Bijou Be Well Series 2025: A 21-Day Tangling Journey

The United States has been observing Mental Health Awareness during the month of May since 1949. Each year, businesses, organizations, schools, and individuals dedicate this month to acknowledge those affected by mental illness by presenting innovative ideas, events, and programs to support the treatment and prevention of mental illness.

Many individuals who suffer from mental health symptoms have found that creating art can be used as a therapy and have very positive effects on their condition. A regular practice of creating art can be nurturing for relieving stress, increasing confidence, and supporting general mental health wellness in all of us, not just those who struggle. The Zentangle Method is a simple and powerful way to access creativity and opens doorways to our creative abilities, and the artist within each of us. Using simple steps and basic strokes, anyone can create beautiful images using the Zentangle Method.

This year, Bijou suggested that we use Bijouisms as a way to talk about different thoughts, actions, and emotions that can nurture our well-being. We all agreed that we loved that idea, but we reminded him that we had already done that a few years ago, and maybe people were looking to learn something new. Bijou smiled softly and said, "How about we come up with some new Bijouisms?" So, we did just that and carefully, Bijou and the Zentangle Staff gathered ideas for this new collection of wisdoms.

Bijou has collected all of the images and wisdoms from each day of Bijou Be Well 2025 into a blog post so that we can revisit them whenever we need a small reminder. Enjoy!

Day 1: Embrace, Not Erase

"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser." -John W. Gardner

Throughout the creative process, we are constantly faced with decisions about what to do next. But what do we do when we make a “miss-stroke”? The Zentangle Method teaches us that we have options. First, we take a deep breath. Then we choose to embrace the stroke and honor it, as it was meant to be there. We welcome the imperfections and work with the unexpected to make something beautiful. Time and time again, when we look back at a tile that had a so-called mistake, it is often the most interesting and surprising creation. It empowers us as we recall the moment when we worked through what we weren’t happy with. Taking this approach with us off the tile, and into our daily lives, teaches us to embrace the unexpected.

Day 2: Elegance of Limits

"Limitation makes the creative mind inventive." -Walter Gropius

"Learn to view limitations not as annoyances but as welcome editors that force you to think creatively." -Garr Reynolds

From the very beginning, the Zentangle Method presents us with subtle parameters that invite the creative process. By creating a structure to work around, we are more apt to be inspired to do the work. We are responsive beings and we thrive off of challenges... even if they are simple challenges.

When given a blank canvas, ultimate freedom, and no boundaries, our minds can wander and become overwhelmed. With some suggestion and structure to attach a process to, our imaginations and creative thought processes thrive. We must learn to embrace the constant limitations and structure that life offers us every day and see them as opportunities that can change the way we see ourselves and the world around us.

Day 3: Pause

“Don’t just do something, stand there.” -Originally uttered by the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland

So often we rush to action to try to fix something that is broken (or not broken!) or to make a decision. But, what really what we need, is to pause and take a step back. When we are tangling, the same is true. When we pause, we create space for clarity and ideas. With the Zentangle Method, we draw repetitive patterns, however we are not on autopilot. We have deliberate intentions and deliberate connections between the strokes and pausing during the creative process allows us to enjoy our full potential and make beautiful choices with our pen.

Day 4: Love Your Work

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." -Oscar Wilde. 

“To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work.” -Mary Lauretta

"Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." -Dalai Lama

We all know we can be our own worst critic. We judge ourselves harshly but see the beauty in others. We will happily compliment and encourage everyone else but tend to criticize and discourage ourselves. However, what if we choose to switch that and find that loving, encouraging voice for ourselves? What would our experience be like if we started each day with a compliment to ourselves? What if we choose to find all the beauty there is in what we create?

Today, we want to remind you, to treat yourself as if you were your own best friend and “Love your Work."

Day 5: Share

“One of the greatest rewards of making art is our ability to share it. Even if there is no audience to receive it, we build the muscle of making something and putting it out into the world. Finishing our work is a good habit to develop. It boosts confidence. Despite our insecurities, the more times we can bring ourselves to release our work, the less weight insecurity has.” -Rick Rubin 

 “Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” -Albert Einstein

One of the beautiful moments in a class of the Zentangle Method is the Mosaic. This is when everyone puts their work together to create a greater piece. The “ooh’s and ahh’s” start, and the compliments are abundant. “Look at what they did here," “Look at that over there."

When we share our art, our own piece of creativity can inspire someone else. It can spark their imagination and encourage some unexplored potential... a powerful domino effect. But we, too, benefit from sharing our art... when we see our creations through someone else's eyes, we gain confidence, which only encourages us to grow!

Today and every day, Bijou nudges us to share!

