Welcome to the Monthly Tips & Advice Post!

So two years ago, I was bald, going through chemo for breast cancer, and not even sure if I'd make it. This is me today.

Im really proud of myself, so whatever.

I used to be terrified to eat, and terrified of my face changing at all. I faced up to that and allowed myself to change, and while I’m not sure about it I still think I’m better off now. Here’s to longevity, anyway!

On 8/6 i decided to go to detox to stop drinking - I completed a week then went into a rehab facility. It’s astounding how different I both look and feel!! If there’s anyone out there contemplating quitting drinking then this is your sign to do it! I’m so happy to wake up sober every day!

Giving up alcohol was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, not just for myself but also for the people around me. Looking back, I realize how much of a difference it has made in my life. I might not look all that different from back then, but I feel so much better mentally, emotionally, and physically. I have more clarity, more peace, and a greater appreciation for the little things in life. It’s not always about looking different on the outside; sometimes, the biggest changes happen within you. And honestly, feeling good on the inside is what matters most to me. 🤍

Hi,

I’m a little over 17 months into this journey. It’s hard, and wonderful. I have one more surgery in December to get some work done on mah face but that’s the last one.

I really can’t wait for my hair to grow back. Transitioning is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s all consuming and slow.

I am lucky to have a wife and child that support me.

Anyone that wants a free science based trans feminine walkthrough - here ya go. Studies are all cited and included. I wrote this to help the next person.

https://buildingnova.github.io/guide/BuildingNovaF.pdf

I am so much happier and I’m still not even close to the end of my transition. I will keep changing for years.

HRT is magic 🪄 💫

💜

Nova

I changed my whole life in between those pictures!
Left a toxic workplace and found a New job that allows me to live my life a lot more freely, leaving a long term relationship and lots of lifestyle changes like a healthier diet, getting my daily steps in (10k on average), plus a semi-regular gym routine (I try to go once a week 😊). I’m still working towards the end weight goal, but I’m already super confident and happy with where I am at 😊

Lost some weight over the years and am able to grow a decent beard now. I do the fasting and try to eat healthier meals and lift some weights and try to go walking, still have to lose more weight but am also proud of the progress I’ve made.

In the first picture I was a raging alcoholic, sneaking alcohol at work and pretty ruining my life. It was a rough year losing my dad and brother to suicide so I was trying to drink the pain away. Quit drinking about a year later and got serious and consistent in the gym. Broke my sobriety a couple years later but as of right now I am 3 years sober. 💪 Couldn't have done it without the gym

I'd like to hear you opinion...I was rejected so many times during the high school period. I think the hairstyle I had in my teenage era didn't suit me that much, so i started to grow my hair a little bit and keep the moustache a little bit longer

At 21, I was drinking, popping pills, making bad decisions, and living a life that I thought was fun. Little did I know how much growing, healing, and changing I had ahead of me.

20 years later, I’m a completely different woman. I’ve traded the partying for peace, the chaos for stability, and the self-destructive habits for a life I’m proud of.

The girl on the left had no idea who she would become. The woman on the right is proof that your past doesn’t have to define your future.

I spent a lot of years hating myself, not caring about a single thing. It wasn’t until I started find ways of working out that actually worked for me that I was able to break from my old patterns. It feels like a lifetime ago, and I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the change that I eventually ended up going through.

i feel like i had a glow up and think the first pic me is atrocious looking but still very much unsure of myself lol

I was literally doing nothing but playing Apex and Overwatch when I was 17 (peak life stage ngl) but now I workout 5-7 days a week and play sports regularly

Most of the change is attributable to getting leaner and maybe I had some pubertal changes left in me (I feel like chin grew vertically a bit and cheekbones got wider maybe??)

I'm trying to reach the 125 character minimum................

At my heaviest I was 380 pounds now I’m feeling happy at 180 took allot to change my mindset on how to take care of myself and body but the main thing that made me want to change was I understood that when your a bigger person you have to work twice as hard to gain people’s respect even when it isn’t warranted

From 19 to 21, I’ve been working on myself and becoming more confident in who I am. I’ve learned that improving yourself takes time, and that confidence comes from how you carry yourself, not just how you look. Still a work in progress, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come and excited to keep improving.

I was fairly fit for most of my life. College sports, 10+ years in the military with multiple deployments. Then I got out and for a few years things kinda got dark… From Years of coping with depression through food. To getting the mental help and support I needed.

Looking back at these pictures is crazy because I feel like I had a different face every few years. Sometimes even i can barely believe these are all pictures of me but i guess this is my glow up?

