Growing up in a small town and going to an even smaller high school never gave me many options when looking for 'love.' Now I know what you're thinking, "oh geez, this girl got a tattoo for her boyfriend." Actually, quite the opposite.

I got my tattoo for myself...because of a boy.

Throughout my entire life, I've struggled with confidence and my body image. I would verbally abuse myself every time I looked in the mirror. I didn't like my body, primarily my stomach, and constantly wanted to change my body. Junior year of high school, I did just that. I worked out every single day, regardless of how late I would get home from musical rehearsal or study with friends.

As I started to lose weight and feel better about myself, I put myself out there more in the dating world. I hadn't ever had a real relationship, so I wouldn't even flirt with guys. I was always the girl that was one of the guys because I was one of the only girls in the school that didn't have a boyfriend.

Around my senior year, I downloaded the Tinder app as a last resort effort to boost my confidence and self-image. A bit sad, I know, but I thought if it could make me feel a bit better about myself, what could it hurt?

I'll spare everybody with the details, but basically, the guys that I met on there were typically pretty lousy. A few only wanted sex, one basically told me that I was fat and needed to lose weight, another ghosted me and the final guy 'dated' me for two days before dumping me for his "ex-girlfriend" that he actually had still been dating the entire time.

Yep, Tinder was a real morale booster there.

My entire life, I had wanted tattoos. I remember looking up tattoo ideas when I was 13 and I wanted nothing more than to get an infinity symbol with an anchor intertwined in the loop. All I have to say is thank God I wasn't allowed to get a tattoo at that age. Talk about regretting a life choice (no offense to anybody that has this tattoo).

I knew I wanted something meaningful, small and easy to hide in case my future employer isn't fond of tattoos. As I was scrolling through Pinterest (because let's be honest, who doesn't find tat inspiration on Pinterest boards?), one design, in particular, stood out to me: You are enough.

While my self-confidence hadn't miraculously increased overnight, I knew that just those three words resonated with me. Boys made me feel like I wasn't good enough, sometimes my school made me feel like I wasn't good enough and I always told myself I wasn't good enough. I realized that I was the only reason why I didn't feel like I was enough. It didn't matter who told me I wasn't or who else made me feel like I wasn't, it was all up to me to decide whether or not I was.

I decided I was.

As a spur of the moment decision, I texted my friend Mariah and we spontaneously drove down to our favorite piercing/tattoo parlor to get tatted.

To be completely honest, I was nervous. I knew I had a relatively high pain tolerance, but my dad mentioned how badly it hurt to get his tattoos and he was the strongest dude I knew. Regardless, as I laid on my side and inhaled and exhaled to the point where I almost hyperventilated, I gripped onto Mariah's hand and squeezed the life out of her as the needle pricked my skin.

But it didn't hurt as much as I'd expected it to. According to the tattoo artist who timed it, my tattoo took four minutes to complete, but it has created a lifetime of happiness.

I wanted my tattoo to symbolize me telling myself that am enough. I wanted it to be a daily reminder that I am enough no matter what anybody else believes. Every time I looked in the mirror, I immediately turned my body so that my right side was facing the mirror and I would examine my stomach in its imperfect shape and wish that I had a smaller, flatter and more toned tummy.

I decided to get the tattoo down my right side because I knew that I would always be looking at that side of my body as a force of habit.

Some people frown down upon my decision for my tattoo, but I couldn't care less about their opinions. My tattoo is for me, not anybody else. I don't care if they think it's the dumbest, most pointless, ugliest tattoo in the world... I think it's beautiful, perfect and it makes me feel strong. And that's all that truly matters.

When you're thinking of getting your own tattoo, ignore what other people say about it. If you love it and want it on your body, put it there. If it will give you a daily reminder of something or someone, make you feel stronger or empowered, or you simply love the design itself, then ink yourself up.

You only live once, you might as well make yourself feel like you are enough, because you always are and always will be.