Recently I did something crazy; something completely impulsive... I went and got a tattoo!

To many, this wouldn't be such a crazy concept. But because I've never had any, besides the microblading done on my eyebrows, it was a pretty big deal.

For years now, I've thought about the tattoos that I wanted and the meanings behind each of them. A cross laced in flowers on the back of my neck, my mothers birth flowers on my ankle, and quite a few others. But I never made the jump, to get one.

Why? Might you ask...

Well, tattoos are a permanent decision and I didn't take that lightly. I wanted to make sure that I loved them and that each one could be hidden in a professional setting. Plus there's the fact that I HATE NEEDLES!

So when I jokingly told a girl I had only met once before that we should get matching tattoos on a business trip, I really didn't expect it to play out the way that it did. Truthfully, I thought she'd tell me "no" in a forceful tone, but instead, I got a "what would we even get?" while she laughed.

Needless to say, or "needles to say" if you like a good pun, I started panicking on the inside. As we walked to Florida Georgia Line's restaurant for a drink, we played with the idea. Shortly after getting there, we made up our minds, downed our drinks, and headed out the door.

With a light speed walk, we found our way to Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co. only to be disappointed by their shop minimum. Especially, since we only needed something microscopic and minimalistic. At that point, we were so amped up that we decided there was no question about it. We were pissed and we wanted tattoos.

Next thing you know, we're outside talking to Jarrod at Nashville Ink. He answers our questions, asks us a couple in return, and we say "Fuck it, let's do this."

Now, I can't speak for the person that got this with me, but here's what I see when I look at my first tattoo.

1. Orion's Belt

For those of you that don't know, Orion was known for being a talented hunter. Someone that was confident in his abilities. So much so, that he thought he could rid the Earth of all wild animals.

It's because of this that Orion's Belt is more than a constellation to me. It's a reminder that I too can be talented in my passions and confident in my abilities. 

2. Three Stars

This one kind of piggy backs off of the first meaning for this tattoo, but not in the way that you might think. 

Yes, there are three stars in Orion's Belt, but there are also three stars in the Tennessee flag. For me, this is a reminder of the time that I've spent in Nashville over the last four months and all of the time I will spend there in the future.

3. Productivity Strategies of Superacheivers

The reason that I was in Nashville in the first place was for a Robin Robin's Producer's Club Meeting.  The CEO of my company is a member of this club and attends these meetings quarterly, this time I got to tag along.

Luckily for me, I got to listen to Darren Hardy speak. It was honestly a life changing experience and I learned a lot from him. My biggest takeaway being that my time and attention should be divided into three strategic focuses based on what I want for my future. This tattoo stands as a reminder to only focus on my three things.

4. Personal & Professional Development 

By now, I think a lot of you guys know that I really enjoy reading. A few years ago, I was finishing between 30 and 50 books a year and I hate to say that I'm no longer doing so. 

So when I see the three dots on my finger, it reminds me of an ellipsis. Something commonly found in a book to represent a continuance of a thought, or in this case my education. Something I can't do unless I pick up a book, put on a podcast, or participate in a class.

5. Grace Not Perfection

The last thing I see when I look at this tattoo is imperfection. I was always afraid to get a tattoo knowing that I was a perfectionist because I didn't want to get something permanent, only to continuously stare at its faults.

In this case, it acts as a reminder. I know that the middle dot is slightly out of line to fit the constellation whether or not I want it to be straight. So as Emily Ley says, "I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection;" because everything happens exactly as it should and I can only control how I react to it.

Now that I've shared my story, I'd love to hear yours! What was your first tattoo? Comment below with pictures, your story, and what it means to you :)