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Girl''s Brave Journeys

By Wilson | Published on  
Unlocking Bravery: Empowering Girls to Overcome and Shine

Setting a world record in crawling: A story of bravery

As a child, many of us dreamed of setting a world record. But for Caroline Paul, setting a record was not just a dream; it was an obsession. However, there was one small problem: she had absolutely no talent. Nevertheless, she decided to set a world record in something that demanded no skill at all - crawling.

The record at the time was 12 and a half miles, which seemed totally manageable to her. Along with her friend Anne, Caroline decided to attempt the record without any training. They put furniture pads on the outside of their jeans and set off. However, they immediately faced trouble as the denim began to chafe against their skin and soon their knees were being chewed up. Despite this, Caroline pushed on and hours in, it began to rain. Then Anne dropped out, leaving Caroline to crawl alone.

As the day progressed, Caroline’s knees began to bleed through her jeans and she was hallucinating from the cold, pain, and monotony. The first lap around the high school track took her 10 minutes while the last lap took almost 30. After 12 hours of crawling, Caroline had gone 8 and a half miles, falling short of the world record.

For many years, Caroline thought of this as a story of abject failure. However, she now sees it differently. Through attempting the world record, Caroline was getting outside her comfort zone, calling upon her toughness, and finding confidence in herself and her own decisions. She didn’t know it then, but those are not the attributes of failure; those are the attributes of bravery.

In this post, we will explore Caroline’s story of bravery and how she overcame doubts and obstacles to achieve her goal. We will also discuss the importance of getting outside our comfort zone and how it can lead to growth and increased confidence. So, let’s dive in and explore the world of bravery!

What does it mean to be brave? Is it about having no fear or feeling invincible? According to Caroline Paul, bravery is about getting outside your comfort zone, calling upon your toughness, and finding confidence in yourself and your own decisions.

During her world record attempt, Caroline had to face numerous obstacles and physical pain, but she persisted and kept crawling. She was outside her comfort zone, doing something that she had never done before and pushing herself beyond her limits. Her toughness came into play when her friend dropped out, and she had to continue on her own. Despite feeling the effects of cold, pain, and monotony, Caroline kept going, which shows that she had the attribute of toughness.

One of the key attributes of bravery is confidence in yourself and your own decisions. Caroline had confidence in her decision to attempt the world record, even though she had no talent or experience in crawling. Her confidence came from within, and she was not swayed by doubts or criticisms from others.

Getting outside your comfort zone, developing toughness, and having confidence in yourself are essential attributes of bravery. It is not about being fearless, but about facing your fears and overcoming them. When you push yourself outside your comfort zone, you learn to adapt and develop new skills, which can lead to personal growth and increased confidence.

In this post, we have explored the attributes of bravery, including getting outside your comfort zone, toughness, and confidence. These attributes can be developed through various activities and experiences, such as attempting a world record or learning a new skill. By developing these attributes, we can become more brave and confident individuals, capable of achieving our goals and facing any challenges that come our way.

Caroline Paul became the 15th woman in a department of 1,500 men when she joined the San Francisco Fire Department in 1989. As a woman in a male-dominated field, Caroline faced many doubts about whether she could do the job. Even though she was a 5'10", 150-pound college rower who could endure 12 hours of searing knee pain, she still had to prove her strength and fitness to her colleagues.

One of the most surprising things Caroline encountered during her time as a firefighter was the disbelief that women could be both strong and brave. Her colleague, Skip, was shocked when he saw Caroline tackle a fire herself and complimented her on a job well done. Caroline realized that many people, including friends and strangers, often ask her whether she’s scared of all the danger that comes with being a firefighter. She noticed that this question was not asked of male firefighters, which led her to wonder why bravery was not expected of women.

Caroline’s experience as a female firefighter highlights the importance of breaking down gender stereotypes and biases that limit women’s abilities and potential. Despite facing doubts and criticisms, Caroline persevered and proved that she was just as capable as her male counterparts. By overcoming these doubts, Caroline was able to become a successful firefighter and pave the way for other women to join the department.

As a society, we need to recognize and address the biases and stereotypes that hold women back in male-dominated fields. We must enable women to pursue their passions and talents, regardless of their gender. By breaking down these barriers, we can create a more equitable and inclusive society where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

According to the speaker, the messages we absorb as children lead to the expectation that women will be scared. Parents tend to caution their daughters much more than their sons, which sends the message that girls are fragile and more in need of help. Studies show that parents are more likely to warn their daughters about physical risks, while boys are encouraged to take on difficult tasks by themselves. These messages lead to the belief that girls should be fearful, while boys should be gutsy.

The speaker notes that the fear we learn and the experiences we don’t stay with us as we become women and morphs into all the things that we face and try to shed: our hesitation in speaking out, our deference so that we can be liked, and our lack of confidence in our own decisions. The fear we are taught as children ultimately holds us back from being brave and taking risks.

