What if midlife isn’t a crisis but a launch window? We sit down with adventure athlete and author Deanette Wells to unpack how a mother of three climbed the seven summits, raced across jungles and deserts, and turned profound loss into a compass for a life lived on purpose. Deanette’s new book, Another Step Up the Mountain, becomes our framework for building resilience: focus on the step in front of you, breathe when fear spikes, and let meaning—not perfection—set the pace.
Deanette shares how she managed a fear of heights on Everest by training her attention and trusting the rope, then maps those same tools to everyday challenges like burnout, reinvention, and getting unstuck. We trace Johnny’s remarkable path—seven summits by 17, wingsuiting, and a fierce commitment to causes like ending genocide and curing Parkinson’s—and explore grief without gloss. Her take is honest and hopeful: don’t give up on your dreams, anchor your days with small commitments, and allow joy to return in its own time.
If you’ve ever wondered how to start adventure racing, climb your first peak, or simply rebuild your energy and purpose, you’ll get concrete steps: sign up before you feel ready, learn just enough to begin, find welcoming teams (especially for women), and let community and practice do the rest. We challenge the myth of “too old” with stories of dragon boat racing at nearly 60 and a seventeenth trip up Mount Whitney, proving that someday is not a date.
Resources and links include Deanette’s book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, her socials, and two powerful documentaries about Johnny—American Daredevil on Peacock and Born to Fly on Tubi. If this conversation sparks your next step, subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Then tell us: what’s your Everest, and what is the very next step you’ll take today?
Find Marnie Martin here:
LINK for 25% OFF SUPERPATCH
BUY MY BOOK: HAPPY IS NOT AN ACCIDENT here:
https://www.LifeIsDelicious.ca/bookshelf
Website : https://www.LifeIsDelicious.ca
Voiceover Work: https://www.MarnieMartin.com
Email: marnie@marniemartin.com
Join the FREE Facebook Community here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/24181886758064052
Life Is Delicious Facebook page
