Tattoo Ideas: Quotes on Addiction, Sobriety, Recovery
By becauseilive
After writing over two dozen hubs on tattoo ideas that showcased pictures as the majority of the content, I started noticing that a large portion of the comments were from people asking for ideas on what to say, not so much on how to say it. Like Lindsay, for example, who commented on the hub Tattoo Ideas: Words & Phrases and said: "I want some sort of latin script with a phrase having to do with karma." Or Jesso, who said: "I have a colourful fish on my left lower back, but next I want a script.. .. just what I don't know... something positive to remind me every day is mine, I am in control of my destiny."
The tricky thing about quote tattoos is that nine times out of ten they can't be too long. Unless you have a huge expanse of skin that you plan on dedicating to the tat, like a forearm or your entire back, you're going to need to pick a quote that's short enough to fit in a small area. A few years ago my girlfriend wanted to get something I had written tattooed on her in my handwriting. The quote she wanted was twenty-one words long, and she wanted it somewhere on her inner forearms. As she is already fairly heavily tattooed, there was no criteria such as having to get it on a place that could be easily hidden if need be. She's lucky. She ended up getting it running lengthwise down her arm next to the word GIRL that was already there. Most people don't have the same flexibility as her. Maybe your job is too professional for tattoos and piercings, or you don't want your mother to see it. If that's the case, then a quote tattoo can be challenging to find space for. And if you think you're going to fit an entire poem (unless it's a haiku) on your wrist by shrinking down the letters to a size 5 font, you're mistaken. Good tattoo artists will only let you make the lettering so small, because they know that tattoos blend, fade and bleed over time. The smaller the font, the better the chance that you'll be left with a meaningless blob ten years down the road. So although there are millions of wonderful quotes about the beauty of love, I've tried to only assemble the ones that are on the shorter side, while still being meaningful.
I went back through all 2,000+ comments on my previous hubs and tried to identify the most common themes people requested when asking for help with quote ideas. In addition to being a voracious reader, I've been compiling quotes in notebooks and journals since I was thirteen. This hub is fifth in a series of hubs broken down by category.. Please, if you have any ideas or would like to share a favorite quote of yours, feel free to comment! The examples I've chosen for this particular hub may not resonate with everyone. You might read it and get nothing out of it. But my hope is that something will resonate with someone, somewhere, and the words written here will inspire you to take a step you may not have taken otherwise.
Quotes--Addiction, Sobriety, Recovery
It is never too late to be what you might have been.
--Eliot
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.
--Robert Frost
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.
--Michelangelo
Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls.
The most massive characters are seared with scars.
--Khalil Gibran
Because we choose to live the dream instead of choosing
to live the life.
--Hubert Selby, Jr.
Just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides
just like hopes springing high, still i'll rise.
did you want to see me broken?
bowed head and lowered eyes?
shoulders falling down like
teardrops weakened by my soulful cries.
i rise. up from a past that's rooted in pain
i rise. leaving behind nights of terror and fear
i rise. into a daybreak that's wondrously clear.
--Maya Angelou
We played a game you couldn't win.
Sobriety was the greatest gift I ever gave myself.
--Rob Lowe
Religion is for people who are afraid they'll go to hell.
Spirituality is for people who have been there.
The quality of your recovery is proportional
to the quality of your surrender.
Uncover...Discover...Discard
The power behind me is greater than the problem in front of me.
Bring the body and the mind follows.
Change only happens when the pain of holding on is greater
than the fear of letting go.
You can't direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails.
Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.
--Albert Camus
A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor.
It is not length of life, but depth of life.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing
left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
--Antoine de Saint-Exup'ery
Don't give up five minutes before the miracle occurs.
To gain that worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.
--Bernadette Devlin
May you live all the days of your life.
-Jonathan Swift
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Comments
Thanks for this hub. Folks in recovery are really feeling life for the first time; maybe that's why we want to tattoo ourselves with constant reminders of how lucky we are.
I was thinking about getting a nationality pride tattoo one day but was thinking a tattoo about my sobriety out of rehab would mean alot more the quote "Its never too late to be what you might of been" really touched me deep and im getting that on my back for my birthday thanks alot
"The things u own, end up owning u", thinking about getting this one.
That's awesome, I like the serenity prayer one on the scroll. That's nice.
I am a recovering heroin addict and i have to say that tattoos have been a constant reminder of my sobriety. I love to see the newness of them , but also how they remind me of a newer life, a clear mind. The ideas were great, now i can plan my next one.