Day 6: Respect

“When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.” -Dalai Lama

The first step in the Zentangle Method is gratitude. We practice gratitude for the time, the space, the materials, the ability, and so on. Gratitude in many ways goes hand in hand with respect. When you show appreciation for something, you naturally offer that thing or that person respect. And when we respect our tools and our time and ability to create, we thrive. When we respect ourselves, we deepen our sense of empathy and love to share this respect with those around us. So, if each of us put a small intention toward gratitude and respect, imagine the impact we can have on each other! Even if it all starts with simple stroke of ink on paper.  

Day 7: It's The Journey

“Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.” -Drake

Imagine if you walked through life with your head down… you might still get to the same destination, but you would have missed all of the beauty that you passed on your way. The same is true with the Zentangle Method. If you think of your pen simply as a tool to get ink on paper, you may still fill a tile, but you would have missed the appreciation of your supplies, the magic of each stroke, pausing to admire your work along the way, and the thought behind what comes next. If we slow down and lift our heads (and our pens), we might just find that there are a few ways to our destination, and each one is beautiful.

Day 8: I Can Decide!

“Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right.” -Phil McGraw

When we look back at life, we realize that every small decision guided us to the next. Maybe if we had said “yes” instead of “no,” or “no” instead of “yes,” things would have worked out differently… but maybe not. The truth is, we will never know so why do we even dwell on it? Our energy is much more powerful when we channel it toward where we are and where we are going.

In the Zentangle Method, each stroke informs the next, much like life decisions. The space between your string is an opportunity as much as that “miss-stroke” is. Keep moving forward. Ultimately, when we pull the tile away from our eyes to arm’s length, we will see that each stroke was deliberate, and each stroke had to be there to make it what it is. If you feel “decision paralysis” creeping in, remember it is your artwork, and you can decide what comes next.

Day 9: Take Another Look

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." -Wayne Dyer

It is funny how we can get stuck in a space that narrows our perspective. We get into routine - we walk the same route, we pick the same seat, we eat the same foods, we talk to the same people. While routines are comforting and necessary in our lives, it is also good to leave space to shake things up. Stepping back from a situation or a process and changing the way you look at it or approach it, is how we learn, and it is how we grow. It also gives us a better understanding of other perspectives and realities.

Sometimes it is time that can change how we view something. Other times it could be a little rest or a good meal that refocuses our perspective. Maybe you consider changing the people around you, or not around you, or the environment you are in. Maybe you need to approach the situation from a different angle. Whatever the case, leave space, and an open mind and heart, for another way to see… and feel. The next time things feel negative or not right, see or feel for yourself… and simply, Take Another Look.

Day 10: Silence

"The quieter you become, the more you can hear." -Ram Dass

"In silence, we often find solutions to problems we can't solve in any other way." -Eknath Easwaran

You will often hear us say, “prepare your workspace before you begin.” This often includes clearing clutter from your workspace, eliminating distractions, and finding a place that is quiet. Silence gives us the opportunity to turn our attention inward, and it is essential for the Zentangle practice.

In our busy world, it is not often that we find ourselves in silence. In fact, when we do, we may be uncomfortable in it. The next time you find yourself in silence, challenge yourself to sit with it, appreciate it. Allow yourself to put pen to paper and flow without intermittent noises to pull you from your concentration… and find calm in the peace.

Day 11: Patience

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear, and obstacles vanish.” -John Quincy Adams

Patience is sometimes a very hard virtue to possess. Progress doesn’t always come quickly, it often comes in slow, steady steps. It takes perseverance to show up and to continue to take those steps. Having patience means trusting the process, even when results take time to show. Change and growth may feel slow or invisible at times, but every time you make the effort it builds momentum. Remember to stay consistent and be kind to yourself. Lasting change is worth the wait!

Day 12: Be Brave, Be True

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” -Paulo Coelho

Being brave and true is about stepping into the unknown with courage and curiosity, and letting your ideas take shape without judgements. It means trusting your own creativity enough to try new things, even when the outcome is uncertain. It can take a lot of courage to continue - experimenting, failing, learning and evolving, appreciating the process without expecting perfection. Being brave and true means embracing what inspires you and staying open to wherever that inspiration leads. When you are brave enough to create freely and true enough to accept whatever comes of it, you grow not just as an artist, but as a person.

Day 13: Add Love

“Where there is love, there is life.” — Mahatma Gandhi

We use this term in our tangling process quite often. It usually refers to the time when we start to enhance and embellish our work. After we have laid down our preliminary strokes and structure, then comes a time to add shades of gray and perhaps some color. We can then choose to add more layers of ink or revisit lines we previously made. These steps are more personal, and the approach is unique to each artist. It is the thoughtful part of your practice when the work comes to life. And as Gandhi once said, “Where there is love, there is life.” So perhaps we take a moment to note how all of us can contribute to this cultivation of love. Whether it is on a tile or in your world, take a little extra time to, Add Love... it really does make a difference.

Day 14: Nuture

“The essential element in nurturing our creativity lies in nurturing ourselves.” -Julia Cameron

Does creativity lie dormant within all of us? At Zentangle HQ, we believe that with proper guides and support, creativity can emerge and blossom in everyone. Here's why...

