I decided that I was no longer going to let others define me. Not only did I get out of my box, I ripped it up, tore it to shreds, burned it and buried it in the ashes. I am who I say I am.
The Phoenix represents being reborn and recreated.
I grew up sexually abused as a child starting at 4 years of age. This abuse continued for 10 years. I was told "not to tell," as most abuse victims are, and I didn't. I grew up learning to survive the best I could. I later married into a physically abusive relationship, and stayed there for 10 years. I got the tattoo of the word "Speak" on my wrist as a reminder that I have a voice I can use, and that I have value as a person. I am thankful that I found my voice and use it today, to help others....
In high school my advisor was the visual arts teacher. I looked up to her for everything. She was my idol. One day she told me straight to my face I could never get into art school and that my dreams were unreasonable. I gave myself this tattoo that night....
My tattoo says “I am enough” with an arrow below. Throughout my childhood, my experience was such that I was consistently told I was too fat, not doing enough, being enough, liking the right things or the right people. I was always wrong. For many many years I struggled to feel ok with who I am. I said sorry far too often, said yes to everything and everyone to prove my worth. When I turned 30, I finally stopped. I came to realize that who I am is ok. I will never be a size zero, always have people who don’t agree with me and my worth is not in the number of organizations I lead or the amount of things I can accomplish. The words “I am enough” looking at me everyday are a constant reminder of this. The arrow reminds me to keep moving forward- not falling back into my old negative thoughts or patterns.
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