We all have tattoos---what does yours say about you?

Each of us has a tattoo, actually several. Some are inked on while others aren't visible. The tattoos I'm referring to are how you feel about yourself and the judgments you make about yourself. You may cover up your tattoo; working hard to be who you aren't. Your fear is that others will judge and not like (or love) you if they could really see you!  Instead you cover up your tattoo, and work hard at pretending what you aren't. If you've read previous letters you know this pretending leaves you feeling shame and shame grows in silence, secrecy, and judgment.

You might be thinking---Thanks, Beth. Here I am ready to start a new year, a time of optimism and hope and now this tattoo thing?!  KEEP READING……

Are you ready to shed the tattoos you no longer want and go into 2015 freer and happier?

Step 1:  Identify the tattoos you wear by listening to your self-talk

• When you make a mistake do you call yourself names like "stupid", "idiot", or worse? Your  tattoo might look like this: INADEQUATE
• If it seems to take you longer to learn something than other people do you put yourself down? Your tattoo might look like this: SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH ME
• When you don't remember something do you judge yourself negatively?  You tattoo may look like this: STUPID

Step 2:  Learn how to challenge this "doubt-talk"

• Ask--- if one of your best friends or child were to do any of the above would you call them any of those names? 
• Would you ever let anyone call one of your best friends or child one of those words?
• Now begin treating yourself like you do them!

Step 3:  Redesigning your tattoo!

• People with inked tattoos they no longer like (think before you ink!) can have them removed or have a tattoo artist create another tattoo changing the previous design into something beautiful. 
• Ask yourself what you really want your tattoo to say about you and write it down right now. That's right, right now! You now get to choose what you want it to say and how you want to feel about yourself!
• Here is a story about a woman who had a double mastectomy and chose to have her chest beautifully tattooed.  Instead of her chest saying cancer, it says I'm beautiful!

As you may already know my work is about helping people remove and re-ink their tattoos; it's an honor and privilege to be a part of this transformation! 

P.S. You'll want to open and read January's emails as they will include special offers!    

Here's to a wonderful, joy-filled, love-filled 2016,

Beth