Follow Her: Her First Tattoo

A moment I have been waiting to seize for years has finally arrived. On a perfect fall friday, sunny and brisk, I got my very first tattoo. 

It was exciting, liberating and a little painful, but completely worth it. 

When I stepped through the doors of the tattoo parlor, I stepped into another world. I stepped into a world of art that I had never personally explored before. Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous at all. I sat in the waiting area on the bench that kind of reminded me of those old church pews with red couch cushions and I waited for my nice tattoo artist, who had an English accent, to come to get me. He showed me a few stencil designs that he chose based on what I told him I wanted—a heart outline. After looking at each one and holding them on the spot I wanted in front of the mirror, I narrowed it down to two shapes that I liked. One was a longer heart shape and the other was a rounder heart shape. I switched back and forth between the two, holding one up and then the other. “Do I go with the rounder heart shape? It’s a fuller heart shape.” “Do I go with the longer heart shape? It’s a little more standard.” 

Then I thought, “stop making it so hard, just go with your gut and pick one”

So, I did. 

I went with the rounder heart shape, that’s what my gut told me and I was going to roll with it. 

I never thought twice about where to get it, I wanted it on my right hip. I liked the location, simple as that. So, after picking the outline I wanted, my tattoo artist explained the process to me and put the outline on my hip along with some cleaning solution. I laid down on the table, closed my eyes and took a breath as some nerves started to kick in. 

Ten minutes of pain, clenching my fists and sweating and I was a new woman- officially a tattooed woman. 

My tattoo is simple. She is small but fierce. Her purpose is to be a symbol of self-love and confidence. Everytime I look down at her, I know she will remind me of that. I know she will remind me that I am beautiful, confident and brave. 

Thank you Boston Tattoo Company for an incredible experience! 

XOXO

• confidence
• follow her
• self-love
• tattoos