"If you think you can or you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford
March 20, 2024

98 Caroline Paul - Become a Tough Broad and Embrace Outdoor Adventure As You Age

98 Caroline Paul - Become a Tough Broad and Embrace Outdoor Adventure As You Age

It’s no secret that girls – and women – haven’t traditionally had role models for adventure- seeking and exploration as we age. Even as young girls, we’re taught to "be careful" while boys are taught to "be strong and brave." It's...

It’s no secret that girls – and women – haven’t traditionally had role models for adventure- seeking and exploration as we age. Even as young girls, we’re taught to "be careful" while boys are taught to "be strong and brave." It's maddening. 

Author Caroline Paul, a longtime adventurer, started to notice the massive decline in the number of women she would see when she would go out paddle boarding, skateboarding, or surfing. In her late 50’s she was asking the questions like,  “Why is this happening?” and, "Shouldn’t we be experiencing adventure at ANY age?”

That’s what her new book, Tough Broad seeks to answer with the women Caroline interviews in her book. I’m talking hikers, wing walkers, birdwatchers, BMX racers, boogie boarders, swimmers, and more. These women aren't experts. But their experiences and the scientific studies that back them up offer important insight into our own physical and emotional health as we age, showing that growing older is no reason for women to sell themselves short.

One thing that is clear: Adventure doesn’t have to be some adrenaline filled, death-defying act, although there is some of that in this book. No, true adventure and self fulfillment can start with a walk outside. The more time you spend outdoors and the more positive your view on aging, the happier you will be. 

That can indeed make you a tough broad.

 

Buy Tough Broad - From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking - How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age

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Caroline Paul

Author/Adventurer

Caroline Paul was born on July 29, 1963 in New York City. She's the identical twin sister of actress Alexandra Paul. Caroline grew up in Connecticut. Paul graduated from Stanford University and originally planned to be a documentary filmmaker. In her adult life, Caroline has been an extremely active athlete: she's not only been a white-water raft guide and a private pilot, but also has competed in the U.S. Nationals for the sport of Luge, mountain-biked in such places as China and Vietnam, flown her para-glider in Brazil, sea-kayaked in Alaska, and skied the back country of Denali and the Sierras. One of the first women to join the San Francisco Fire Department, Caroline wrote the book, "Fighting Fire", about her experiences as a firefighter; this book was published, to great acclaim, in 1998. Her first fiction novel, "East Wind, Rain", was published in 2006. Her younger brother, Jonathan Paul, is an animal rights activist and volunteer firefighter in Oregon. A member of the literary group, the Writers' Grotto, Paul lives in San Francisco, California with her two cats.