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I ever feel like, you know, adventure is just for every younger people.

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Great.

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Well, today we're going to deep dive into Caroline Paul's book, Tough Broad.

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Find out how wrong that is.

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If you want to stay active and engaged as you age, she thinks outdoor adventure is the way to do it.

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You know, it's really interesting how Paul brings together personal stories in this book.

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Yeah.

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Like, she's got one about an 80 year old scuba diver.

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Wow.

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But then she combines that with hard science.

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Yeah.

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It's not just about like, you know, nature's nice.

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Mm hmm.

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She's really talking about how being outside can actually rewire our brains and how we think about getting older.

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Okay, so rewire our brains how?

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Like, does the book just talk about any positive outlook helping you live longer?

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Or is it?

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It's way more specific than that.

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Okay.

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And it uses research to back it up, which I really like.

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A lot of times we think about having a positive outlook is just being optimistic.

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Right.

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But the studies that she talks about say it's more about challenging how we think about aging.

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Like a lot of people think about getting older is all downhill.

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Right.

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When you can actually change your mindset to believe that aging is about keep growing in all the possibilities,

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those seven extra years that you might get aren't magic.

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Yeah.

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It's really just because you have less stress and inflammation in your body.

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Okay.

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Seven years.

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That's it.

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That's a really long time.

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But what does that have to do with being outside specifically?

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Is it just about being in nature or is it more about the activities you do?

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So that's where the neuroscience comes in.

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Okay.

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Imagine that your prefrontal cortex, which is the part of your brain that makes decisions.

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Okay.

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That gets tired, just like a muscle, especially with how much technology we use these days.

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And studies have shown that nature actually uses different pathways in our brain, which gives that part a rest.

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So it's not just about being in nature.

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Being in nature actually creates the right conditions for us to reset and start to have more positive outlook on life.

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So I should be picturing my brain like doing yoga in the park or something.

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But like, is there actual evidence that this happens in real life or is this just like interesting brain scan stuff?

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No, Paul uses real life examples all the time.

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Like there's Louise Holy.

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She's an 80 year old scuba diver.

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Wow.

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And you might think, oh, it's easy for someone who's super fit to like getting older.

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But Louise actually started diving later in life.

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Oh, wow.

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It just shows you it's never too late to find something you love that changes how you feel about getting older.

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Diving at 80, that's amazing.

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I mean, that really challenges our ideas of what we can do physically as we age, besides probably having really strong lungs.

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What's Louise's secret to aging well?

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Just think about it.

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To dive at 80, you have to be physically strong.

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Right.

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You need to be mentally sharp to use all the equipment and deal with whatever happens underwater.

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Right.

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And you've got to have a community of other divers to do it with.

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So she's always learning new things about the ocean.

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She's pushing her physical limits and she feels like she's a part of something bigger than herself.

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It sounds like Louise's story is like a perfect example of how those five pillars of healthy aging that Paul talks about actually work.

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You know, like community and purpose and novelty and health and a positive outlook.

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It's one thing to read them in a book, but it's another to see them in action.

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And what's really cool is that a lot of times those things just kind of happen naturally when you start doing things outside.

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It's not like you're checking off boxes on a list.

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It's more like you find something you love doing and it just so happens to fit in with those principles.

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Right.

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It's like instead of forcing yourself to eat a salad because you know it's good for you.

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Right.

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You find a meal that's both delicious and made with healthy ingredients.

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Exactly.

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And then you want to eat it all the time.

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That's where Paul brings in this idea of awe.

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Okay.

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And she says it's super important for aging well.

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Okay.

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So give it to me.

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I'm picturing something a little more intense than just, you know, liking a pretty sunset.

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Think about a time when you were in nature and something really amazed you.

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Like maybe you were looking up at a sky full of stars or standing by the ocean and thinking about how big it is.

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Yeah.

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Or maybe you felt how powerful a thunderstorm is.

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Right.

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Those things make us feel a sense of wonder and they make us feel small.

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And that actually affects our mind and body in a real way.

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Okay.

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So this isn't just some fleeting feeling.

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There's actual science behind this.

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Tell me more about how awe is good for us.

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Well, studies have found that when people feel awe, it can lower inflammation in their body.

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It can reduce stress and anxiety.

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It can even make people feel more compassionate and generous.

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Wait.

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So you're saying if I'm feeling a little bit selfish, I should just go find a mountain to stare at.

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How does that work?

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Well, think about it.

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Awe helps us get out of our own heads.

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Right.

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And remember that we are just a tiny part of something much bigger.

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Right.

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And when we change our perspective like that, is it natural to want to connect with other people and be kind?

