If Sarah Palin becomes vice president, how well will she handle stress?

There is no doubt that Sarah Palin has arrived on the American scene like a moose crashing into her front lawn. She presents an attractive combination of characteristics. First of all, and the media does not play around with this, it is extremely attractive. The media calls her telegenic and she is the most telegenic politician in America. She also has the popular appeal of being a small-town mom on America’s last frontier. And some people say that she is the Princess Di of America. But what does this say about your ability to endure and handle the stresses of public life?

Why am I writing about Sarah Palin? If Sarah Palin is qualified to comment on Russian matters because she lives in Alaska, perhaps I am qualified to comment on Sarah as well, since I live in Alaska about 40 miles from Wasilla. But this is not the reason. I write about stress and people deal with stress in the workplace and at home. After reading dozens of news articles about Sarah, I began to wonder how well she handles stress.

I’d love to interview Sarah and ask her what her secret is to looking so continually composed, relaxed, stress-free, and on top of her game. As everyone knows, she is a wife, mother, governor, and now a candidate for vice president. She has a small baby. It has been thrown into the international spotlight in a way that few people have done outside of the entertainment industry. So what is your secret to managing stress?

There are two types of stress: distress and eustress. Stress can be brief or sustained. Anguish can create many dysfunctional characteristics: sweating, nervousness, uncertainty, constant tension, lack of confidence and lack of ability to cope with daily life. Sarah Palin certainly doesn’t fit this picture. Then there is the eustress. This is a heightened state of arousal with increased neurochemicals, for example cortisol and adrenaline. Eustress helps you cope with pressures and new challenges. This is Sarah Palin’s special stress brand.

But stop and think for a moment. What exactly are the types of stressors Sarah Palin is facing right now? And how are you handling stressors? These are the questions that prompted me to write this article.

Cary Cooper, a British psychologist with extensive experience in stress research, recently reported on his study of stress in politicians. The study found that six months after taking office, politicians reported elevated levels of stress. Signs included loss of confidence, trouble sleeping, drinking and eating too much, feeling constantly under stress, and showing a growing lack of motivation. The reasons for the stress were clear: a heavy workload, up to 70 hours of work a week, a lot of travel, and very little time with the family.

At this stage, Sarah Palin is not vice president, but she is still Governor of Alaska. There is growing criticism in the local press about Sarah’s absence from the state and her responsibilities as governor. He is a very responsible and ethical person. This must be causing some stress on her. She also has the specter of Troopergate lurking in the background. He has had to hand over many responsibilities to McCain’s political team. You have to worry about your daughter’s pregnancy and marital status. And a son has just been sent to Afghanistan. All of this adds to the stress that you have to deal with and cope with.

But there are also other sources of stress. Sarah has been thrown onto the political and international stage. While there is no question that he has the experience and skill to handle Alaska’s problems, political journalists have questioned his credibility in national and international affairs. Given the current bailout and economic crisis, how competent is she in tackling major financial problems? Given Russia’s recent foray into Georgia, can you handle sophisticated diplomatic negotiations? Do you have enough knowledge of the tax system at the national level?

Questions about your political knowledge can undermine your confidence and increase your personal stress and tension. They can put you in a defensive position at every interview. They can make you feel tense and insecure unless you have a thorough understanding of the issues at hand. Criticism from all fronts can destabilize the level of security and self-confidence.

So how does Sarah Palin handle stress? What strategies do you use to manage stress? These are the questions that would make an interview fascinating. My educated guess would be that she uses many productive stress management strategies. Many of these strategies would stem from a high level of emotional self-awareness, a strong sense of purpose, and the ability to cope with many pressures and stressors at the same time.

Has a strong sense of family and personal values. You have an unshakable faith in the will and purpose of God. She relies on prayer as a way to reduce stress and to give her direction. She has the support of a host of people, not just First Dude and her children, but many Alaskans as well. You have extraordinary personal ambition and drive. She is a competitor who loves to win and enjoys the challenge of competition. I suppose she uses a variety of very productive stress management strategies that will continue to help her manage stress in her public life.