Many of us are pretty good about showering others with love and support, but do we take the time to offer that same sense of nurture when it comes to ourselves? The truth is, feeling supported and loved by others is important and necessary but in order to receive it, we have to first support and love ourselves. By prioritizing ourselves, and recognizing our own potential to be beautiful and make beautiful things, creativity comes along naturally. This, perhaps, helps us prove that maybe creativity does lie dormant within all of us… it just needs a little self-nurturing to come alive.

Day 15: Explore

“As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.” -Robin S. Sharma

“Oh, the places you’ll go” -Dr. Seuss

Our experiences are shaped by the explorations we take. In Zentangle art, we naturally play inside our comfort zone - returning to the tangles we know well, shading with graphite, adding our chop. It is comforting to stay within these boundaries, knowing that we can always come back to this safe place. We remind ourselves that we are capable. But we can gain a lot from stepping beyond that boundary, going somewhere new, and forcing ourselves to think in a new way. What would happen if we asked our pens to do something we have not asked before? In life, leaving your comfort zone is a much scarier concept… the consequences are larger. But when we take this concept to a 3.5” square tile, the nerves dissipate. It is just paper, a pen, maybe a pencil and a tortillon… take the leap beyond your boundary and explore a new tangle… you never know, it may transform your confidence in areas beyond the tile.

Day 16: Change and Grow

“There is nothing permanent except change.” -Heraclitus

Change and Grow, or is it Grow and Change? One begets the other. As you grow your creative mind, the creations you make change, and the opposite is also true. As our Zentangle practice evolves, our confidence and style grow. Throughout the process, we gain confidence as artists and an open-mindedness for what might come next. This mindset enables us to trust the journey of our creativity and remain grateful for allowing ourselves to welcome what comes next.

Day 17: Stretch

"Stretching is a journey, not a destination. It's about pushing your limits, embracing discomfort, and discovering your potential." -Ken Poirot

When we think of stretching, we think of preparing for a workout, cooling down afterward, or maybe a yoga class. Because of its association with exercise, we feel the need to schedule it… “I will stretch before I go for a run tomorrow.” What if we re-frame the concept of stretching? Sure, stretching means lengthening muscles and increasing mobility, but at its core, it is “to cause something to reach.”

If we bring this approach to our Zentangle practice, we realize that we must stretch often. We stretch our mind when we try a new tangle, we stretch our perspective when we take a class with a CZT, and we stretch our personal limits when we decide to draw outside of our string. Stretching keeps us supple, curious, fresh, and young.

Bijou reminds you to stretch every day – whether that be your mind, body, or on the tile…it is up to you!

Day 18: Look Up

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” -Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust 

When we take a miss-step, we fixate on it. We naturally ruminate on the negative. We wish we had done better. But then something good comes our way, and maybe that “miss-step” was merely just a step. And maybe it led us to that good thing. It is all about perspective…

The same is true when we are creating art. Our eyes are drawn to the shading that was “too dark” or the line that was “not straight.” But, when we lift our tile, rotate it a little to the left, a little to the right, walk away, and come back, something magical happens… that detail that we could not stop looking at before is no longer catching our eye. We see the bigger picture.

Today, Bijou encourages you to look up, change your view, and appreciate your work!

Day 19: Find Balance

"Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create." -Jana Kingsford

Balance is the state of mind we seek as humans. Often, we can balance the unpredictable nature of our surroundings by putting pen to paper. Creating with the Zentangle Method can provide the structure we need to counteract the chaos of a busy day or a noisy mind and wallow in the comfort of our wandering pen. We create beautiful lines, one by one, to offset that which is out of our control. We also provide balance in our compositions by harmonizing our pen strokes using light and dark, fine and bold, stark and tangled, angular and soft lines.

Day 20: Dream

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” -C.S. Lewis

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” -Henry David Thoreau

Ahh, dreams, those lovely moments of life imagined! They are glimpses of what our inner selves know is possible, encouraging us to grow in ways that align with who we really are. Trusting that quiet voice of creativity... letting it shape the way we move in the world... is a way to connect us to our deepest selves. Some dreams may seem daunting to chase, but with enough intentionality, and a little bit of luck, they can become our reality.

Just for today, and maybe every day going forward, take one step toward your dream and let it lead you on the journey to something incredible!

Day 21: Marvel

This spark, within us all, is ignited when we marvel at our own Zentangle art. It’s no coincidence that two out of the eight steps of the Zentangle method encourage appreciation. This idea encompasses wonder, admiration, and marveling at our creations. When we give ourselves this gift, it feeds our imagination and comforts our soul. When we marvel at others' art, we lift spirits, encourage confidence and build relationships.

Let us know in the comments what your favorite day/Bijouism was (if you can choose) and why. We will select a tangler, or two, at random to receive a Zentangle surprise.

If you want to tangle with us, you can watch all of the video lessons from the 2025 Bijou Be Well Series here.