Choosing Light, Choosing Growth

Adversity isn’t optional. Life hands it out freely, sometimes all at once, sometimes in waves. What is optional is how we respond to it. Lately, I’ve had more than my share — the uncertainty around retirement, the pressure of building a tattooing career from the ground up, and the nonstop opinions from people who think they know what I should or shouldn’t be doing.

The old version of me would’ve taken all that as a challenge, gotten angry, and burned energy trying to prove everyone wrong. But that path just feeds the darkness. Friday’s quote in group was from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Darkness can’t drive out darkness; only light can do that.” It sounds simple, but living it is work. Real work.

I’m learning to understand my ambition instead of weaponizing it. I’m choosing to stay mindful, follow what feels true, and create because creation strengthens me. I’m not doing this to silence critics — I’m doing it to push myself, grow, and actually enjoy the journey.

My final drawing for the Tattooing 101 Artist Hour program was a traditional rose. Clean lines and classic shading, a symbol that’s stood the test of time. Over the last 90 days, I also turned all my sketches into flash sheets. When I laid them out side by side, the progress was undeniable. Ninety days isn’t much in the grand scheme of life — but when you show up every single day, even in small ways, it becomes its own kind of transformation.

That’s what I want to carry forward. I’m stepping into tattooing with the same habits that got me here — daily practice, steady creation, mindfulness, and choosing light over frustration. If the last ninety days taught me anything, it’s that growth doesn’t require perfection. It just requires consistency and the willingness to keep showing up.

The next chapter: pouring myself into tattooing while holding onto the good things I’ve built. The light I choose now is the light that guides me forward.

 

If this journey speaks to you, come help me bring more light — one story and one piece of art at a time — here at Honor and Ink™, where every mark has meaning.