Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors

Hoda Kotb is on a wellness journey — and she’s ready to make it her next career adventure.

After announcing that he was leaving Today sometime in 2025, said Kotb, 60 People last month he wanted branch out into the wellness spacefor the purpose of organizing withdrawals and creating an application.

The morning show mainstay – who tearfully revealed the news of her future Today exists on the show in September—she recently made one of her new career goals a reality by hosting a three-day wellness retreat in Austin, Texas, at the end of October. She described the event Good housekeeping as a “life-changing experience” that clarified his desire to pursue this new career path.

“After this weekend I knew without a doubt that this was the field and the path for me,” Kotb told the media in a recent interview. “At the end, when it was all said and done, everyone left with a profound change. I didn’t know I was expecting that. And it was profound for me, too.”

The journalist explained that focusing on her own well-being over the weekend made her a better mother to her children – something she aims to bring to more women. The Today with Hoda and Jenna host shares adopted daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman, and cited her desire to devote more time to her family as part of the reason for her departure from Today.

“We all need her. We want to go home and feel really good. I came home last night and hugged Haley and held her, feeling her breath. I felt so grateful for that time”, said the mother of two children. “Holding her was my favorite moment, but spending those days working on myself made me feel like a better mom than I was three days ago. I can’t stand stress and unintentionally take it out on them. I felt re-energized. You do it for yourself, but in the end, they are the benefactors. They have a mother who is more present, more available and less nervous.”

Kotb said he is looking forward to building a wellness brand and designing an app that will be “accessible” to people of all financial backgrounds.

“I want to create an app, something that helps, is affordable and accessible. Most of these things you can do for free — you just need someone to show you how,” noted the TV personality. “Let’s make it accessible so you can get everything you need in one place. That’s what I work for.”