Went down 80+ pounds. over 10 years, I actually lost most of the weight in the last year and a half with the help of GLP1 shots. I feel better, my blood pressure has gone down, my cholesterol has improved. I really wish they would make the Ozempic style shots available OTC like nicotine gum. Not only has this reduced my weight, it has saved me a lot of money. I no longer have this urge to stop at a fast food joint on the way home to grab something to eat, I don't go into grocery stores spending $200–$300 of week on snacks, cookies, and treats.

This weight loss also was in conjunction with a lot of exercise, so I didn't end up with the "Ozimic face"

I'm 31 now. After everything, I decided to actually take care of myself: eating better, hitting the gym, and figuring out what works for me, like finding the right facial hair style. I've put on some healthy weight too, and I'd like to think I look better for it. My confidence is still a work in progress. Some days I feel great and my self-esteem is high, other days not so much. But I'm putting in the work and learning to be kinder to myself.

Over the past year, I started prioritizing my health and also changed up my hair and experimented with my clothing style, finding outfits that fit me better and feel more like me. My hair grows insanely fast, so having a hairstyle that suits me and is easier to manage has been a nice change. Between losing weight, getting my braces off, and finding my own style, my confidence has grown soooo much. I’m posting more, embracing how far I’ve come, and loving myself more than ever!

6’ tall. I was pushing 230. Stress and overrating were taking over but I finally said enough is enough and made the push. Down to 215. Biggest obstacle now is to stay motivated

When I was even younger, I was suspended by the middle school because I had issues with their education system. I stayed at home for few years. Those years were no better than the days at school, I lock myself inside my room, avoid interacting with anyone including my parents. When I was feeling better, the only thing I did was playing a video game called Warframe. When it gets worse the only thing I could do is crying in bed till I fall asleep. I still remember those days while I played a song over and over again because I can relate to one piece of the lyrics: “ All I know are sad songs”. Unhealthy lifestyle and the medicines I was using made me gain at least 10 kilos, that I looked puffy and sad. My health condition also went down drastically. I still remember that I was constantly feeling nauseous, had to go to the hospital several times and couldn’t find out anything. I felt really bad and I knew I have to do something, for example go to school, socialize, exercise just like other normal people at my age, but I knew I would never go back to the environment that hurt me deeply. So I asked my parents to send me abroad to study so I can have a fresh start. Gladly my parents changed a lot after those events so they actually supported me on this plan. after one year of studying in an international school in my home country, I finally get to study abroad.

Finally, I am so far away from the traumatizing old environment, however, getting use to a new environment is never easy. I was literally like a pre school baby, traveling in an unfamiliar city with a second language, had to learn to take a bus and observe how people cross the road. The very first day at the airport I literally threw up in the toilet because I was too nervous. The first two months of studying wasn’t ideal either, I found it hard to catch up on certain courses. I was too afraid to be left out again that I almost cried on my seat. Luckily the staff members in the college were really supportive, I wanted to change into a major that I am more confident with, and they told me to relax and said that they indeed see my potential on certain subjects. After the program transition, everything went on track. That I finally have the motivation to take care of myself instead of letting myself go.

Another motivation is that I had a crush on this boy( he is my boyfriend now hehe) and he is into femboys. I didn’t think I was anything close to a femboy back then so I decided to become one. I am not saying that we should become a different person just to meet the expectations of others, but sometimes these expectations might make people discover another part of themselves. My boyfriend actually helped me a lot, whenever I get frustrated with my looks he would always say stuff like “You are not ugly, I like you pretty much.”

However, The first thing I realized was that, omg I look like a whiny fat chud. So the first thing I did was to lose weight. I have to be honest that I went to far the other way at the beginning, sometimes I kinda “punish” myself by not eating for few days, because I was disgusted by my looks in the mirror. This stage I also develop the anxiety on my looks, though they can be a motivation sometimes. This method of weight loss was too extreme and wouldn’t be recommended for anyone, however, I managed to lose ~21kg (75-54) in six months. Zero sugar coke helped me a lot during these times, I was already a big fan of them and they helped me to kill the appetite and skip meals.

Skin care is another thing I was doing, though some damage like acne scars are pretty much irreversible. Tbh I did not do well on the skin care, My skin is still terrible until now. all I did was preventing the acne from growing in the first place, by washing face two times a day and apply some blemish control products. I wonder if laser treatments can help me with the existing acne scars.
I also think that dieting contributes a lot to my glow up. Back then I was constantly eating Chinese takeouts, they are completely OK to eat occasionally, but a lot of the restaurants cook them in a way that makes them extremely high in calories, carbohydrates, salt and fat with insufficient protein, fiber and vitamins. Making them a less than ideal choice if you want to maintain a good skin health and weight. Even some homemade Chinese foods would be much better than those. I switched to a healthier and balanced diet after weight loss(I barely ate during weight loss and it was not healthy AT ALL), I like steaks, roast chicken and carrots more now!
I also grew my hair just to make my face look smaller. Genetically I have a wide and short face( I think I get this from my dad, I hate him!!!), and it’s more obvious with shorter hair. I am wearing a wig in pic 3, that would be my ideal hairstyle if I get to grow my hair to that length.

