I hear it's your business & not mine, just answering OP's question and I gave my opinion. If you weren't "sending a message" with your tats (b.s. or you wouldn't have most of them) and they were "just for you"...what, you were gonna forget a grocery list or just felt the need to commemorate something or hold something dear to your heart by inking it on your body? It's a cultural thing that people jump on because they usually think it's "cool". This may be a subconscious thing they're not aware of, but I'll never be convinced that's not a HUGE part of it. Done. You don't have to explain yourself to me, just know I will silently judge you for it, lol, not that you give a shit, just saying.