I suppose my deep appreciation for a good “before” began decades ago. I mean…if you knew me in my tweens, you’ll attest to the fact that I was built for before and after comparisons.

Before: all knobby knees and big ol’ glasses and impressive Jersey hair. Let’s just say there was a tremendous amount of “growing into myself” that needed to happen. Luckily, I’m really good at learning, and I’ve cornered the market on nabbing “most improved player” at pretty much everything I do.

The trick: Start subpar. Learn lots. Work hard. Stick with it. Suck less. Outlast everyone else. Finish strong. 

Fast forward through the transformation of the awkward tween years (and awkward teen years, college years, and early twenties years — consistency is another of my skills!). I found myself living out all sorts of before/after comparisons — pre- and post-tests working as an educator, designing branding and building out marketing materials, revamping websites, transforming my postpartum mom bod into a stronger and leaner but still very real mom bod, starting and building a dermatology-inspired skincare business based on my own results, and working as design assistant for a rock-star residential home designer.

In every case, the “After” always gets the glory. But let’s face it: without an impressively unimpressive “Before,” the “After” can’t have the same luster.

So with that lengthy set-up (that is what my oldest friends call a “Tashia Story”), let me introduce to you my current pet “Before.” The hubs is about to start a new work-from-home adventure, and mama’s been running my business out of a garbage dump of a play room/art room/barely-recognizable office/catch-all for the past 3 1/2 years. No more. Next week, the magic happens. The “after” is coming for you. But for now, just bask in the glory of this crap-tastic “before.” Impressively unimpressive, indeed!