At 70 years of age, former Crossroads actress turned social media sensation Jo Good, AKA Instagram's Middle-Aged Minx, believes she knows the secret to happiness in your Second Act.
Having been married, divorced, and suffered the loss of her long-term partner, BBC London host George Webley, Jo tells Ateh Jewel in this week's Second Act podcast that being single and selfish is the best way to spend her golden years.
"The thought of coming home and saying to anybody, 'Have you had a good day?' when I really don't want to know. I just don't care if you had a good day," the BBC London radio host muses. "It is very selfish living on your own, but oh my God, it's wonderful."
She adds: "You can get advice. You can have friends and family, colleagues. You make the decisions; you deal with it. So, it's what you choose to celebrate in your life, what you choose to prioritise can only come from you. Don't expect anyone else to make choices for you. Take responsibility for yourself."
A midlife influencer
Jo's infectious love of life and clothes has helped her grow a six-figure following on social media and become a fashion icon, regularly appearing on This Morning's fashion slots.
© Instagram"I'm obsessed by clothes and beauty," she says. "My mother's generation said, 'Don't show your arms because they're crepey'. [But] that's part of life. It's the scars of what you've gone through in your generation. There are no rules.
"I would say to women, please celebrate being alive. Please don't wait. This is a cliché but it's not a dress rehearsal."
The only person she will take fashion advice from is her best friend, Julian Clary. "He said to me, 'You tend to wear things very tight,' And I went, 'Is that a bad thing?' When I'm in a changing room and I put something on and I think, 'Actually, Julian, are you right?' It was said with affection… but I'll still wear what I want to wear."
HELLO!'s Second Act is a newsletter for women in midlife and beyond. It's completely free to sign up and is a one-stop-shop for advice and inspiration on the issues our Second Act community have told us matter most: health, relationships, travel, menopause, divorce, careers, finance and more.
A refreshing approach
In the intimate chat, Jo also touches on the positive spin she has on her own mortality as she reaches her third act.
© Getty Images"I'm not being morbid. This is the final chapter. And what it means to me is celebrating everything I learnt in the first chapter. You're living off the results of the first chapter and all that you learnt and what is wonderful is that it's quite peaceful."
Listen to Jo Good on HELLO!'s Second Act podcast.
