Do you have a tattoo?
I never used to see myself as a tattoo kind of gal.
This was mainly because I’d written several articles for national newspapers about how people often regret having them done.
Not only that but even lasers can’t completely remove the evidence if you change your mind – and certain colours are easier to remove by laser than others, which is always worth taking into account if you decide to get inked.Well, having mulled things over for the past few years, it would seem I’ve had a change of heart 💜.
Why I got a purple tattoo
The meaning behind the words
When I had my tattoo done, it was for so many reasons, but mainly to constantly remind myself to seize the day, to reach for out-of-reach things (top shelves, big dreams, that sort of thing) and to generally stop farting around and get the heck on with it all.
Apparently one in five people is a chronic procrastinator, and even if we don’t have it that bad, many of us are pretty skilled at putting things off (even though research shows procrastination is associated with higher levels of stress).
Ever since it’s become a kind of mantra, my constant word companion, so it seemed only right to make it a permanent fixture on my forearm.
I even had it embossed on a @marthabrookldn notebook, just in case a tattoo wasn’t enough…
The meaning behind the font
I chose typewriter font because I’m a writer (as us hacks say, ‘I have ink in my veins’) and because I love how it is haphazard and, as such, a little bit wabi-sabi.
I had the option of 10 other neater typewriter fonts but I said no: the slight wobble, splodge and imperfection of this one makes it perfect.
It reiterates my view that even if things aren’t quite right, there’s no point in waiting until they are before going for it: that sweet-spot in time may never happen.
The meaning behind the colour
The purple font (which I’ve since realised is very much like Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2022, Very Peri) makes me think of those old xerox machines like the one my piano teacher copied music with (ssshhh, don’t tell anyone) when I was a child.
But the purple is also my colour of freedom, endurance when the sh*t is hitting the fan and generally not giving a toss.
I’m not doing any more hanging around and waiting. Apart from anything else, my forearm simply won’t let me. No regrets here.
Martha, The Colour File x
Tattoo by Angie @metalmorphosisltd ❤️
16 April 2019
