“I got my tattoo on my 18th birthday. My tattoo is a lion—a male lion, even though I'm female. I was on the wrestling team in high school and my coach always called me a ‘beast’ because I wasn't scared of wrestling boys that were bigger and stronger than me. I felt that a lion would help represent that inner beast. I got a side view because that way, it always looks like it's walking with me—that the lion is me.”

“My mother use to tell me that ‘can’t’ isn’t a word, and no matter how hard or difficult something seems, there’s always a way to do it. I always see it on me and know that no matter what is happening, I can do it and I can do it well.”

“The tattoo has both the state insects and state flowers of the three states I've lived in: Maryland, Connecticut, and California. I was 19 when I got it. Growing up, I moved a lot. I never really knew where my ‘home’ was, but I yearned for a place to call my own. I felt connected to each place in such different ways and realized they all played a role in who I am today. I got this tattoo to remind myself of where I began, where I'm going, and that home is wherever my heart is.”

“In June of this year, I got a flower chest piece tattooed with the words ‘My sunshine’ across the bottom. This was the day before Father’s Day, and on Father’s Day, I found out I was pregnant with my first baby ever. My other half and I were so excited, as I had been diagnosed with endometriosis about four years ago, and I was afraid I’d never get the opportunity to be a mom. Now, I feel like my chest piece was a small sign of what was to come. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, things took a turn. I found out I was having an ectopic pregnancy, and I would be losing my little one. A week after our loss, my boyfriend and I decided to get matching tattoos to represent our connection and the loss of our little angel. Both of these tattoos will always have a huge spot in my heart. Seeing them every day gives me hope for the future and a reason to smile."

“My tattoo is in memory of my dad. He passed away on Father’s Day two years ago. I actually had this tattoo picked out for him way before he died and showed it to him because I am very careful about what tattoos I get. He loved it, but after he died I made a few changes. My tattoo is a very large skull because my dad loved them and had them tattooed on him. It also incorporates a red rose as a memorial symbol, a monarch butterfly because I went to a medium who told me I would see my dad in nature—specifically as butterflies and hummingbirds—and finally, a rosary, because he was Catholic. He drew the cross himself before he passed. It’s incomplete, but I plan to finish it soon. The day I got married, my dad had already passed away, but I had him with me the entire time on my arm.”

“I got my first tattoo just a few months ago. It’s a beautiful cobra outline. I love the history of cobras, how their image protected the pharaohs in ancient Egypt. A few years ago, I was in an unhealthy relationship. Since I have gotten out, I have re-evaluated how I value myself, and I will not let anyone make me feel as terrible as I did in that relationship ever again. I picked the cobra as a way of saying I am worth protecting, and as encouragement to remain confident.”

“My tattoo is of a treble clef, and I got it soon after I turned 18. I play the violin, but recently, I’ve been having problems playing because of rheumatoid arthritis in my fingers. It’s become painful for me to play, and the tattoo reminds me of how committed I am to music, and how much I really love to play. It helps me push through any difficulties I face when practicing.”

My Mum Passed Away A Few Months Ago, Yesterday I Got My First Tattoo. She Used To Leave Us Little Post It Notes, I Got It Copied Out

Dad Got Cochlear Implant Tattoo To Match His Daughter’s Real One

Something Silly For The "Extra Life" Heart Surgery Gave Me

This Woman In New Orleans Lost Everything In Katrina. She Set A Goal Of Rebuilding The Home She Lost And Tattooed The Plans On Her Hands As A Daily Reminder While She Works Three Jobs To Achieve Her Dream

I Got This After A Really Really, Really Bad Breakup. I Needed To Cover Up A Silly Tattoo We Had Gotten Together (Yup, Learned My Lesson) And Decided To Do So With A Diamond Because They Are Unbreakable

"I studied abroad as an Art Major in Florence and have visited a few times since. On my last visit I sat beside the Arno River and drew a sketch of the Ponte Vecchio, and got my sketch tattooed on my arm the next day. I love that my favorite city and a piece of my own art is always with me." —

"This tattoo was a present to myself on my son’s 2nd birthday. It is a star chart of the sky at the exact moment of his birth. He is a healthy and vibrant two year old, but his birth was traumatic for both of us and this tattoo was meant to honor how his birth changed me." —

"A myriad of mental health issues have made simple tasks like getting out of bed seem impossible. This is a reminder that, in those impossible moments, getting up and "moving" is a quick way to feel better."

"My older sister passed away very suddenly two years ago from a brain aneurysm. She was only 36 years and left behind two teenage children. While she was on life support they asked if she would want her organs donated. She lived with type one diabetes her whole life, so we never thought this was an option. To our surprise they were able to take her kidneys and lungs along with large amount of tissue (skin, bone, muscle etc.). I knew from that day I wanted to mark on myself that I was going to be an organ donor. The cow was her favourite animal (like obsessed with the things). She was able to help countless people live and someday I hope to follow in her footsteps."

"My sisters and I are all very close, and we had been toying with the idea of getting matching tattoos, but hadn’t settled on anything. Two years ago, when one of my sisters left to go to college in another state, we decided to get 'sisters' written in Morse code. I have it on my arm because I carry them with me, my sister has it on her foot because she walks in our footsteps, and when my youngest sister turns 18, she’ll get it on her back because we always have her back."

"Oddly, my most sentimental tattoo is my X-Files tattoo. That show, specifically Scully, had a profound impact on my childhood and who I grew up to be. The X Files solidified in my mind that women could be whatever, do whatever, and be as badass as any man could ever be and more."