An old timer gave me a re-write on the serenity prayer that goes like this, " God grant me the serenity to accept the PEOPLE I cannot change, the courage to change the ONE I can, and the wisdom to know that its ME!" I've always appreciated this twist because when I am in a struggle, its usually of my own making - I can't change others, only how I choose to respond to them
hi iv been confused not sure of which powerfull quote or sayin i should get .iv had hard life went thru depression learnt everything the hard way.i really want something powerfull dat will feel strong.
I held it together til I read the one about our darkest moments, then I cried.
My favorite quote as a recovering addict...
"The Door to Hell is Locked from the Inside."-Kurt Vonnegut.
The day I realized that-and ACCEPTED it, and PRACTICED it, as best as I can...well that was the day that I knew Heroin would no longer control me. Maybe that'll hit home with someone...congratulations to those reading this-you made it.
Yeah! Hi, Mitch, recovered addict/alcoholic. I just got a variation of the buddhist AUM symbol on my ribs for my birthday as it is a very setimental picture of how my life is. That the aim of all spiritual activity is to get past the illusions of the mind and ego manifested by the physical phenomona.(i.e. the 12 steps and our road to recovery, and brotherely harmonious action). I loved the quotes! and am already definatly conjuring up maybe another one in at another milestone down the road. God Bless.
I am a recovering alcoholic and I got a ambigram tattoo that reads temptation one way and addiction the other. Two things we all live with everyday.
Tatoos are good and permanent means to decorate yourself. It is very difficult to give you a new feel and look up daily. I have heard that there are some side effects of tatoo also.
I got a couple of tattoos that mean recovery to me I have honesty openmindness and williness on my arm. I also have a cross and praying hands and my sobriety date on my leg and I have mi vida loca on my lower back to remind my me everyday how crazy my life was before. Thats why put it on my back to symbolize it is in the past.
Freed Me From Me
10-15-04
I got this surrounded by flowers symbolizing strength and power. It is massive and was 20 hours of work. Totally worth the time and money. -recovering meth addict
Some of these sayings are so beautiful they have really lifted me,thanks.
I'm a recovering Meth addict of only 5 months so far which has been a miracle for me anyways but one I'm thinking about getting is
"To whom do I owe the first apology? No ones been crueler than I've been to me."
Love the stuff here...
But the 3 serenity prayers shown here are misquotes .There is no "the" before the word "wisdom".Every meeting I have been to from memory has had it hung on the wall and still 90% percent of members say it wrong .Check if you dont believe me.Asmall thing and Im sure the prayer means as much to you either way God Bless you all
i read all the comments n i m very inspired of it. my feelings towards recovery are similar to all of you,recoverings. thank you
I am recently getting off heroin. I was a user for only 4 months but it tore my life apart. Every day is a challenge, every day I feel like giving up. Today was one of those days until I read those quotes. You have no idea how thankful I am to have found this. I want to get a tattoo because I know that every day when I see it, it will help me stay strong. This is the hardest thing I have ever tried to overcome and it seems like the journey is never ending, but with people like you, I know there is hope. It would be nice to talk to recovering addicts because I dont think I can do it alone anymore. Email me if you would like to talk at bhollibaugh@comcast.net
I'm 19 and a recovering herion/oppiate addict. My first and only tattoo (so far :) ) is a clover with the quote "remember to live" written in irish Gaelic text. "Cuimhnich mair" This quote is so important to me because when I was using, I wasn't truly living. It's a nice reminder everyday to live everyday to the fullest. (cheesy but so true)
Been clean for sometime now. Its was refreshing to read these qoutes :)
Salvation lies within
These quotes are all beautiful, as are all these comments. I feel I have to add the phrase "Just for today" as it has meant a lot to me in my recovery. I wouldn't have made it through my first week of recovery if it wasn't for that reminder, it has been more than 2 years now. I also liked seeing the quote "Dont give up five minutes before the miracle", its always been one of my favorites. Voted up and shared. :)
I find when I read other peoples comments and stories it reminds me that I am not alone. When I was in recovery I couldn't understand why people always wanted to talk about their problems and secondly why they were so happy. Well here I am wanting to talk and more important wanting to listen and I haven't been this happy in years. I just want to thank everyone for sharing their thoughts and experiences they really do help A-Lot!! I want to get a sleeve tattoo that represents my sobriety. Recovery is very new to me and I am open to suggestions. I like the chinese and hawaiin styles of tattoos the best. I would like something that resembles strenght,courage,change and moving on or turning the page. Thanks for listening it means a lot to me.