To combat this, the speaker encourages adults to practice bravery themselves and to encourage risky play for all children, regardless of gender. By taking a good hard look at fear and assessing just how relevant it is, we can put it behind our exhilaration, our anticipation, and our confidence. We can teach our girls to be brave by guiding them to access their bravery when faced with challenges, rather than cautioning them to be fearful.

Research shows that risky play is really important for kids because it teaches hazard assessment, delayed gratification, toughness, and confidence. When kids get outside and practice bravery, they learn valuable life lessons. The speaker mentions that her own mother encouraged her to take risks and play outside, which helped her become the brave firefighter and paraglider pilot she is today.

However, many parents caution their daughters much more than their sons, which sends the message that girls are fragile and more in need of help, while boys can and should master difficult tasks by themselves. This message is absorbed by both boys and girls and perpetuated into adulthood.

The speaker encourages parents to stop cautioning their girls willy-nilly and instead encourage them to skateboard, climb trees, and play on playground equipment. This helps teach hazard assessment and build confidence.

Ultimately, this is about the life ahead of our girls and that they have the tools to handle and assess all the dangers and challenges that they will face. By teaching them to be brave, we equip them with the skills they need to navigate the world with confidence and toughness.

The speaker emphasizes that fear and exhilaration feel very similar. She suggests that we should practice bravery, not eliminate fear. We can learn how to take a good hard look at fear, assess its relevance, and put it where it belongs.

The speaker gives an example from her experience as a paraglider pilot, where she felt both fear and exhilaration waiting for the wind to come in just right. She assessed the situation, recognized that she was a good pilot, and knew the conditions were right. She practiced bravery by focusing on her anticipation and confidence, putting fear behind her.

She encourages adults to practice bravery in their own lives, even if it is not in the form of extreme sports. She suggests getting outside of our comfort zones, taking risks, and being willing to speak to someone we admire.

The message is clear: bravery is learned and can be practiced. The next time we feel scared, we can assess the situation and choose to practice bravery instead.

From a young age, girls are often encouraged to prioritize being polite, quiet, and avoiding risk-taking, while boys are encouraged to be brave, adventurous, and take risks. This messaging can shape a girl’s perception of herself and limit her willingness to take on challenges that require bravery.

To encourage girls to access their bravery and handle challenges, it’s important to provide them with opportunities to practice taking risks and facing their fears. This can be done by encouraging them to try new things, take on leadership roles, and engage in physical activities that challenge them. It’s also important to provide positive reinforcement when they do take risks and handle challenges, emphasizing that bravery and toughness are valuable qualities.

Parents and educators can also play a role in challenging gender stereotypes and promoting equality between boys and girls. By providing equal opportunities for boys and girls to engage in risky play and teaching hazard assessment skills to both, we can help girls to develop the confidence and toughness they need to take on challenges.

In conclusion, encouraging girls to access their bravery and handle challenges requires us to challenge gender stereotypes and provide them with opportunities to take risks and face their fears. By doing so, we can help girls develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive and succeed in all areas of their lives.

In the video, we learn about how a group of young girls set out to break the world record for the longest continuous crawl. This was not an easy task, as the previous record was held by a man who had crawled for over 12 hours straight. However, these girls were determined to challenge themselves and prove that they could accomplish anything they set their minds to.

The process of training for this challenge taught the girls valuable lessons about bravery and perseverance. They had to push themselves outside of their comfort zones, both physically and mentally. They also had to learn how to handle doubts and fears, and how to support one another through difficult times.

By the time they set out to break the world record, the girls were filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Despite the challenges they faced, they were able to stay focused and determined, and they ultimately succeeded in crawling for over 15 hours straight.

This incredible achievement serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of setting goals and taking on challenges. When we push ourselves to try new things and take risks, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities. And when we do so with bravery and determination, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish.

In conclusion, bravery is a fundamental trait that we all need in order to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. It is essential to step out of our comfort zones and take risks in order to grow and learn from our experiences. The attributes of bravery, such as toughness, confidence, and perseverance, are necessary for success in all areas of life.

As we have seen, women face unique challenges when it comes to accessing their bravery. From the messages we absorb as children to societal expectations, girls and women are often discouraged from taking risks and facing challenges. However, through practicing risky play and hazard assessment, and encouraging girls to access their bravery and handle challenges, we can help to break down these barriers and enable girls and women to achieve their full potential.

The story of setting a world record in crawling is a perfect example of the power of bravery. Despite the doubts and fears that come with taking on such a daunting challenge, the participants were able to overcome their obstacles and achieve their goal. By practicing bravery in small ways every day, we can prepare ourselves for the big challenges that lie ahead.

Overall, it is important to recognize the value of bravery and to encourage ourselves and those around us to access our inner strength and courage. By doing so, we can all achieve great things and make a positive impact on the world.