The stunning transformation of Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama is both the former first lady of the United States of America, and someone you imagine should definitely be your BFF. Whether she's speaking to students, the military, or celebrity attendees of a White House gala, she somehow appears to be talking specifically to each of us. She inexplicably reaches into our own experiences by sharing hers. She inspires us to be better. To give it all we've got, whatever it may be.

She once said, "Nothing in my life's path would have predicted that I'd be standing here as the first African-American First Lady of the United States of America. There is nothing in my story that would land me here." Born into a middle-class family on the south side of Chicago, she carved her extraordinary success through hard work and relentless dedication, boldly challenging the status quo throughout her life.

A former lawyer and Ivy-league graduate, she is an advocate for women's rights, accessible education, LGBTQ equality, gun control, wellness, marriage and family. We're celebrating how far Obama has come — and where she's headed next.