, and even artistic pursuits, like painting and drawing, I encounter this block that says, “I’m not smart enough to do that.”

This idea of not being smart enough prevents many people from trying anything new. It prevents them from stepping out of their comfort zone. It prevents them from exploring new interests and skills.

The Utility of Art

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Henriette

Many years ago, a woman shared with me that she really wanted to paint more but her husband thought it was useless. I could see that she had an internal struggle about this. A part of her had the view: “To hell with it. I like it. Why must I explain myself?” Another part wanted to find some reason, or utility, for it because people around her required it. She could not allow herself to just paint.

Find Joy In The Process Of Creating

Posted on October 21, 2024October 21, 2024 by Henriette

You don’t need validation. You don’t need permission. You can just create something.

You can just decide to switch off the conditioned voice that says that your art has no value, you will never be good enough, you will never make money, or whatever else it has to say.

Do this instead: find joy in the process of creating. Create from a state of presence.

Create From A State Of Presence

Posted on October 9, 2024October 9, 2024 by Henriette

I once heard Brandon Sanderson (author of The Way of Kings) tell aspiring writers that they should not think of their first novel as the product. Instead, he said, you should think of yourself as the product. His argument went something like this: The first book that you write won’t be good. No matter what you do. You don’t have enough skill to make it good yet. But each story that you write, makes you a better writer. And so, even if your first stories are not publishable, you can rest assured that you are becoming a better writer by writing them.

Category: Creative Work