I recently just got my first tattoo, and even though I love how it turned out, I was terrified to get it. From people reminding me that it would be there for the rest of my life to others saying about how bad it was going to hurt, I had a ton of thoughts going through my mind of things that could go terribly wrong. For some, their first tattoo is not a big deal, but others lose sleep because of these 10 thoughts.
1. Am I sure that I want this on my skin for the rest of my life?
I’m sure everyone is reminding you that a tattoo is permanent, and you’re most likely losing your mind over it. You have to decide whether or not you will be okay with having a tattoo at the age of 30, 50, and 70. It hard to imagine our lives a year from now let alone decades in advanced.
2. What will this look like when I’m old and wrinkly?
We all have to admit that at some point that our skin is not going to be the smooth, tight beauty that it is when we get the tattoo. What if the tattoo doesn’t look the same when we get older? It is a concept that needs to be accepted now before we even take the steps of getting tattooed.
3. I hope I don’t twitch when I’m getting the tattoo.
Twitching when the needle touches your skin was a huge fear of mine. I was scared that I would accidentally kick the artist in the face. What if I moved and ended up with a tattooed line up my leg? That didn't happen, thank goodness!
4. What if the artist messes up?
When getting a tattoo, you should always put an immense amount of thought into where to go and who to request, but what if that isn’t enough. Once you sit down and the needle is touching your skin, it’s out of your hands.
5. Am I sure I want this design?
My friend told me that if I drew the design on myself every day for a month and still loved it, then why not make it permanent? She was right, but I still looked up a thousand different designs before I settled on my original one.
6. Should I let pain determine where I should get the tattoo?
Getting a tattoo hurts regardless of where you get it, but some places are worse than others. If you are scared of the pain, maybe a tattoo is not the best option for you. If you get your tattoo in a less painful place than what you wanted, then is it really still the tattoo that you wanted?
7. What if I don’t like how it looks after I get it?
Please excuse my language, but you are SOL. Just let that sink in before you get tattooed.
8. Will my grandparents and parents approve of my decision?
Getting a tattoo is your decision, but you probably do not want to disappoint your loved ones. You are the one who has to live with the decision though, so base it off of your own thoughts, not what others want you to do.
9. What will my future significant other think about it?
It is scary thinking that someone might not want to be with you because you have a tattoo, but just remember this one thing. That tattoo, whether it is good or bad, is now a part of you, and if someone cannot accept that, then they don’t deserve you anyway.
10. Will I ever get used to it being on my skin?
To be completely honest, I envisioned my tattoo in the sand or at the pool, and I think it will take a while before I stop purposely staring at it. It will become a part of me, and it will become a part of you too.
