20 Photos That Perfectly Capture the Power of Change

The most difficult part of every journey is getting started. But once you take that first step, it becomes much easier as time goes by. Twenty strong people featured in this article experienced this in their own skin, and they are truly happy they finally took the plunge.

We at Now I’ve Seen Everything know that breaking bad habits or changing something in your appearance can be pretty challenging. And we are genuinely proud of these people who definitely know a thing or two about the power of motivation.

1. “Earlobe reconstruction surgery”

2. “I don’t even recognize the old me!”

3. “5 years between pics”

4. “Decided to lose my ’hamster cheeks.’”

5. “Working out and eating healthy is a fountain of youth.”

6. “2 years before I came out and 7 years later”

7. “6 years ago, I had surgery to straighten up my spine. This is the before and after result.”

8. “I’ve been struggling with an eating disorder, but I’ve finally found the motivation to work it out.”

9. “I’ve been working on my garden for several months so I could post a picture like this.”

10. “I’ve been growing my hair out for 3 years!”

11. “Before pics on the left — had my nose done after hating it for 12+ years. Best decision I ever made.”

12. “Out-of-breath face vs cool face”

13. “I used to have missing and broken teeth. It took 35 years, but I finally feel good about smiling.”

14. “My husband’s 3-year journey — I couldn’t be more proud!”

15. “I treated my anxiety and depression and lost 50 pounds along the way.”

16. “My husband is aging in reverse!”

17. “Never thought I’d get here!”

18. “Retired from bodybuilding about 4 years ago and got my body more ’toned and fit’ instead of beastly and jacked.”

19. “A bit of face gains”

20. “From concert attendee and a size 24 to singer/entertainer and a size 00 — my greatest dreams became a reality.”

What was the best thing you ever did for yourself or for others (pets included), and how did that affect your life?