Be(e) Bold

So, I just got a tattoo. And of course, when showing it off to people (because it's now my new and only personality trait), they usually ask what it means.

It's a bumblebee on my ankle. 

I have wanted a tattoo for a very long time, and for whatever reason, I thought a bumblebee was on the lesser side of basic tattoo ideas. It's not for a family member, it wasn't a nickname, and it's not for a boyfriend. So initially, when people had asked me what it was for, I just shrugged and said it didn't have a meaning.

But then I got to thinking, and I realized it does have a meaning. A year ago, I would have never walked into a tattoo shop. A year ago, I was so incredibly caught up in what other people thought of me, of consequences and judgment. A year ago, I was living cautiously. I had many different ideas about who I could be and who I wanted to be, but those versions of myself were always out of reach. 

After really thinking about it, I realized that this tattoo represents being bold. I have finally caught up to whom I wanted to be. That's someone who thinks about themselves first, isn't afraid of judgment, and recognizes that life is short. Not to sound insanely dramatic, but this tattoo represents a new stage of life that I have entered. A stage of life I have worked towards for a long time. A stage of life that involves knowing exactly what makes me happy and going after it. 

The point of this article is to remind you to be bold. Let this be the sign that you needed to cut your hair finally, ask for that person's number, or finally set those boundaries with your roommate (respectfully.) 

 There is no reason for all of us not to be living boldly. Being bold involves taking advantage of the time that we are given. I wanted a tattoo for so long but was always hesitant to get one because of other people's thoughts. People put doubts in my mind about possibly regretting the tattoo or what it would look like on my body when I wasn't 21. But I realized I knew I wouldn't regret the tattoo. It's something that I wanted. I know that my body won't always look this way, but old age shouldn't be something that stops me from doing what I want. 

Being bold started small, but once I realized different ways to live for myself, it became easier. Why would I not do something that I wanted because of other people? 

So be bold. Don't do things you don't want to. Say how you feel. Do what makes you happy.