Trigger warning: anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts
As a college senior in 2011, Francesca Timbers started a company called Motivational Tattoos to combat her own anxiety and depression. "What I felt in that moment; helpless, trapped, like I was in a burning building, and this was the only way out. This is something many people have felt in some point in their lives, but considering so many people experiencing it, we hear so little about it", she told Huffington Post UK.
After hitting an all-time low and experiencing suicidal thoughts, Francesca decided to turn her depression into something positive by creating Band-Aid-shaped temporary tattoos. Each temporary tattoo has its own mantra—like "breathe" or "you are worth it"—written on it. Soon enough, Francesca's friends started asking her where she got the cute tattoos, and she set up her Etsy shop.
The purpose of the tattoos is to encourage people suffering from mental illnesses as they navigate every day. By looking down at these cute tats during the day, people are subtly reminding themselves of their worth, and that they are not alone. "I feel less alone in the experience, and connected with other people like myself," Francesca explains. Along with the temporary tattoos, she also sells motivational pins to attach to clothing or backpacks. According to Huffington Post UK, she has already sold 14,000 Motivational Tattoos to 60 countries around the world.
It's important to note that Francesca's Motivational Tattoos aren't meant to replace professional treatment, but rather to alleviate the ongoing battle that mental ilness brings and serve as a pick-me-up throughout the day. If you or a friend is struggling with mental health, you should seek out professional help or call a hotline.