Lyndsay Meyer_2
WHAT WOULD I do if I knew I could not fail? Whoa, where to start? I would love to become an expert surfer or kite-surfer, train and do my first ironman in under 12 hours, send a 7a, be an amazing ice climber, write a book about all the amazing bravabella women that inspire me, fearlessly propel my website (bravabella.com) to success, leaving in its wake ribbons of courage for women to grab on to and weave into their own individual paths. However, the one thing that looms large on the horizon is an expedition to the Himalaya to ski a big peak. I have skied some cool lines in Chamonix, the Glacier Rond, Col du Capucin, the North Face of Mont Blanc and have an attempt on Mount McKinley (that mountain is seriously cold) and think that would be an incredible challenge.

I have a major obsession with the outdoors, adventure sport and competition. My infatuation has taken me around the world and it’s just the start of a ginormous bucket list. I have participated in expeditions, triathlons, marathons, and mountaineering competitions across five continents, and I am a proud member of the burgeoning United States Mountaineering Team. I, and my teammate Nina Silitch, are the first all-American women to have completed the Patrouille des Glaciers race in Switzerland, as well as the first US women’s team to complete the four-day ski mountaineering race, the Pierra Menta. My professional work has allowed me to do what I do best, be a professional cheerleader to help women get out and get after it—and I created a website to help them do just that, bravabella.com.

There is something about enjoying the whole process of a set goal, the logistics, the training, the execution and dealing with issues as they arrive that mirrors everyday life. There is a certain amount of self-exploration during these events that involves finding and pushing my own personal limit, and zeroing in on the realization that I live to inspire and encourage the others around me. Nothing tops arriving at the summit, or the finish and hugging the competitors/climbers around you that propelled you to achieve what you thought was not possible. Each time I finish an event (or don’t) I discover more about myself, the human spirit and am able to see people for who they really are. That is what keeps me going strong—I wish I could bottle it!