"I'm Not Boring Anymore: How I Spent My 70th Year Trying New Things"
At 70, Alese Johnston realized she'd been stuck in a rut. The same stories, the same conversations with friends – she felt like she was losing herself in the process of raising her family and caring for others. So, she made a bold decision: to spend the next year trying 70 new things.
"I didn't want to be that person who's always telling the same stories," Johnston reflects. "I wanted to explore who I really am at this age." She set up a website, Fabulous70.com, and created a spreadsheet filled with ideas – from trying a new food to learning a new skill.
Johnston's first "first" was eating a nem – a type of spring roll – at a supper club in Little Rock. Next came a pole-dancing class, a flying lesson, and even attending an erotic blueprint conference (which she says was transformative). She took up walking new trails, minted a meme coin, and got a Brazilian wax.
As she embarked on this journey, Johnston realized she'd been living under the shadow of her own fears. Her father had been strict and controlling, leaving her with a "knee-jerk reaction" to duck away from responsibility. But through therapy and journaling, she began to confront these fears and learn to take risks.
"I didn't need anybody else's permission," Johnston says, looking back on that moment of epiphany. "It's actually okay to be a little irresponsible." She learned to let go of the fear of not doing things right, and instead, focused on finding new experiences that brought her joy.
Johnston's project has become an integral part of who she is – adventurous, spontaneous, and self-discovering. At 71, with all 70 missions complete, she's found a newfound sense of purpose and fulfillment. "This is really the best season of my life," she says, smiling. Will you take on your own 70th challenge?
				
			At 70, Alese Johnston realized she'd been stuck in a rut. The same stories, the same conversations with friends – she felt like she was losing herself in the process of raising her family and caring for others. So, she made a bold decision: to spend the next year trying 70 new things.
"I didn't want to be that person who's always telling the same stories," Johnston reflects. "I wanted to explore who I really am at this age." She set up a website, Fabulous70.com, and created a spreadsheet filled with ideas – from trying a new food to learning a new skill.
Johnston's first "first" was eating a nem – a type of spring roll – at a supper club in Little Rock. Next came a pole-dancing class, a flying lesson, and even attending an erotic blueprint conference (which she says was transformative). She took up walking new trails, minted a meme coin, and got a Brazilian wax.
As she embarked on this journey, Johnston realized she'd been living under the shadow of her own fears. Her father had been strict and controlling, leaving her with a "knee-jerk reaction" to duck away from responsibility. But through therapy and journaling, she began to confront these fears and learn to take risks.
"I didn't need anybody else's permission," Johnston says, looking back on that moment of epiphany. "It's actually okay to be a little irresponsible." She learned to let go of the fear of not doing things right, and instead, focused on finding new experiences that brought her joy.
Johnston's project has become an integral part of who she is – adventurous, spontaneous, and self-discovering. At 71, with all 70 missions complete, she's found a newfound sense of purpose and fulfillment. "This is really the best season of my life," she says, smiling. Will you take on your own 70th challenge?