“That’s not professional.” That’s what I think - and sometimes hear, when each January I chop off my hair with one fell swoop. And it always causes me to pause and think about beauty, and beauty standards, and professionalism, and professional dress, and where and how that matters and what my relationship is with it all. And because I tend to process best when I write, it then becomes a blog. So here you go…

I recently learned what a ‘lip flip’ was when my friend shared how she recently had the procedure, which injects a small amount of botox above the upper lip for a more voluminous appearance. Unfortunately for her, she had this done RIGHT before heading into a business meeting where, without considering the initial side-effects of the treatment, she dribbled substantial amounts of coffee down the front of her chin and onto her outfit.

The self-deprecating way she told the story had our crew of a dozen or so lifelong friends in stitches. And it opened the floor to more tales of injectables gone right and wrong. In our friend group, gathered up from across the country, most had anecdotes to share. 

I sometimes forget- living in Asheville where athleisure and baggy clothes are acceptable work attire and make-up and Botox aren’t quite as mainstream- just how prevalent and popular cosmetic procedures have become. 

But when I spend time with friends who don’t live in hippie enclaves- not to mention every time I travel to a professional conference where presentation matters (and not just the slide deck) - I feel a small bit of insecurity and pressure to conform. 

I wonder if I will still be successful as a record setting adventure speaker as more gray appears in my hair. I feel self-conscious when dark circles under my eyes might imply fatigue or a lack of preparedness, when in reality I’m rested and game-ready. 

My friends tell me simple highlights will hide the gray; my dermatologist said the purple lines are actually shadows. “There are injectables for that,” she proffers. And I am left with the question… do I or do I not?

The answer is, I do not. Not because it’s wrong. Not because of judgment. And not to say one day I might change my mind. 

But for me, for me, deciding how I portray myself in public is directly connected to my relationship with the outdoors. I have spent enough time in nature to believe that beauty – especially in the Appalachians – comes from biodiversity. The details that make the environment different as opposed to uniform. And they’re also the same differences that make the eco-system resilient and healthy. 

I believe that ‘natural beauty’ goes beyond the endowment of aesthetically pleasing qualities and is moreso a  journey - the process of aging gracefully and allowing your body to tell a story that is authentic to your experience. (I’m grateful to have amazing role models in this arena, including a beloved aunt and several hiking guides at Blue Ridge Hiking Company.)

My work in, with, and for conservation initiatives also influences my beauty choices. It feels like the struggle to champion what is naturally there or already there and to protect habitat from “progress” parallels our personal journeys of looking in the mirror and knowing there is value without additional development. 

Please don’t twist this to think I am against all forms of development. I am very much in favor of sustainable growth and thoughtful stewardship. I am also in favor of individuals making decisions concerning their own bodies. We should all think through the decisions surrounding our personal health and appearance and resist the urge to let peer pressure make the decision for us. 

When it comes down to it, beauty standards just feel a little too, well, standard. I don’t want to cover up what makes me… me. And, that translates to industry standards as well. There are always going to be professional speakers with big hair and bright lips. There will always be professional women in the audience who are bringing their A-game with respect to their work, their wardrobe, and - as one of my friends refers to her make-up – their war paint. (And props to ‘em. Y’all look amazing!)

But if I am on stage talking about the two collective years of my life that I have spent inside a tent, or of embracing the ugly endurance it takes to break an endurance record, or of figuring out how to run a business with babies during a pandemic… then I should look REAL and true and tried to those experiences. My body tells the story of everything it’s been through and I want that to sync up with what comes out of my mouth. So I stick with the essentials: shower, deodorant, lip balm, blazer, and let's go.

One of the main reasons I fell in love with the nature at age 21 was because it made me feel beautiful- not because of how I looked, but simply because I was a part of it. And I started to appreciate and connect to my body, not based on how it looked, based on what it could do. That was a valuable lesson at a young age- and it’s a damn good reason to take a hike at 42. 

I would encourage anyone who's self-image isn't what they want it to be to step into nature, take it in, and KNOW that you are a part of it. BEAUTIFUL. WILD. RESPONSIBLE. Because, ultimately, when it comes to showing up as professional - and as a human - it’s not about the enhancements or fillers or fashion or flare, it is knowing that you are beautiful, you are capable, and you have got this. Everything else is (an) accessory. 

Now… excuse me while I go chop off my hair.