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After 26 years at NBC, Hoda Kotb said she plans to step down as anchor in 2025.
In an emotional announcement on Thursday, Kotb said that turning 60 was a "monumental moment" that made her think about her next decade.
"I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new," she told her co-anchors while holding back tears.
She recalled celebrating her 60th birthday with "Today" staff and fans at Rockefeller Plaza in August.
"I remembered standing outside, looking at this beautiful bunch of people with all of these gorgeous signs, and I thought, like, this is what the top of the wave feels like for me," Kotb said, adding, "And I thought, it can't get better. And I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on."
During "Today with Hoda & Jenna," Kotb explained to her co-anchor, Jenna Bush Hager, that she had a longing to do something new. "I had something that has been kicking around in me but I kept kind of pushing it down," she said.
Her birthday celebration made her think more seriously about her next steps. "I didn't know I could have this feeling," she said about being on the "top of the wave."
"But I also know that waves are high, and then they go off into shore. That's how waves are. And I thought, I get to ride this one and it's amazing. And I simultaneously realized that this wave is, this is the peak for me," she said.
Kotb added that she thought about her two daughters, Haley Joy, 7, and Hope Catherine, 5, whom she adopted in her 50s. "I want my kids to have more of my pie," she said.
"I think when I look back on my 60s 10 years from now, it's going to be filled with new adventures, a brand-new — like, working my entrepreneurial skills, hopefully, and also, watching my kids take baby steps, and that's it," she said.
Although Kotb will be stepping down from her anchoring duties, she will not leave the network entirely. Kotb joined NBC News as a correspondent for "Dateline" in 1998 and joined "Today" in 2007. Her new role was not specified.
"I'll be around," she wrote in a letter to the Today staff. "How could I not? Family is family and you all will always be a part of mine."
For Kotb, turning 60 prompted her to reevaluate her career. She's not alone — birthday milestones can push people to reflect on their lives, Alan Castel, a psychologist and author of "Better With Age," previously told Business Insider.
"At certain 'landmark' birthdays (30, 40, 50) research has shown that people will re-evaluate their age and take on/change habits," he said.
For others, deciding when to take a career break or retire depends on factors like lifestyle, profession, health, and financial status. The best way to decide on a realistic retirement age is to consult a financial advisor to create a financial plan.
Still, making the transition can be a psychological hurdle. After working for many years, it can be jarring to lack structure or a schedule in life. Five retirees told BI about why people's perceptions of retirement are often wrong, stressing how important it is to explore new hobbies and engage in self-discovery.
"It's a misconception that it's the end of life," Kathy Feest said. "It's the beginning of a new phase of life."
A representative for Kotb did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.
