A few weeks ago I was sitting round a pub table with a bunch of guy friends when the talk turned to tattoos. There were eight of us at the table but there wasn’t a single tattoo between us. Which, considering we were in Hackney, hipster central and the place that – after Portland, Oregon – surely has the most tattoos per capita in the world, seemed highly unusual.

It’s not that I’ve never wanted a tattoo, I have, at various points in my life, but I’ve always worried that I would, over time, come to regret the design or even the positioning of the tattoo, both things that seem to be as subject to the whims of fashion as hemlines and heel heights. I’m easily bored and struggle to come to a decision about, well, anything. As anyone who’s ever been out for dinner with me can testify I’m always switching between at least three possible dishes right up until the last moment. Neither trait bodes well for getting a tattoo and not living to regret it.

Recently though the thought of getting a tattoo has been on my mind. As I’ve mentioned before I’m approaching a significant birthday and it seems as good a time as any to get inked, if I’m ever going to, in order to mark where I am in my life right now.

Then I think about all the decisions I would have to make. First of all, obviously, I would have to decide on a design. I like small black ink tattoos of words or phrases and simple outline designs, like the ones in the images above (all from @justsmalltattoos). But what symbol? I like triangles, arrows, hearts, stars and all manner of yoga-related symbols. If I went with a word or phrase how would I narrow it down? There are just so many. And then, once I’d made my mind up about the design, I would have to decide where to have it. I like the idea of it being somewhere that’s not always on show, like the top of my spine or the underside of my arm or the inside of my wrist. Design and position decided upon then I would have to choose who I would entrust with the actual tattooing. I mean where do you even start?

I like to think I know my own mind much better than I did when I was 18 so I figure I’m less likely to choose a design I’ll later regret. But still, a tattoo is just so, permanent. Perhaps I should buy myself an item of jewellery with meaning or an iconic piece of furniture instead…?!

Do you have a tattoo? What design/s do you have? How painful is it? Do you regret any of your tattoos? How did you find the tattoo artist that felt right for you? And if you don’t have a tattoo but would quite like one, what’s stopping you? Do share in the comments section below.