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Anything Is Possible One Stroke at a Time

Anything Is Possible One Stroke at a Time

Julie writes...

Do you ever have a vision in your head for a tile and you excitedly pick up a pen and paper and begin to tangle, only to get frustrated that it is not quite turning out how you planned?

I have been there before many times. Earlier in my Zentangle journey, I would sometimes just abandon the tile, stashing it away in a “tile graveyard,” telling myself that I would return to it later, knowing deep down that I would not. I used to try and talk myself out of doing this by telling myself, “No mistakes”, but that mantra did not always stop me from hiding that tile away because it was not what I had planned.

Later, in my Zentangle journey, I learned that the philosophy that I really needed to lean on in during these moments is “Anything Is Possible One Stroke at a Time.”

In those earlier years of my Zentangle practice, I would feel disheartened when the vision I had in my head did not immediately start to take shape on my tile. But it was not because I had made a “mistake” but because I was not trusting the process.

Here I am over ten years into my tangling journey, and I recently experienced this again, where the vision was not taking shape on my tile and I felt that familiar sense of frustration. What is different now is that I know anything is possible. I did not shove the tile in a tile graveyard to sit unfinished for months or years to come. I kept going and I trusted the process. I took things one stroke at a time and really appreciated each line, curve and orb. Each one drawn slowly and deliberately. I took my time with shading, adding layers of graphite and white charcoal thoughtfully.

When I finished, the tile still did not look quite as I had originally envisioned, it was better!

When you try to rush through a tile to get to a forced result, you miss so much along the way. You miss the relaxation and calm you get from drawing simple and repetitive strokes. You miss the opportunities that you did not (could not) originally think of. You miss the journey itself.

It is no secret that before my Zentangle journey, I did not consider myself an artist. I often wonder if this might be why this philosophy took so long to sink in and why it has had the most profound impact both on and off the tile.

I encourage you, that the next time you are feeling stuck or in a rut, frustrated or discouraged or not sure where a tile is taking you, just trust the process, enjoy the journey and remember, anything is possible one stroke at a time.

Julie Willand

11 comments

  • Thank you for sharing. Everything is possible one stroke at a time has been my guiding light learning about and developing my creative soul. Thank you all.

    Joni Paolucci on

  • I began my journey in 2015 and it did take me awhile to recognize that trusting the process was key. I remember thinking at seminar, while following Maria’s guidance ‘how did that turn out so well’. Fast forward a few years and I was working on a project pack where Molly in particular was saying ‘trust the process’. I settled in and thought of course I do it may not be perfect but I am always relaxed and happier in the end. Now I lean into that for myself and gently suggest to my students when they feel a little frustrated.

    PamS on

  • I began my journey in 2015 and it did take me awhile to recognize that trusting the process was key. I remember thinking at seminar, while following Maria’s guidance ‘how did that turn out so well’. Fast forward a few years and I was working on a project pack where Molly in particular was saying ‘trust the process’. I settled in and thought of course I do it may not be perfect but I am always relaxed and happier in the end. Now I lean into that for myself and gently suggest to my students when they feel a little frustrated.

    PamS on

  • I totally felt that…

    Angie Gittles on

  • Thank you Julie!

    Tracy on

  • I encourage myself and my students to keep “those tiles” and pull them out later when trying a new technique or tangle. More often than not, it restores the tile to awesomeness!

    Jenny Perruzzi, CZT10 on

  • I often read about how newbies are intimidated by intricate tiles and or not being able to think about something as intricate.
    I often as a CZT try to tell them it’s about the process.
    This blog stating that fact will enable me by saying
    Julie from headquarters felt exactly the same way.
    Thank you 🙏

    Bhani on

  • Thanks for sharing this Julie! I too have something of a tile “graveyard” with tiles hoping to see the light of the day sometime. Thanks for the powerful reminder.

    Suchitra Komandur on

  • Well said Julie. My experience to a T. Now I no longer have a ‘tile graveyard’ and tiles are not consigned to the trash because I made a ‘mistake’ or don’t like the last stroke I made. I now keep going, finish the tile and find I love the result. Anything really is possible One Stroke at a Time.

    Kathleen McMurtry CZT on

  • Absolutely true! Happens regularly and I no longer have a “graveyard”! Trust the process is my new metaphor for life!

    Sylvia (Caledon East, Canada) on

  • What a metaphor for life! Keep going! It will turn out better than we think!

    Sheryl on

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