"Every day is a Blesssing!"

For decades, broadcast journalist Meredith Vieira, 69, has been flying high hosting hit shows like TODAY, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and, currently, 25 Words or Less. But for the mom and wife, life’s journey hasn’t always been smooth as she navigates her husband’s turbulent health struggles. Here, how she uses self-care and looking at the world through a lens of love to find peace and joy

- Bonnie Siegler

Sipping her morning coffee at her Westchester, New York, home, Meredith Vieira smiles as she recalls recently hosting her daughter Lily’s wedding in the very space where she sits.

“I don’t know what I was thinking!” the veteran television personality laughs. “It was nerve-racking. It had poured for days and we had a windstorm the night before. I was positive the tents were going to blow away, but in the end, we lucked out, got beautiful weather and I realized how special the day truly was.”

Being able to see through the clouds of life to the sunshine is one of Meredith’s greatest strengths—and one that has seen her through hard times, including her husband Richard’s battle against multiple sclerosis, two bouts of colon cancer and presently, a bout with COVID. “Richard was hospitalized with serious COVID and is in rehab now,” she shares. “He’s in his 70s and very immunocompromised. It’s these moments that mortality hits you in the face.”

But in the midst of the storm, Meredith has found the silver lining. “I’m thankful for and take advantage of each day. I ask myself, What are my priorities? What or who do I care about?”

These days, the answer is clear: “Family, being present and taking care of me too,” the 69-year-old says. “I’m an emotional person, and there’s a level of stress each day, but I look at our three kids and at my husband and think, What do I have to complain about? I’m blessed!”

Here, Meredith’s tips for beating stress and staying positive and healthy, inside and out.