Before and after.

Meh. So yesterday's news.

The before is no doubt the most complicated of relationships. The before is only a shadow of your best self. It's the you that needs work. And, consequently the you you'd rather forget.

But the before holds its own power. It's what pushed you in the first place to work towards those goals. To become better. The before encouraged you to start the journey towards improvement in the first place. And, most importantly, the before serves as a marker to provide physical evidence of your personal growth. The before is a clear reflection of how far you need to go and just how far you've come.

The after? Bor-ing. The after is 'the end', the controlled, cleaned-up sanitized happy ending. It's the beautiful, perfect, airbrushed image after you've crossed the finish line, then showered, put on the designer duds and opted for a bit of professional help from your hair, make-up and airbrushing team. Sure it may look all pretty and perfect, but it doesn't show how your got there. Or how much you sweat along the way.

I'm interested in the during. That grit your teeth, pull yourself up by the bootstraps period when you're at maximum motivation. The during is about determination. When you're not really sure how, when or if you'll break through to the other side, but there's something inside you that just won't let you quit.

The during is a celebration of ugly. Of the teeth gritting, only-a-Mama-could love, not ready for prime time mug that's only on display when you're busting your hump. When you're focused and trying to silence the haters. The during takes all of your energy. Challenges your drive. Forces you to look at just how bad you want it. And what you'll do to get it done.

The during is not some sort of magical period between the before and after, where you click your heels together and wind up where you want to be, just because you think you deserve it.

The during is the journey. The during is enduring.

Respect the during.