40 Things to do – Before I turn 40 (9)

9. Get a new Tattoo

This one doesn’t come with a deep, emotional backstory. There’s no big meaning, no life-altering moment behind it – I just wanted a new tattoo.

And honestly, that in itself felt like enough.

These little dinosaurs are now my 13th tattoo, and the truth is, I chose them simply because they’re cute. No overthinking, no analysing, no searching for symbolism – I just liked them.

Which, for me, is a bit of a shift. Because most of my other tattoos carry meaning. I have my children’s names as monograms, pieces that represent different stages of my life, a cover-up of a tattoo I got at 17 that definitely didn’t age well, my favourite flower – (peonies for anyone who wants to buy me flowers 😂) and even a “tiny dancer,” inspired by my favourite singer.

Each one tells a story. But not this one. This one is different.

When I created my “40 things to do before 40” list, I knew there were going to be heavy, emotional, and meaningful things on it – things that required reflection, growth, and healing. But I also knew that I needed balance.

I didn’t want the whole list to feel like work. I wanted space for fun. For spontaneity. For doing things just because I could, without needing to justify it or talk myself out of it. And that’s exactly what this was.

A complete whim. A walk-in appointment, which is something I’ve never done before, I have a regular tattoo artist who has done all my other pieces. There was no planning, no long decision-making process – just a moment of “why not?”

My kids did choose the dinosaurs, which adds a small layer of meaning in itself, but even that wasn’t the point. The point was letting go a little. Letting go of the need for everything to be deep or purposeful. Letting go of overthinking. Letting myself do something a little bit silly, a little bit impulsive, and completely just for me.

Because not everything has to carry weight to be worthwhile. Sometimes, it’s okay to just have fun.

So here they are – my slightly ridiculous, very cute dinosaurs. A reminder that life doesn’t always have to be so serious… and that sometimes, the best decisions are the ones you don’t overthink at all.

🤍 K