I Measured My Worth in Pain Thresholds

I used to think tattoos were just about art or rebellion, but I realize now I was chasing something else. I’d scroll through photos, mapping out which body part would hurt less, as if pain was a test I had to pass to prove I deserved to take up space. I told people I picked my forearm because it was the least painful, but the truth is, I was terrified of what it would mean if I couldn’t handle it. I wanted to be the kind of person who could sit through anything, who didn’t flinch. I wanted proof I was tough, even if it was just ink and nerves. Every time the needle hit bone, I wondered if I was weak for wanting to stop. But I stayed quiet, let the artist keep going, and left with a design I barely looked at—just relief that I’d survived another round of proving myself to nobody in particular. #BeautyBurnout #SkinStory #BodyImage #Beauty