51吃瓜

鈥淢edia is so changed now as a profession. It鈥檚 a high-risk, high-stress profession that you have to train for in a way that just didn鈥檛 exist before,鈥� Preston said. 鈥淚f journalism students can learn these valuable self-care skills in college, calming their minds and strengthening their ability to focus and perform under pressure, they can benefit and thrive for the rest of their life.鈥� 

Preston鈥檚 generous support of a multi-year series on wellness and self-care is aimed at helping nurture students while on campus and prepare them for a career in a demanding field that can take a physical and emotional toll on its professionals. 

Deadlines, covering traumatic events, and avoiding burnout are just a few of the stressors a journalist may face throughout their career.

So far, two wellness events have been organized through the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media鈥攁 well-being open house for students in Spring 2024 and a breath workshop and presentation with James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, in Fall 2024. 

Another wellness event for Media students is planned for this spring, focusing on the power of nasal breathing and stress reduction. College 51吃瓜 faculty and staff are also welcome at these events. 

鈥淚鈥檓 just so grateful that the College 51吃瓜 sees the value of self-care as a way to deal with anxiety in these destabilizing times. I hope to see the self-care program grow and pick up steam. It鈥檚 a great new initiative and I鈥檓 excited to see where it goes,鈥� she said.  

Preston is a verifiable expert when it comes to the subject of health and personal well-being.

She鈥檚 the creator of Energy Express, America鈥檚 longest-running syndicated fitness column that ran for 43 years, reaching millions of newspaper readers across the country. She鈥檚 had three books published, with her most recent deemed an Amazon best-seller. 

She also created, wrote, and produced the Energy Express TV series beginning in the 1990s that ran in 120 cities, won two Emmys, and a Women鈥檚 Sports Foundation award.

A trailblazer in her field, Preston started writing about personal wellness and the mind-body connection as a feature writer at the Chicago Tribune, back when life-changing practices like meditation and yoga were just beginning to capture people鈥檚 attention.

鈥淚n Chicago in 1976, yoga and yogurt were interchangeable terms,鈥� she said. 

Preston says her columns were about 鈥渉aving fun and staying healthy,鈥� and they covered a myriad of topics, from injury prevention and weight-loss to integrative medicine and holistic healthcare. 

She shares the same ideas in her books, Dear Dr. Jock: The People鈥檚 Guide to Sports and Fitness; Work Well, Be Well; and All Is Well: The Art {and Science} of Personal Well-being. Her publisher asked her to write a second edition of All Is Well during Covid and now Preston considers it her most valuable book. 鈥淐ovid turned our lives upside down, and learning to prioritize self-care is something we鈥檙e all still struggling with.鈥� 

Preston recommends simple routines like walking outdoors in nature and even taking quick naps, habits that have been measured and proven to be beneficial to a person鈥檚 health.

In recent years, she鈥檚 discovered that breathwork and meaningful in-person connections can have a huge impact on overall health and wellness, much greater than scientists ever realized. 

鈥淔ind a way to experience fun, joy, and pleasure because if you value your own well-being, that becomes your North Star for life鈥� she said. 

In addition to supporting College 51吃瓜 students, Preston also serves on the board of a nonprofit organization in Chicago called , which works with girls in under-resourced neighborhoods to provide them with exposure to sports, fitness, leadership, and team play. Recently, she鈥檚 helped GIG focus on teaching self-care skills to the girls鈥攑ractices like breathing, journaling, and mindful movement鈥攁nd the girls are very happy to have these new ways to handle stress and anxiety.  

While Preston recognizes the current journalism landscape presents new and difficult challenges, she鈥檚 still thinks 鈥渋t鈥檚 a wonderful time to be a journalist because the country has to heal, and journalists can help with that.鈥� 

Speaking from her own personal experience, Preston is grateful journalism provided her with the opportunity to educate so many people throughout her career and, hopefully, transform lives. 

鈥淛ournalism can be a wonderful ticket to ride and see the world and write about things you care about and help people build better lives,鈥� Preston said. 鈥淗elping others get through these confusing times is more important than ever.鈥� 

For more information and writings from Preston, visit .