Field notes on Self-love Vol 1

Some folk create places and spaces where we feel more comfortable in our own skin.

Sometimes without even realising it.

A place to pause.

To reset for a moment.

To return to yourself — even in the smallest way.

This series is about them.

The people, the places and practices that quietly support self-love in everyday life.

Vol 1 Jake @jake_tattoo

Recently, I found myself wondering —

do people who offer such an up close, personal service like tattooing realise what they really bring to the table, in this case beyond the ink itself?

I had a chance to spend time with Jake, a tattoo artist ( in fact my tattoo artist) whose work — and words — stayed with me long after I left.

When I put my question to Jake, his answer was simple— he felt his work brings out something very particular in his clients…..

“Self-expression is the number one thing.”

And the more he spoke, the clearer it became — this wasn’t just about tattoos.

As expected, it was about something deeper.

For some, it’s a memory.

A person, a moment they want to carry with them in some shape or form.

For others, it’s less about meaning —

and more about the feeling of change.

Of moving on or moving forward.

“A tattoo gives you that feeling of taking control…

you can do something that makes you feel a little bit more like your evolved self.”

And that in itself says a lot.

His thoughts — that the ink is less about how the world sees you,

and more about how you feel within yourself —

really brought the idea behind this series into focus.

That idea — of becoming, of evolving — feels familiar it feels clear.

Whether it’s a tattoo, a new cut, or even the fit we choose to wear…

there’s something powerful in those small acts of self-definition.

And then there was this:

“When people say tattoos are addictive… I wouldn’t necessarily say tattoos are;

I just think self-expression is.”

That line stayed with me.

Because maybe it’s not about the thing itself —

but about what it allows.

A way to explore who you are.

To refine it.

To come a little closer to it.

Something that truly stood out most was how relatable his thoughts and feelings probably are — to even those without ink.

People come in for different reasons:

- to mark a loss

- to celebrate a new chapter

- to hold something or someone close

- or simply because they feel like it

And all of it is valid. Completely natural.

“It’s not really about how you want to look to the rest of the world…

it’s more about how you look at yourself.”

And that really brings it home.

Because over time, these things — tattoos, style, expression —

stop being something you put on…

and become something that simply is.

“When I look in the mirror, I don’t even see the tattoos. I just see me.”

And maybe that’s the point.

Not to become someone else —

but to move through the world in a way that feels more like yourself.

At your own pace.

In your own way.

With a little more understanding.

A little more softness.

And a little more self-kindness.