J ournalists are lucky. We learn something new with each interview.

In my case, I’ve hit the jackpot. In the past two years I’ve written almost 100 workplace stories, gaining insight and new perspective from industry leaders in Alberta and across North America.

Many of these people have inspired me professionally and personally. In this, the final column of 2003, I’d like to share a few highlights.

MOTIVATION

Photo courtesy of Silken Laumann
Keep childhood dreams alive, says Olympic champ Laumann.

Early this February I spoke with former Olympic medallist Silken Laumann, and wondered where she found her drive.

Based in Victoria, she’s a single mom of two young children who had recently separated from her husband. He had asked her for a divorce “out of the blue,” and Laumann was still working through the shock. She was also running her own business, writing for a national magazine, delivering speeches (about 60 a year), advocating on behalf of women and children as a volunteer, and sitting on the boards of national and multinational organizations.

What propels her? She said that as a child, she dreamed big thoughts lying in bed at night. She wanted to compete at the Olympics and also save the children of Africa.

Her Olympic efforts are well known. But she’s also fulfilling her African vision, serving as the Canadian ambassador for Olympic Aid, a program dedicated to reintroducing play into the lives of children in the developing world.

“One of the things I challenge people to do is to reconnect with the visions that they had for their life . . . to remind them that the dreams they had as a little kid are still somewhere in their heart,” she said.

What that means is that we should embrace that youthful spirit, and find ways to make a better contribution in the workplace, at home and in society.

At Christmas, it’s a message many of us embrace as we look out for children and those less fortunate.

Laumann lives it every day.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Looking for a New Year’s resolution? What about that old standby: lose 10 pounds. Last year, two interviews had me sprinting for the nearest treadmill.

Health consultant and executive fitness trainer Kristi Anderson started me thinking when she produced a bundle of leading-edge studies about inactivity. On average, two-thirds of Canadians are deemed to be inactive.

“The latest research that really stunned me, that I had to look up to make sure it was accurate, is that inactivity is as dangerous or more dangerous than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day,” she said.

Shortly after that interview, Philip Jones delivered the knockout punch. He’s the author of the book How to Fit a Heart Attack into Your Busy Schedule! Jones had a seemingly healthy lifestyle, except for one near-fatal flaw. He flunked Stress Management 101.

He became aggravated when he thought someone was being unethical and stewed over it day and night. That’s what led to his heart attack.

Jones has since learned to channel that negativism through writing; others, like me, get rid of stress through working out.

As for inactivity, Anderson said that just 20 minutes of exercise a day can prevent nearly two dozen conditions and diseases such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, osteoporosis, postural problems and back problems.

So go ahead, make that New Year’s resolution. (Ed. note: Mike has lost 15 pounds in the past year.)

MENTORING

Got one hour a week to make a big difference in a young person’s life?

That’s the time it takes to act as an in-school mentor through the Alberta Mentor Foundation for Youth (www.amfy.org).

The benefits are truly a two-way affair. Mentors feel young again and develop new communication skills. Research shows that mentors relate better with their co-workers and families.

And the students?

Self-esteem jumps, attendance and grades rise, and their relationships with their families improve substantially.

Organizations such as AMFY are cost-effective and help keep kids in school who might otherwise end up in dead-end jobs or become a social and financial burden, said Myra Miller, AMFY’s executive director. It’s a chance to turn around a young person’s life.

Since writing about mentoring this spring, I’ve joined the program. It’s been fulfilling and fun – easily worth the small commitment.

QUICKIES (NOT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING!)

Patricia Morgan takes a light-hearted approach to teaching people how to reduce stress.

In a fun interview, she demonstrated how 30-second techniques such as loud yawns, foot stomping, deep breathing or simply inhaling the fragrance of a flower is all it takes to energize your mind, body and soul. She calls these moments Quickies.

According to the Canadian Institute of Stress, people who set aside even a short amount of time each day to be good to themselves reduce their stress levels by almost half, and their bodies age more slowly. The institute (www.stresscanada.org) adds that highly effective stress reduction can start with small, self-care efforts – just like the Quickies.

PERSPECTIVE

In mid-March, Richard Ellis became a media darling in southern Alberta.

He and his family – a pregnant wife, two children, two dogs and three cats – arrived here from England. The family was the subject of a “reality TV” show.

The idea was to locate eight British families in new homes around the world, and then see if they wanted to remain.

For Ellis, 34, there was no question. He was here to stay.

Why was he sold on Alberta? He listed these points:

* The weather, and a love for fresh air and snow.

* A low crime rate, especially compared to the U.K. and to Australia, another country he had considered for emigration.

* Much higher standards of education for his children.

* And a substantially better standard of living.

The latter point hit home. Ellis was a manager of an ambulance service with a staff of 300 reporting to him, and his wife Andrea was a physiotherapist. Yet the family lived paycheque to paycheque due to Britain’s stifling inflation.

“Sometimes it was a case of: ‘Shall we eat today, or shall we save the money and put it in the car for fuel?’ ” he said.

“The one thing I keep pinching myself about is the reasonable standard of living here. We can afford to take the kids out, go for a meal.”

He said people in Alberta, and Canada, are extremely lucky.

He’s right. We are privileged.

It’s something to remember as we head into the holiday season.