A former San Francisco firefighter, whitewater rafting guide, competitive luge racer, and paraglider, Caroline Paul was no stranger to high-octane adventure in the outdoors. But in her mid-fifties, as she continued to keep her foot on the proverbial gas, she looked around and noticed she was often the odd woman out.
“When I was surfing or riding my electric skateboard, I saw men my age and older, but very few if any women,” says Paul. “I started to wonder: What is my own future going to look like?”
Caroline Paul on one-wheel electric skateboard
That nagging question became the spark of an idea. Paul set out to see what she could learn about the connection between outdoor adventure and aging, specifically for women. Along the way, she discovered a number of women, embracing their bravery—from an 82-year-old SCUBA diver to a 52-year-old base jumper. She leaned into new adventures like BMX racing and walking on an airplane’s wing, as well.
The result of her quest became Tough Broad, a study in the science of aging as told through Paul’s own experiences and connections with women who continue to seek adventure in the outdoors with gusto in their later years. We sat down with Paul to learn more about what she’d gleaned from writing her new book. Read on for a fascinating glimpse into her work and some serious inspiration on how to keep moving as we age.
What did you discover in writing Tough Broad?
Most importantly, the way we look at our own aging affects how well we age. If you have a negative view of your own aging, you are more likely to have cardiac incidents and cognitive decline earlier—and the opposite is true.
I was one of the few people in my friend group who was actually looking forward to aging. I realized just how much I had gotten through outdoor adventure, which allowed me to be really psyched about my 60s.
Is there anything about growing older that’s surprised you?
In my younger days, I really thought that an adventure had to be death-defying. As I’ve gotten older, my definition of what's adventurous has changed. I realized that what really attracted me to outdoor adventure wasn’t the adrenaline—it was awe. It turns out that awe, that sense of wonder, is really good for us, and nature is an awe-trigger.
Why is outdoor adventure specifically helpful for women as we age?
In my research, I found that there are five pillars to a fulfilling aging experience: novelty, purpose, physical and mental health, community, and a positive outlook on aging. Outdoor adventure is the only way I know to get all five at once.
When you go outside, it’s a direct rebuke to all that messaging that says we’re frail, or we’re in cognitive decline, or that we’re “boring” (a big one for women).
For the book, I went boogie boarding with a group of older women in San Diego called the Wave Chasers. Everything they did was in contradiction of what we’re “supposed to” be doing as older women. On a subliminal level, they were attacking all of that messaging by simply going into super cold water with a bunch of friends, feeling their vitality, having community, making choices about waves—it’s really powerful.
When I interviewed women who picked up outdoor adventure late in life, it was remarkable to see their confidence, sense of self, and joy. Women look at themselves and think: What else can I do? It opens up your whole world and makes you rethink these narratives about women that live so deep in our bones.
Paul getting ready to catch a wave
Where do you think these mistaken narratives about women come from?
I really don’t know where they come from. Why do we see women as weak when mothers can lift VW vans off their kids? Why do we think that women are incompetent when we see them being competent constantly—we juggle so much. The narrative must serve somebody because otherwise it probably wouldn't be there—but it probably doesn't serve anybody to a good end.
What if you’re not ready to jump on the wing of a plane or learn how to boogie board?
This book is for everybody. You don't have to be athletic or incredibly adventurous or brave. It's about fulfilling aging and it's grounded in science. I chose to write about a wide range of adventurous women on purpose. Yes, I go hang out with a base jumper, but I also spend time with a bird watcher. As it turns out, birdwatching is adventurous, too!
So there's something for everybody. No matter what your color, financial situation, physical limitations, you can still get outside—and what this book is saying is that you must.
Paul riding the wing of a plane
How do you balance the desire for outdoor adventure and the risk associated with that?
You need to practice pushing outside your comfort zone. Little steps are key. Risk is a part of it, but it's not the first thing you should think about. You should think about fun and the connection and beauty. There's so many things to think about—and then risk is just one of them.
We take pills for our health and most of us don't even question it. We see that long list of side effects and nobody seems to blink an eye, because they've been told because they've been told it's going to make it better. Well, I'm telling you that going outside and picking an activity will make you feel so much better and the science is there. So consider it just a side effect and it's so much better than vomiting and diarrhea and you can't drive!
What new adventures are you currently pursuing?
I fly a gyrocopter now, which I learned for the book. I wanted to see if, at my later age, I could learn something new. Now I'd like to go cross country and follow the old US postal air route that they first laid out in 1920 in my little gyrocopter.
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How do you approach getting outdoors as you age? We’d love to hear your perspective and be inspired by you! Let us know @branwynofficial on Instagram or info@branwyn.com.
