After a lifetime of putting others first, Alese Johnston woke up one morning and asked herself, “What do I really want?” The answer changed everything.
At 70, newly divorced after 30 years of marriage, she decided to reclaim her life — one new experience at a time. “I made a rule,” she said. “It had to be something I’d never done before.” Over the next year, she did exactly that — from pole dancing and flying lessons to walking new trails and even eating dessert first.
Each week, friends would ask, “What’s your new thing?” And with every answer, Alese felt more alive. “I realised,” she said, “the world doesn’t end when you do something just for you.”
She had grown up afraid to make mistakes — shaped by a strict father and years of responsibility. But through 70 new adventures, she discovered something powerful: it’s never too late to start again.
Now 71, Alese says this is “the best season of my life.” Her message is simple yet freeing — don’t wait for permission to live. 💫