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It's like when you look up at the night sky and you realize how small your problems are.

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Yeah, I get that.

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I'm starting to see how this all fits together.

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Nature, adventure, this feeling of awe.

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It's not about following some aging checklist.

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It's about changing how we see ourselves and the world around us.

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Yes.

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And here's something really interesting, Paul, that we actually get better at feeling awe as we age.

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Really?

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I would thought it would be the opposite.

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Like the more we experience in life, the less we'd be surprised by things.

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So older people are just easy to impress.

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You know, not quite.

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It's more like the longer we live, the more we realize how much we don't know.

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That feeling of mystery and wonder, that desire to be surprised by life.

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Those things can get stronger over time.

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That is a really refreshing way to look at it.

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We always think of getting older as this inevitable decline.

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But what you're saying is it could be a chance to experience everything more deeply and appreciate it even more.

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Exactly.

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And a big part of that is letting go of all of these anti-aw machines that we have in our lives.

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Anti-aw machines.

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Okay, now you have my attention.

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What are those?

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Just think about how much time we spend glued to our phones and computers.

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We're constantly bombarded with information, notifications.

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Everything feels so urgent.

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Like everything important is happening on this little screen.

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And we totally miss out on the real world that's happening all around us.

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Right.

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All those devices make us focus on smaller and smaller things.

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And they make us feel like we need to be in control all the time.

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And that's the opposite of awe.

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When we feel awe, we let go of that need for control.

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We embrace the unknown and we allow ourselves to be surprised.

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So how do we escape that cycle?

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Especially in a world where it feels like technology is everywhere.

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I mean, I'm not about to throw my phone away and move to a cabin in the woods although some days.

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No, it doesn't have to be that extreme.

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It's really just about making little choices throughout our day to create some space for awe.

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Put your phone down, go outside, let yourself just be present in the moment.

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Yeah, I can do that.

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But for people like me who are new to this whole adventure thing, especially later in life,

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where do you even start?

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It's easy to feel like you've missed the boat or like you're not equipped to handle it.

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You know, that's a great question.

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Paul actually tells a really good story about this woman named Lorraine Vaught.

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When she was in her 60s, she decided to try.

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You're ready for this?

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Yeah.

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Boogie boarding.

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Boogie boarding!

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Whoa, I did not see that coming.

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But okay, I'm listening.

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What happened?

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So Lorraine never really thought of herself as an outdoorsy person.

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But then one day she saw this group of women laughing and having fun riding waves.

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And it just sparked something in her.

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So she decided to try it, even though it was out of her comfort zone and she ended up loving it.

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And it totally changed her life.

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And it wasn't just about the boogie boarding itself.

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It was about her willingness to try something new and embrace something she didn't know.

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It's kind of amazing how saying yes to something new can change your whole outlook.

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What I really like about Lorraine's story is that it doesn't matter how old you are or what skills you have.

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It's that willingness to be curious, like when we were kids.

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Absolutely.

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And sometimes those things we thought were just for kids when we were younger.

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They become these amazing ways to find joy and awe as we get older.

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It's like we've learned not to take ourselves so seriously anymore.

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Right.

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It's like rediscovering that feeling of wonder.

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But now we've got all this life experience to make it even better.

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Exactly.

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It's not about trying to be young again.

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It's realizing that getting older comes with a whole new set of opportunities for adventure and growth.

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And like Paul shows in the book, those experiences can be even more powerful and fulfilling when we embrace them later in life.

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This has been so inspiring.

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But I got to ask, what about those of us who aren't ready to go boogie boarding or scuba diving?

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What are some easier ways for us older folks to experience more awe and adventure in our lives?

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You know, it could be as simple as changing how you look at things and really paying attention to the everyday

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beauty around you.

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Instead of rushing through your day, take a few minutes to appreciate nature.

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Look at the patterns on a leaf for the colors of the sunset or listen to the birds singing.

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It's like hitting the pause button and just being present in the moment.

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Yes.

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And you don't need any special skills or equipment to do that.

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Just slow down, look around and enjoy.

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Even something as simple as a walk outside can be an adventure if you approach it with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

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I love that.

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So we're not adding more things to our to-do list.

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We're just changing how we experience the things we're already doing.

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Exactly.

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And just like Caroline Paul tells us, choosing to find more adventure and awe in our lives isn't just good for us mentally and emotionally.

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It might actually help us live longer, happier lives.

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Well said.

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I know I'm feeling inspired to embrace a little more awe and adventure in my own life.

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Thanks for joining us for this deep dive, everyone.

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And remember, no matter how old you are, there's always an adventure waiting for you.