What’s Your Story? The Devil Tattoo
Do you have any tattoos? I’ve had three or four if you count the dot on one knuckle.
When I was about thirteen, a group of us were skiving off school and decided it would be a great idea to tattoo each other.
Can you imagine?
Yes, it was a mess and a disaster.
After I was so embarrassed by the hideous heart on the top of my leg for a few years, I wouldn’t go swimming or to the beach. The one tiny dot on my knuckle, which you can’t see I did to remind me that this was a foolish venture – yet I did it anyway.
One day, I confessed to my mum, made her promise not to tell my dad, and cried all over the doctor. I was sent to a hospital, and it was removed.
I remember going in my best, posh clothes so that they didn’t think that I was a tramp.
Years later, with this all forgotten, I headed out very early one morning to a tattoo studio in Reading. Hormonal and gutted that I was not first in line, I paced the floor as all rational thought left me. I was going to have a delicate flower; instead, naffed off, I chose a rather large and intimidating devil.
I’m not sure now why I wanted a tattoo, but I knew I had to have one, and it wasn’t fashionable then. It was more of a rebellious statement, against what – who knows?
During the healing period, I went to Monaco to visit my aunt with a friend. And we partied hard. What happens on tour stays on tour. Except, I damaged my knees one eventful evening.
What a disaster.
When I got home, I was due to go to a company ball with my then husband. It was, as you can imagine, a very important event.
My dilemma was – long dress to hide the scabby and bloody knees but show off the devil, or a short cocktail frock to hide the devil and show the knees. I went for a long dress.
The devil caused quite a commotion but with positive consequences. The table behind me was made up of people our table needed to connect with. I became a bit of a star with both my tattoo and knees story.
My husband’s company forged a working relationship with this key customer, and I was often fondly referred to. Or at least, I think that it was fondly…
Back then, there weren’t any social media platforms and nowhere for us to share our stories. Unless, of course, you include the pub and Sunday lunch with mum and dad.
The point is that stories create connection, and connection creates relationships.
You may not have a devil tattoo on your shoulder – and I do have more devilish tales for you – but you will have stories that are worth sharing.
These can be in your journal for healing, on your blog to inspire or in a book to build your personal brand.
The question is, are you ready to share your story or stories?
When you are ready, come and chat with me and we can look at what book to write and how to turn your ideas into products and services to build your brand.
Check out online writing retreats as well, if you are currently stuck.
First published on www.daledarley.com on 18/3/2021
I help trauma healers impact more people and get more clients using social media and content marketing, without spending all day online | $97 Social Media and Content Strategy Session | Enneagram Type 4 & INFP
3 年What a wonderful story to illustrate the magic and power of having a personal (brand) story. ????
Gebo Art and Illustration
3 年I was a mother at 19, I was also an insecure girl who felt my worth was only as good as what others thought of me. until I was 26 I had resolved myself to being a home maker and left one empty relationship for a brand spanking new abusive one. I removed myself from these people, but if I'm honest it was more for the safety of my now two young children than myself. Thinking my life was only as important as the dinners I put on the table, I met a beautiful Greek man who reminded me every day of how remarkable he thought I was. We had a long relationship, sometimes online, and sometimes in the same country, but only if we had worked as hard as possible to get him a ticket. Looking back, I always maintain to people that he gave me the kick in the butt I needed to motivate myself and show myself what I was actually made of. A year later, I had climbed from waitress to manager. Circumstances had fallen into place nicely to give me that opportunity, but I had also earned it through hard work, long hours and reliability. I always stuck to my values, and can proudly say I did this without diminishing another person or trying to drag them down for my own purpose. I am a firm believer that we must help to boost each other, and build strong connections in our workplaces. ?eventually we saved enough money for him to move to Australia, pay immigration costs and pay for a small but sweet wedding. By the time we married I was assistant manager of a local hotel and I had built trust in my community as a hard working professional. Alas, it was not meant to work out with the beautiful Greek man, But my world didn’t crash down around me. I won't lie, my world wobbled and trembled slightly, but it didn’t crash. I realised at this point that the silver lining was learning what I was made of, and how my determination and hard work had gotten me from a shy, inexperienced broken girl to a strong and successful woman who trusts in herself. Today after years of reflection and thought, I have taken the leap to start my own business, and to trust in myself. It didn’t take another person to show me my worth, but my determination to work towards a goal was definitely inspired by the situation. Since then I have always remembered that with effort, motivation and trust in myself anything is possible.?
Global Business Development executive
3 年There is story we can talk about, and there is stories need to delete them from memories, is not Boldness or pride to telling every one... we learn from lessons but Media and communication theories prefer to stay away from this type of story because it makes others experiment...
Artist Creative Audio "Emotioneer" and CEO of D.I.R
3 年No I don't have any tattoos but I do have two fathers so technically its annoyesty