3 No-BS Tips to Authentically Own Your Before-and-After Story
- Nov 7
- 4 min read
By Megan Dirks
Spoilers: Perfection is boring and the messy middle is where the magic actually happens.
My name is Megan Dirks, and I’ve been in both creative business branding, plus coaching spaces for 10+ years. What I’ve learned is that most “before and after” stories online look like airbrushed fairytales. You can expect the dramatic music, the glow-up montage, the perfectly edited happy ending. But real transformation is never that tidy. It wasn’t for me in my 8-year health journey. It is tears, self-doubt, ugly-cry breakthroughs, ice cream binges, and baby steps that nobody claps for.
At The Girl on the Left, we believe your story matters exactly as it is, not once it is picture-perfect. If you are ready to own your truth and share it like the powerhouse you are, here are three unapologetic tips for doing it with authenticity and zero fluff.
1. Stop Giving a $#%^ About What People Think
Seriously. Stop it. The minute you stop performing your healing for approval, everything changes. Your story is yours. The messy parts, the regrets, the lessons, the times you did not handle it gracefully, all of it shaped who you are.
People will always have opinions, so you might as well make sure the person you are pleasing is the one staring back at you in the mirror. When you stop shaping your story to fit someone else’s expectations, your voice actually gets louder, clearer, and more magnetic.
Authenticity attracts. It draws in the people who are meant to hear it and naturally filters out the ones who are not! I encourage my clients to embrace their authentic selves, and be okay with rebelling people who don’t align. That’s built in vetting for client attraction, and it can save you a lot of time. That is not only liberating, it is also powerful. When you own your story fully, you show others that they can do the same without even saying a word.
2. Celebrate the Journey, Not Just the Glow-Up
Your “before” is not something to hide. It is proof that you were brave enough to change. Transformation is not about looking perfect in a side-by-side photo. It is about showing up, every day, when no one is watching.
Everyone loves a good comeback story, but the part that actually inspires is not the shiny finish. It is the late nights, the breakdowns, the awkward in-between stage when you were half-healed and half-chaotic but still trying. That is where the real power lives.
So celebrate it. Talk about it. Give yourself credit for all the messy, unglamorous work it took to move forward. Laugh at the mistakes, cry at the moments that shook you, and then stand back up. That is the kind of story that sticks with people. That is the story that creates connection.
My transformation was not a straight line. I bet yours hasn’t been either. And that’s putting it lightly! It is a dance between falling apart and coming home to yourself over and over again. Those moments of trial and error, growth and confusion, are the ones that give your story weight. They are the moments others need to see to feel like they are not alone in their own messy middle.
3. Speak From the “Now,” Not the “After”
Here is the secret. There is no real “after.” You are always a work in progress, and that is not a flaw. It is the point. Waiting until everything feels perfect or tied up in a bow only dilutes your story. Real power comes from speaking from where you are, not from where you think you should be.
Share what you are still learning. Share what you are still figuring out. Share the ways you fail and get back up. When you speak from your current self, your story becomes living, breathing proof that transformation is ongoing, messy, and deeply human.
People do not want polished, perfect narratives anymore. We watched the rise and fall of that with influencers and gurus. Instead of seeing before-and-after content, we see more people sharing “join me as I do XYZ this month”, encouraging us to grow together. We’ve swapped to real, honest stories they can connect to. When you show them that you are evolving, that you are still growing, that you are still navigating your own journey, you give them permission to do the same. That is more inspiring than any highlight reel ever could be.
Go DO Something With Your Story
Your story does not need to be filtered, fixed, or finished. It just needs to be told. Own the mess, the progress, the wins, and the lessons. When you show up as your full, unedited self, you do not just tell your story. You remind everyone watching that they can rewrite theirs too.
At The Girl on the Left, I encourage women to share their before, their after, and everything in between. We want women who are healed enough to speak to the messy middle, because that is where real connection happens. That is where other women see themselves and realize they are not alone. Transformation is a lifelong journey, and it is the ongoing growth, courage, and vulnerability that make your story worth sharing.
Joining GOTL is more than writing a chapter in a book. It is stepping into a community of women who are turning their personal transformation into purpose, visibility, and empowerment. It is your chance to own your story, inspire others, and make your experiences count in a way that goes far beyond your own life.
Celebrate the journey you have been on, speak from the heart about where you are right now, and step into the spotlight as a woman who is unapologetically real. Visit us at: www.thegirlontheleft.com/callforauthors
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