There’s No Time Like Now to Reinvent, Reimagine, and Reboot. These 4 People Did Exactly That

The idea of personal reinvention, shedding one's old ways to realize new dreams and goals, is alluring. Who doesn't want to reboot? Yet it can be easy to relegate the concept once we pass a certain age. Questions swim in our heads: Can I really write that book at 57? Can I make that move at 62? Can I honor my music at 54? Can I leave this situation and jump into the unknown at 73?

The answer is: Yes. 

There is proof everywhere. Take these four people, Joanne Molinari, Linda C. Harrison, Martha Stewart, and Paul Jensen, who each reinvented, rebooted, and went after giant dreams in their middle-aged years. They may have faced challenges and even caused a few brows to furrow, but putting their gumption toward greatness opened new portals of joy and purpose. As Jensen told The Sunday Paper this week, “It’s better to try something new and risk failure than never know how it could have worked out.” We agree. 

4 Architects of Change Who Reinvented, Reimagined, and Rebooted in Midlife

Linda C. Harrison

"In my twenties and thirties, I thought I had my whole path mapped out," Linda C. Harrison tells The Sunday Paper. "I wanted to work for the big boss and become the big boss and get that corner office." But as she dedicated herself to that path, Harrison realized her desires were deeper: She needed social responsibility woven into the thread of her work. "I wanted to become the type of leader who could drive corporate success yet also uphold the values I believed in and made my team and me feel good about what we did."

Harrison worked steadfastly toward her goal to "make the world a better, safer, and more beautiful place." She embodies her values today in middle age. As the CEO and director of the Newark Museum of Art, a role she took on in 2018, Harrison is reinvigorating the 114-year-old institution, promoting inclusivity and working with the city to have the museum's campus include an outdoor art and sculpture park, a multi-use glass house, and housing units (a fifth of which will be affordable). "It's going to change the entire city," says Harrison.

So, what excites her most about middle age? The ability to "respond to adversity," she says. When Harrison's wife, Ellen, was diagnosed with MS a few years ago, the couple had to shift their travel-filled lives radically—but that didn’t interfere with their joy. "Her diagnosis stopped us in our tracks, and for a time, we were very sad," she says. "Now, Ellen has the most exquisite Tiffany blue wheelchair. When we travel, we're grateful that we can take advantage of priority boarding! This is our life now, and while it's little different than it was, it's an incredibly great life."

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart is the human embodiment of reinvention. The lifestyle mogul has filled her life with countless roles, from a model in her early years to a caterer to a TV host. Ask anyone around the world what Stewart ultimately is known for, and they'll point to Martha Stewart Living, her eponymous magazine and media platform. But did you know that Stewart started her company at 50? And she is still working hard these days in her early eighties. 

Stewart's gumption offers facts worth noting, proving to all of us in middle age that dreams can come to life in any chapter. We see Stewart as the ultimate reinventer. But she sees her constant growth as something more. "I really like to evolve and not be an old-fashioned old lady," she told People Magazine in December. "I want to know what my limits are, but I also want to extend those limits in every way possible."

As for her advice? Stewart knocks it out of the park in her Masterclass series, Think Like a Boss, Live Like a Legend: "Be fearless," she says. "Change is good."

Paul Jensen

Music has always been in Paul Jensen's bones. In his early twenties, he "dabbled" in trying to make it his vocation, but at that time, it wasn't right to pursue it as a career, he tells The Sunday Paper. "I promised myself I would come back to it if I were ever in a position to do so."

Jensen kept his word. When he turned 55, he turned toward his songwriting, performing, and recording. Then came his giant leap several years ago: He left his hard-earned high-level job at a PR firm to fully dedicate himself to his passion. "I still do some independent consulting, but my main focus is on songwriting, recording, and live performing," he says.

The payoff to his reinvention has been greater than expected. "I never realized how liberating it is to work for yourself versus someone else," he says. "To be the one who decides when and how you spend your time. This was more important to me than I thought." Yes, it's daunting, he admits. But to those wary of rebooting, he says you'll never know what could be if you don't try. "I've learned that peace of mind doesn't come from avoiding risk. It comes from knowing you're right where you want to be.

He continues, "The other day, I saw an email from a well-known musician that I follow, saying how much he loved my music. Made it all worthwhile!"

Joanne Lee Molinaro

Watching a cooking video by Joanne Lee Molinaro, widely known as The Korean Vegan, is to be enveloped with history, culinary inspiration, and anecdotes about yearning to belong. Molinaro narrates as she prepares vegetable dishes pulled from the roots of her parents and grandparents born in North Korea. She talks about shame and expectation, her vocation as a lawyer, and feeling misunderstood. "For much of my life, even before I went vegan, I did feel a little bit on the outside looking in in terms of the Korean community because I wasn't Korean enough," she told Maria in 2022.

She first started making the videos during the dark days of the pandemic, hoping they offered a "palpable" way to share about the immigrant experience, she told PBS. They did—and they took off. With a social media fan base that surpasses 5 million and a bestselling cookbook under her wing, The Korean Vegan attracts people near and far seeking to feel seen.

And Molinaro, now in her mid-forties, began this mission of owning her heritage and true voice in middle age. She proves it is never too late to face one's stories, share what's real, and step into a new bright light.

Have you rebooted in your life? Perhaps you’ve made a giant change? Please share your stories with us in the comments below!