Hoda Kotb Shares How She Handles ‘High Pressure’ Moments As She Extends ‘Today’ Stint

Hoda Kotb is opening up about dealing with stressful moments as the search for Savannah Guthrie‘s missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, continues.

Kotb sent out her latest email newsletter, titled “What I Do Right Before a High-Pressure Moment,” on Thursday, February 26, in which she detailed why she “power[s] down to power through.”

“There are days when the pressure feels loud. A big speech. A packed schedule. A moment where expectations are high and everyone’s watching. Sometimes it feels like a pot on the stove that’s just about to boil over,” Kotb wrote. “In those moments, I’ve learned I can’t power through. I have to power down.”

Kotb said she shuts out the noise when things get stressful in her work and personal and professional life. “Before an important speech, I’ll slip into a bathroom or sit in an empty auditorium and meditate for twenty minutes. I’ve been doing that for about three years now, and if I don’t, something feels off. That quiet time keeps me grounded,” she explained. “The truth is, pressure can show up in everyday moments at home, too. As a parent, kid meltdowns can feel intense. I’m wired to fix things asap, but I’ve found that can often have the opposite effect.” (Kotb shares her daughters, Haley and Hope, with her ex, Joel Schiffman.)

Her solution to handling stress? “I try something I once read: bear witness, but also bear witness. See your kids when they’re upset, but also just be with them,” Kotb shared. “The other day, Haley was worked up about something, so I just sat with her. No fixing or fussing. I just listened and that’s all that was needed.”

Nathan Congleton/NBC

Kotb ended her newsletter with some advice for her fans. “The next time you’re feeling the pressure, try taking a beat. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath,” she stated. “Even a few quiet minutes might be exactly what your nervous system needs.”

Kotb shared her words of wisdom shortly after multiple sources reported that she will continue to fill in for Savannah on Today. Savannah has been absent from the NBC morning show ever since Nancy was reported missing on February 1. In addition to sharing the latest case updates with Today viewers, Kotb and the show’s crew have shown their support by sporting yellow ribbons and decorating Studio 1A with yellow flowers.

Kotb — who exited Today in January 2025 — is not expected to return to the show in a full-time capacity, and reports claimed Savannah is expected to return to Today on her own timeline.

Authorities have yet to name any persons of interest in the case, but have cleared Savannah and her family as suspects. Officials are continuing to investigate multiple leads, including looking into details about the masked suspect captured in Nancy’s home security footage and mixed DNA found in her Tucson, Arizona home.

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In a Tuesday, February 24, Instagram video, Savannah announced that her family is offering a “reward of up to $1 million” for any information about Nancy’s whereabouts and alleged abductors. She also revealed that the family donated $500,000 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to help other families in similar situations.

Savannah noted that her family still believes “in a miracle,” but also acknowledged that Nancy may be “gone.” She stated, “She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad and with her beloved brother, Pierce, and with our Daddy. And if this is what is to be, then we will accept it. But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home.”

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