I actually just started to work out a month ago because I was scared to go to the gym without a friend until I met one. I mainly do incline walking and glutes and legs, they are not much but they indeed helped me with both my mental and physical health.
Speaking of which, glowing up isn’t just about physically looking good, it’s actually a lot about mentality. Am I feeling like myself? Am I satisfied with how I look? Is this the how I want others to see me? I feel like it is a crucial step of people making sense of themselves. What I found out is, if I am confident with my looks , I am actually more willing to make connections with others.

Anyways, thank you for listening to my story! I am more than happy to make some friends in the journey of glowing up. I hope my experience would be helpful for someone else.

At 23 (first picture), I was overweight, balding, depressed, drinking and getting high every day just to escape how unhappy I was with my life. I was lonely, lost, and knew something had to change.

I moved from San Francisco to Miami to start a new life. I put down the bong, got sober, started lifting weights and running consistently outside, and lost 45 pounds. I started taking my mental health seriously, threw out my old clothes, and invested in a more mature wardrobe. Eventually, I decided to stop holding on to the last few hairs I had left and shaved my head completely.

Now at 25, I barely recognize myself. I feel way better, I'm happier, more confident, and constantly getting compliments from coworkers, friends and family.

I'm still a work in progress, but I'm proud of how far I've come. Sharing this for anyone who's feeling stuck or unhappy with themselves Change is possible!

I would have to say that eliminating alcohol out of my life was the biggest factor in getting where I am today.

Picture 1, Sept 2023: I was heavily drinking; loathing and lying to myself every day. I didn't see a way out.

Picture 2, Sept 2024: I committed to a lifestyle change, booked a trip to Peru with the intention of being alcohol free atleast 6 months prior to the trip. Spoiler alert: I let myself down again. I drank on that trip but I was "responsible". Even turned down a drunken karaoke night with the travel group (which if you knew me IRL - that is my JAM!) because I knew I would never forgive myself. It was that tiny bit of strength that night that started the light peaking through ; I knew I was stronger than this addiction.

Oct 6 2024: After my final drunken embarrassment, my husband and I committed to eachother that we would both abstain from alcohol for a year. A full 365 days. That seemed like an impossible number to reach but I knew it would be easier than quitting FOREVER.

I'm not going to lie, it was a challenge. I would not have been able to do it without the rock-solid support of my husband. But the days did get easier. I started to realize that temptations come in waves. I went through 6 hours of back labour unmedicated so I know how to sit out the waves now, no problem. They're uncomfortable, but they WILL pass.

Picture 3&4, Oct 2026 - 730 days alcohol free ! As challenging as that first year sans booze was, it was no where near as hard as that year back in 2023. I decided to continue on for one more year, to see what life could become.

The last 6 months of life have been, quite literally, life shattering. I may make another post about that at sometime because I think it could help others as well. What surprised me the most is that through all of the recent trauma in my life I never once thought that drinking would make any of this easier. Because drinking doesn't make the problems disappear - it just kicks them down the road until you are absolutely forced to face them. So it's better to be at your best when these challenges come at you, because you can't avoid them.

Today my life is unrecognizable. I am unrecognizable. I am so fuckin grateful and proud of myself for finally allowing the love in to myself that I so freely poured into everyone else. Now I'm my own best friend. :)

If you're still here, thank you 🙏🏻

I would like to get louder about my experiences because I know how alone this world can feel. Hopefully my voice will echo that you are not alone.

Stay Happy,

Joelle xo

ETA: No weight-loss meds. Cut out sugar. Started hot yoga and weight lifting. Lots of walking. And I cut out all of the toxicity from my life - job, people, etc. The 50+lbs I lost is all of the FUCKS I don't give anymore. Hope that helps :)

I’ve been battling addiction for over 20 years and I just hit 9 months clean. I’ve been in a revolving door of different addictions ranging from smoking weed to shooting heroin, all the while taking mass amounts of benzos a day to keep the nerves at bay (it just made it worse). I decided to go to rehab at age 34 and life is easy for the first time. I’m finally free. I don’t know where my life is headed but I have faith in the uncertainty.