36 Inspirational Tattoos That Make Every Day Better
There are few things more empowering than having bold and beautiful inspirational tattoos that inspire you to live your life to the fullest every time you look at them. Whether you're enlightened by a quote or motivated by a word, getting inked with an uplifting tattoo can help you feel your best and make for beautiful body art. A win-win in our book.
We know that there are a number of inspirational tattoo quotes out there, but it's even better when you pick a design that holds a special meaning for you. Motivational tattoos can serve as a reminder to keep working toward your goals and dreams or symbolize a tumultuous time in your past that you were able to push through and overcome against all odds.
If you're looking to add a new piece of ink to your collection and are thinking about getting some inspirational, meaningful tattoos, you're in luck. Whether it's your first or 100th tattoo, having one of these will stand out no matter where you get it. Ahead, we rounded up the best inspirational tattoo ideas to help you choose, from small tattoos to bigger pieces, and everything in between. Keep scrolling to check them all out.
"This Too Shall Pass" Inspirational Tattoo
"This too shall pass" is an extremely popular inspirational quote and makes for a beautiful tattoo, we especially love the all lowercase script.
"Forever Young" Inspirational Tattoo
You can dress up your inspirational tattoo by adding a design to it, like this person did with a ring of leaves around their quote.
"Breathe" Inspirational Tattoo
This "breathe" tattoo is incredibly simple yet very personal and meaningful.
"Angel" Inspirational Tattoo
If you're a fan of fine-line tattoos, you can get your inspirational quote in a super-delicate font. You can stylize it however you want, like this one in all capital letters.
"I've Got the World to Go" Inspirational Tattoo
World travelers will love this motivational tattoo, which features a tiny plane.
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This tattoo perfectly embodies the word "simplify" — it's tiny in size with crisp, clean lines.
"No Matter Where, No Matter What" Inspirational Tattoo
Your motivational tattoo can also serve as a matching tattoo with someone close to you.
"Be Afraid but Do It Anyway" Inspirational Tattoo
When life gets tough, it's important to keep going. This large script tattoo will remind you of that.
"Here, Now" Inspirational Tattoo
Staying present in today's world can be hard. This tattoo reading "here, now" can help you feel a little bit more grounded.
"Aquí" Inspirational Tattoo
"Aquí" in Spanish means "here." Every time you look at this tiny tattoo, you can remember to center yourself.
"Be Strong" Inspirational Tattoo
Being strong isn't always easy, but getting a tattoo with the phrase can help you feel better when you're down.
"Baby Steps" Inspirational Tattoo
The phrase "baby steps" makes for a subtle and sweet motivational tattoo.
"Must Be Stronger" Inspirational Tatoo
If you want a design that's a little more personal than just "be strong," this is a unique twist.
"Let Go, My Soul" Inspirational Tattoo
This motivational tattoo is located on the forearm in a black cursive font.
"Positivity" Inspirational Tattoo
Optimists will love this "positivity" tattoo because it represents their happy disposition.
"Still I Rise" Inspirational Tattoo
"Still I rise" is from a Maya Angelou poem and makes for a beautiful motivational tattoo. This one is located on the ribs in a fun cursive font.
"Simplify" Inspirational Tattoo
This is a different take on the word "simplify." You can opt for the placement on the inside of your wrist so you can see it clearly.
"Don't Stop" Inspirational Tattoo
"Don't stop": these two little words can motivate you to keep working toward your goals.
"Self Love" Inspirational Tattoo
Self-love is so important. You'll never regret getting a tattoo to represent that.
"Breathe" Inspirational Tattoo
This "breathe" tattoo, located under the collarbone, will rise and fall with every deep breath you take.
"Lights Will Guide You Home" Inspirational Tattoo
"Lights Will Guide You Home" is from the Coldplay song "Fix You." A song lyric that carries a special meaning to you always makes a great inspirational tattoo.
"I Belong Deeply to Myself" Inspirational Tattoo
This tattoo reads "I belong deeply to myself" in a simple typewriter font and is dressed up with a delicate rose next to it.
"It's Okay" Inspirational Tattoo
A simple phrase like "it's okay" can hold a lot of meaning and can be a great reminder that everything is okay, even when it doesn't seem that way.
"Better Than Yesterday" Inspirational Tattoo
We're always improving and becoming better versions of ourselves, which is what this "better than yesterday" inspirational quote tattoo means.
"Love Is the Warmest Color" Inspirational Tattoo
This sweet phrase, located on the inner elbow, is a sentimental design that reminds us to love no matter what.
"Side by Side" Inspirational Tattoo
This tattoo can serve as a reminder that you can do anything with the right people by your side.
"Be Brave" Inspirational Tattoo
Being brave isn't easy, but this tattoo helps you remember that you can do anything. It's located on the inner wrist so you can peek at it any time you need a reminder.
"GRL PWR" Inspirational Tattoo
Tap into your girl power with a fun hidden tattoo. You can show it off with a swimsuit or keep it a secret under your clothes.
"Keep Swimming" Inspirational Tattoo
From the Disney movie "Finding Nemo," the phrase "keep swimming" makes for a great motivational tattoo.
"Begin Again" Inspirational Tattoo
This tattoo can mean different things to different people. We like to think that it means every morning when you wake up, you have the opportunity to begin again.
"Patience" Inspirational Tattoo
As the saying goes, "patience is a virtue." This tattoo, placed on the hand, helps keep that front of mind.
"Love," "Loyalty," "Respect," Inspirational Tattoo
This inspirational tattoo technically has four parts. The four fingers all have a different word: "love," "loyalty," "respect," and "peace."
"Time Will Tell" Inspirational Tattoo
Being patient is hard, but this "time will tell" tattoo reminds you that you can't rush through life.
"Faith" Inspirational Tattoo
If your faith is very important to you, why not get a tattoo to represent it somewhere that you can easily see?
"All For Love" Inspirational Tattoo
This ink is placed beautifully along the side of the wrist.
"Love Yourself" Inspirational Tattoo
Self-love is the most important kind. This inspirational tattoo is a good reminder for yourself.
— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriguez
Macy Cate Williams is a former content director of commerce at PS.
Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.