LEARN MORE ABOUT CAROL
What’s the one quality that people most often speak of when they describe you?
Caring.
What’s an impression people might have of you that really isn’t like you at all?
That I’m always serious. I’m not, but when in a new situation I’m cautious and may appear that way [serious].
you have just been given your own late night talk show. who is your first guest and why?
Lisa Bentley. She is an elite Canadian triathlete who has Cystic Fibrosis. When you hear her speak, she has overcome adversity to achieve her goals. This type of person inspires me to do better and not provide excuses.
Lisa Bentley raced for 20 years as a professional triathlete. In the course of her career, she has won 11 IRONMAN races, 11 IRONMAN 70.3 races (1/2 IRONMAN), several top 5 finishes at the IRONMAN World Championships, represented Canada on multiple National Teams and at the Pan American Games and was ranked top 5 in the world for a decade.
what book, movie, or tv series would you recommend? why?
StrengthsFinder by Tom Rath. I feel we concentrate on our weakness way too much and what we are not good at. Instead we should concentrate on what we are good at and making that better we will find what feeds our soul and be happier overall. We need to surround ourselves with people of different skills who can help us.
what’s a personal or life skill you’d like to acquire or get better at?
So many things - figure skating, getting in better physical shape - triathlon. On the creative side - quilting.
what’s the most out-of-character thing you have ever done?
After my husband died, I didn’t want my young family to miss out on anything so I became a Scout leader with my son’s group. And despite telling the team I wouldn’t winter camp, I did and slept in a tent in the snow. I had been given the option to sleep in a cabin, but that’s not leadership when the rest of the group was sleeping in the snow!
what’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Keep searching until you find the right career for yourself. You are in the workplace for a long time and you should enjoy what you do. Given to me by a high school teacher. He was right - I still follow that advice and have passed it on to my kids.
What quote or slogan would you say best describes your life to this point?
You can do anything you set your mind to!
What are the top five things on your bucket list?
Triathlon
Travel - African safari, Antarctica
Taking my family for a trip in Italy
Learning to figure skate
Skating on a synchronized skating team
what is one thing you believed at the start of your career but think about differently now?
If you worked hard, you will get ahead. However, you have to take risks and be a fit from a values perspective with your boss and the organization. Don’t stay somewhere where you are not valued.
what one place have you visited in your travels that you would visit over and over, or would even like to live?
I did live in Aberystwyth, Wales, and would go back there to live again. The people are wonderful and you can have an outdoor lifestyle all year round.
what has been your biggest regret so far and why?
That’s easy - not having my husband here to watch our children grow up and succeed in their lives. He died when they were young. What I have learned about this is to not wait to do things. Enjoy life and live in the present. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good!
what aspect of your personality adds the most value to the world?
Optimistic and can always find the silver lining in what may not be a positive event.
what’s one thing you need to change about your daily or weekly routine to feel more fulfilled or less stressed in your life?
I’m in a great place right now - I’m exercising regularly, traveling less, and eating better. I would like to make more time to read and to travel for work less.
if you could say one thing to the whole world right now, what would you want the world to act on?
Treat everyone as you would like to be treated. We all have so much to learn from each other.
What has 2020 taught you?
It’s ok to slow down and re-evaluate where you are at in your life goals. We all need to make decisions that are right for us - there is no right or wrong answer. Family and friends are indeed the most important - we need to invest time and effort into these relationships. We need to take care of ourselves physically and mentally. I have enjoyed reconnecting with things I used to do!
