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Thank you so much for sharing your story. I just got my second tattoo and it’s also on my arm and I’m feeling exactly the same way. I’m trying to just accept it (it’s only been 5 days with it) but I have this dreaded feeling that I messed up. I know it’s not based on reality though. Here is mine:

It's beautiful! But you know it anyway since you know your feelings are not based on reality. To give you some comfort, my anxiety passed quite quickly. Now, two and a half years ago, I fully love my tattoo and it makes me feel so much better in my body. It's a beautiful part of me now and I can't imagine I just had a bare arm once :). I even got a second big tattoo right on my chest from a different artist. I didn't have the same anxiety right away but a couple of months after getting it I was going through a difficult period so it hit me. Now I just realize it's like that for me with all big changes: I might want it, I might like it, but it is still going outside my comfort zone, so anxiety is natural and it just takes time to accept these things as a part of your new comfort zone. Hope it happens soon for you, my inked buddy! In the meantime, getting support from the community reeeaaaaaaaally helps :).

You're not kidding. Our son-in-law and granddaughter had just left about 15 minutes earlier. Houses can always be repaired. We know how lucky we are. The dog won't sleep on her bed that's right under the window, right next to were it fell though.

Shitty things I've been doing? Looking for a job! Government contract ending. I've been at the same company for almost 20 years. Maybe I should file an age discrimination lawsuit! hahaha

I think I might have felt this way many moons ago, but now I can't stop. Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it. I have an office job in a great company, and no one is bothered by my tattoos.

welcome to LST and to the world of being a tattooed person! It sounds like your experience so far has already triggered you to self-assess a bit. Perhaps there has always been a tsunami inside of you and this external change has magnified it or forced you to pay attention to it. Now you get to learn to control and harness it. Check out this short, yet meaningful thread, if you haven't already: https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/5645-cool-stuff-youve-learnedgotten-intoetc-thanks-to-getting-tattooed/?page=1