How Does Hillary Clinton Stay So Calm?

Originally published on YOGANONYMOUS — August 5, 2016

When it comes to running for president, one thing is for certain: You have to keep a level head.

Achieving this is undoubtedly no easy feat. All the public appearances, speeches, heated debates—not to mention the ever-present (and not always so kind) media coverage—it's enough to make a person break out in hives. 

Yet somehow, amidst the chaos, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton maintains a collected, unaffected air about her. But, how? As it turns out, Hillary practices yoga and meditation. Most—if not all Americans—would agree, presidency is not an easy job. Adopting a yoga and meditation practice might be the key to maintaining an even-keeled temperament during even the most trying times. 

Trying times like 11 hours of unrelenting questioning. The Washington Post reveals that when Hillarywas questioned for hours on end in a House Benghazi Committee hearing, “friendly members of Congress asked her about her secret to staying focused, even-keeled, and alert amidst the endless onslaught.” The answer, as The Washington Post reports: “an NPR microphone caught her explaining that she practiced meditation during the times in the hearing when she didn’t need to speak.” 

In an interview with WABC's Joan Hamburg, the presidential candidate got candid about her practice. According to Huffington Post, Hillary told Hamburg: “[Meditation] has helped me a lot. Just slow yourself down, do that deep breathing that can give you a sense of relaxation and groundedness ... You don’t have to sit with your legs crossed in some quiet room. Literally, you can do it on a plane, or in a car.”

The presidential hopeful makes a good point and proves that—with some work—even the busiest of us can fit in some meditation time. Maybe take 15 minutes of your lunch break to walk around the block and try out this walking meditation with Gabby Bernstein. Even just coming back to your breath when you start to feel overwhelmed or anxious can help you get grounded and stay composed.

In the hustle and bustle of the campaign trail Hillary has said that her much-loved yoga practice can sometimes hit a bit of a roadblock. But her meditation practice stays strong. The ability to take a mindful minute (or 10) to sit with your thoughts and quiet the mind from literally anywhere has allowed Hillary to maintain her Zen on the go.

Does your practice help you stay calm?

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