Let Your Pen Soothe Your Soul - Vol. 2

Bijou writes...

The United States has been observing Mental Health Awareness Month 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.

This month reminds us to recognize our wonderful CZT community that has found deep connections to the Zentangle Method through their own mental health journey, and who pass along the power of the Zentangle Method through teaching in their communities and beyond. They inspire others to tap into their creative abilities to soothe, heal, reignite, and empower... and they do the same themselves. We have asked some of our CZTs to share their stories this month and we thank them for their vulnerability in doing so. We hope these personal reflections remind our wider community how important it is to find a creative outlet and prioritize yourself.

Today we hear from Jessica Abresch. She writes...

In 2017, I lost my mother suddenly when she was just 60 years old. A year later, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away in 2020 at 63. At the same time, I was going through a divorce, drowning in grief, loss, and a deep questioning of everything in my life. In the midst of that darkness, a simple moment changed everything.

My Aunt Martha, visiting from Texas, showed my daughter a way of drawing called Zentangle. My daughter wasn't very interested — but something in it spoke to me. What I discovered was that when I repetitively drew the patterns, my mind grew quiet. Tangling became my breath of fresh air.  It began with a tangle called paradox and went from there. It was the only thing that helped me truly rest my mind — even if only for a few minutes — when grief and anxiety had otherwise taken over.

  

After both of my parents passed, I felt deeply called to share this gift with others. Since 2020, I have been going live on social media 7 to 10 times a week, free, teaching the Zentangle Method — but with a twist:

For me, tangling is about the journey to the end of the tangle — and the tangle is a bonus at the end. Zentangle, to me, is about mental health, stress relief, anxiety relief, grief support, unlocking creativity and so much more. It’s breathing when life feels too heavy.

While I teach, I gently remind people:

• • Don't hold your breath. 
  • Don't bite the inside of your cheeks or clench your jaw.
  • Don't grip the pen too tightly or press too hard.
  • If you notice you're doing any of these things, address it — and move on.

The impact has been beyond anything I could have imagined. Every day, I receive messages from people who tell me that Zentangle — and finding my videos — helped them through divorce, grief, depression, even suicidal thoughts. They found hope in a place where hope had all but disappeared. One day during a live class, my daughter was experiencing a severe panic attack. I handed her a piece of paper and a pen and told her to copy what I was drawing. Within two minutes, she went from feeling like she was dying — as anyone who's had a panic attack knows — to being able to breathe and function.

As a nurse, I can tell you: there is no medication in my home that works as quickly and safely as that. Zentangle is not "just drawing." It is a lifeline. It is a way back to ourselves. It is meditation. It is mindfulness. It is a reminder that we are all perfectly imperfect, and that there is no such thing as a perfectly straight line or a perfectly round orb — only the beauty of what happens when we let go of perfection and allow creativity to flow.

That’s why I named my company Outside the LinZ. Because life, and healing, happens outside the lines we think we’re supposed to stay inside. Zentangle has given me a way to turn grief into gratitude, anxiety into art, and despair into connection. It saved my life — and I believe it can save others, one breath, one stroke, and one moment at a time.

As a reminder, we will release a 21-day series that invites our community to find 15-20 minutes for themselves each day from May 10th to May 30th. We focus on one tangle, one tile, one stroke at a time - simple, yet healing. You can find NEW Bijouisms and new videos each day in our newsletter and on our YouTube channel.