I'm a recovoring addict and a quote that was/is helpful is from Big Sean," Are you willing to give up what you love for who you love."
"Life is like a waterfall: we're one in the river and one again after the fall."
Chasing Death I Found Life
Thanx for inspiring me with all the quotes, you can tell they all come from the heart & soul of the recoverer. It proves we are all beutiful people, when on the outside we may not have looked like it during our most difficult times. Im recovering from a 14year (on/off) heroin addition and was feeling slightly unsure of myself this morning untill i read the comments, now i know i will conqueur another day.. Thankyou.. x
" You become what you believe" love that saying
im not an addict but my mother my whole life foster homes and back with her and im looking for a saying for her but to be out on me ... she getting worse :'(
and more recovery and serenity prayer tattoos, over 150 on www.the-twelve-steps.com
I think that the phoenix bird is a great symbolic tattoo to represent sobriety because the myth is that it is reborn through its own ashes. Even though a person may destroy themselves through drug addiction, they can be reborn through sobriety. Here is a link to a great phoenix bird design. http://media.photobucket.com/image/phoenix%20bird/
I am not an addict,however my son is a recovering addict.He has been sober for 4 months now and I get it.I can feel the Power in all of you through these quotes. Your struggles are You strengths.I have never Listened to more courageous people in my life. You are all stronger than your addiction. Keep up the GREAT work and god bless each and everyone.
A few days away from having 5 months clean, I'm 23. Been thinking of getting a recovery tattoo, but didn't expect to cry while reading this. Reminds me how lucky we really are. I think I've decided on Chasing Death I Found Life, thanks Melanie
Wow, this is amazing to read. I have been an on again off again user of all sorts of drugs since I was 17. I am now 30. I went from weed, cocaine to a long 5 year crack binge that involved trying every drug out there to being clean for almost a year. When I had my son, things went bad. I had some problems and was prescribed opiates to take the pain away. Little did I know by the time I was no longer prescribed them, I was addicted. Which also got my husband involved and he became addicted to. When the pills were no longer available here came good ole Heroin to save the day...wrong! Of course it made us feel better but it was in a whole different category. We became more addicted to it than I have anything in my entire time using. I never shot it or smoked it, never let it get that far. Then I found a little miracle drug, Suboxone. Wrong again. It was another 3 years before we both had exhausted the dr and couldn't seem to stop taking just the smallest of piece. Now we are 5 days clean. It wasn't hard at all. I feel great actually. But it is harder for me. I have always had a drug addiction and my husband has not. He don't understand that pit in your stomach that is trying to claw its way out. Wow. Now I feel even better. I know we are both done and we will not go back.
Been up all night looking but found them Im a GRATEFUL recovering herion addict and went thru so much shit i dont kno how im alive but i learn from everything and always make the best of the hand im delt so im puting Nothings a Failure... across my right forarm and Always a Lesson! acroos the left so they can both be read together when my knockels meet and Dead Man Walking across chest to remind me to be thankful for everyday im upright and breathing My good friend i grew up with, who actually does all my ink now, always told me that Death was certain... Life was not! so to thank who ever or what ever you believe in for ever last breath u take
cause it may be your last
Looking for a quote to get as a tatto for my mom who is still an addict I like "Dear Mom, Are you willing to give up what you love for the ones you love" any other suggestions?
Ex meth addict.. 6 years everyday. "Anything lost can be found again except for time wasted"
I'm felt so relieved and inspired after of what I've read. Somehow, I can say that I'm not totally alone.. I consider all of you as a rare and strong person despite of being involve in this kind of addiction that really ruins one's life.. But we have to really settle ourselves and our minds to take away those addiction til it's not the end for us, don't be deceived for what had happened in the past just take it and make it as a motivation like I do. If that's our fate, then let's face it. Heads ups everyone! Don't let yourself regretful in the end, bcos theres always time for CHANGE and it's up to u. I hope this could help. God bless us!
July 2012 will be 10 years of being drug free! I want to get a tatoo that represents my sobriety. A lot of what I've read is deep but my fav is "Chasing death I found life" that is the truth! Thank you to Melanie
I live in a small coastal town i have never gotten into drugs. I have had great friends all through primary school who have gone off the rails and have recently lost my partner to meth. Iam thinking about getting a full sleeve dedicated to my mates and partner ad im about to move away
Lawson 3 years ago
If someone would like to commemorate a relative or loved one that has died whilst serving in the army, there is a small quote from the bible that is quite beautiful: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". The war memorial where I live just has "Greater Love Hath No Man" which i think is even more powerful.