Tangle Your Own Conclusions

My younger self would have benefitted greatly from this philosophy. I appreciate and embrace this now and share regularly with my students in the high school classes, college classes and Zentangle classes I instruct. We can’t control externally what happens in our life but we have total control with what what we do with these “happenings” internally. Own it in other words. There is an upside to everything, the more we practice finding this the easier it becomes to see.

I appreciate how parts in Zentangle end up in forming other wildly diverse parts of our lives.

Everything is possible one stroke at a time— which I moved into everything is possible one step at a time .Thanks for these comforting thoughts,
Lisa

Yes! Zentangle is a great reminder of working through, with, and around things in life that may not occur as planned. No mistakes!

„Not so much about the choice you make, how you move forward with this choice! I will print this out for my teenage son who struggles with making “the right” choice!! Thank you so much for this inside!!

I was always told to “do your best”, which in my developing mind meant that nothing less than perfection was to be tolerated. Best is perfect. That was a burden and kept me from fully expanding my wings. Zentangle has given me a safe spot to begin trusting my decisions. I am learning much more about me than just a set of tangle patterns! It is not only OK to share my tiles, it is OK to share who I am and to be imperfect.

Yes! I so resonate with “…to work through so-called mistakes in a way that allows you to see them as opportunities.” When I approach both Zentangle and Life in this way, it helps me dive into choices with courage (with heart) and just as you say, Molly, to see even more beauty.
Thanks for your perspective. ❤️

The Zentangle method can be applied to so many areas of our lives. I use it when I’m driving … heavy traffic, detours, lane closures, accidents up ahead … all are opportunities to find another route, to go down a road less traveled or to just slow down. I use the ‘path of least resistance’, go with the green lights and make my way along … just like tangling.

This makes me think of what our Pastor shared this past Sunday. Today’s world encourages us to be comfortable, to quit when discouraged, to not finish what we start. I think that Zentangle encourages us to follow through no matter what, to not quit because something didn’t quite go as planned. And when we do we can be amazed at the outcome, perhaps it may be harder but it may also be more beautiful than we imagined.

I love this posting, Molly. I’ve always been a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of gal, so not always the best choices but I did make them right. I’m a reactionary, I’m working on changing that and Zentangle has led me on a path of self discovery and appreciation for my choices and decisions and actions. I am far less critical of myself, I give myself permission to make the wrong choices without repercussions. I basically just stopped ‘beating up on myself’ and that has probably been my greatest gift from Zentangle and our community of artists.

This has been one of the best Zentangle life lessons for me. I continue to share it with others as well. So grateful!

Molly,
I don’t have the words to explain what your post and the responding posts meant to me. All I can say is that I couldn’t stop crying from a mixture sadness and joy. I don’t have any children but I’m blessed to have to young families who have adopted me and allow their children to treat me as their grand-auntie. Now I do live by Maria’s words of wisdom but it took me a life time to get there. I wish share them with my present and future adoptive grand nieces and nephews. Thank you.

Love this so much. Hope I have given my kids such wisdom. Zentangle helps me process and dwell in peace every day.

I love this way of looking at life. It translates well to so many other areas. Doing the next right thing (especially if it’s lovely, good, true, moral, ethical, etc.) makes life so much more enjoyable and fulfilling. Thanks for sharing, Molly.

Molly, you are so lucky that your mother told you to think for yourself. My parents did not, I did not question much. Finally as an adult, already married, I changed my spiritual home and began questioning everything! Now in Zentangle workshops, my students sometimes ask me they wish they knew what was next. I tell them to enjoy the process and every stroke they make is part of the process and part of their creation.

I feel I am writing my own story every time I create a new tile to teach my senior students. It is me on paper! And during the mosaic, at the end of the workshop, each student sees themselves on paper!

Molly, you are so lucky that your mother told you to think for yourself. My parents did not, I did not question much. Finally as an adult, already married, I changed my spiritual home and began questioning everything! Now in Zentangle workshops, my students sometimes ask me they wish they knew what was next. I tell them to enjoy the process and every stroke they make is part of the process and part of their creation.

I feel I am writing my own story every time I create a new tile to teach my senior students. It is me on paper! And during the mosaic, at the end of the workshop, each student sees themselves on paper!

Words of advice from my mother-in-law were “There’s nothing so bad something good doesn’t come of it.” We repeated this quite often in view of a “bad” life event, knowing that we only had to watch and wait for the positive to emerge.

Love this piece of advice! I wish I had heard that 10 years ago when my child was younger :-) An amazing piece of advice to choose something and not live a life of regret. Love it!

What wonderful “Zentangle advice” from your mom.."Make a decision and make it right.” And I have enjoyed reading the comments..

These words ring very true for me. Thank you Molly, for reminding me that I have the ability to make what seem like the “right” choices more often in Zentangle and in life! I can also look back on that “path”, and see how far I have come on my “Journey” thus far!!

The philosophy of the Zentangle method is very inspiring to me. I spent a few hours in my life in the chair at the psychotherapist’s. But nothing gives me so much improvement in my life as Zentangle. My parents were my guides but I was free to make the decisions. They gave me advice or we discussed the pros and cons.

I miss them so much.

I was reading a Buddhist article today on the koan and found myself writing about koans, mantras and affirmations as types of insights that have arrived to guide me at different times in my life. Not 30 minutes later this newsletter arrived in my mailbox! “Make a decision and make it right” is an insight that resonates with me across my Zentangle practice, plus in my daily choices large and small. I can see this being one to mull upon and learn more from with each pondering :)

The Zentangle method is truly a metaphor for life! Since discovering Zentangle in 2018 I have become much more relaxed and accepting of so many things in my life that I cannot change. It has made me realize I can only appreciate change in myself for the better! Also, sharing this love of Zentangle and appreciation for so many others work is so awesome! Thank you.

I think the most loving caring thing a parent can do is to allow their kids to make their decisions, be there for them, support them, talk to them so they know they are so loved. Thank you for sharing your heart with us!!

These words ring very true for me. Thanks Molly, for reminding me that I am better able

More than 15 years ago, I became a divorced, traumatized, single mom to a brilliant but challenging 12 year old boy. I grappled deeply with trusting my own growing and profound awareness (and responsibility) of myself as both a strong and nurturing mother and the artist I knew I always was (but had suppressed). It was then that I embraced Zentangling as a meditative and empowering art form. “One line at a time” became almost a mantra, slowly revealing to me hopeful possibilities for creating a safe and positive environment for both my son and me to spread our shaky, tentative wings and learn to fly. The results have been unexpected but surprisingly authentic. I have embraced my artist soul, and my son delights in discovering and embracing his own unique qualities and place in this world. “One line at a time” and “one day at a time” – we are more trusting and confident in ourselves.
Much gratitude to you all for making this life-affirming process available to all. You touch lives in more ways than you could ever know!💗