For the 61-year-old broadcast journalist-turned-author, age is but a number.

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Hoda Kotb is one of the most beloved TV personalities of our time. The 61-year-old broadcast journalist has been a defining voice over the past nearly 40 years, reporting on everything from tragic world events to trendy pop culture.

Now, she’s taking a step back from the news desk to set her sights on wellness, for herself and others. While she embarks on her new journey as a wellness entrepreneur, Hoda is also teaming up with brands that align with her values, one of which is QVC.

In celebration of her QVC Q50 Age of Possibility partnership, Hoda sat down with Country Living to discuss the collaboration, her time at Today, Joy 101, and more.

On Her Partnership with QVC

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Hoda has worked with many brands and sponsors during her storied career, but her QVC Q50 Age of Possibility partnership holds a particularly special place in her heart.

“I think that what QVC is doing is pretty incredible, because I think there’s a group of people that sometimes in the past were seen as invisible—‘Who are they? Nobody notices them,’” Hoda tells Country Living. “QVC decided to say, ‘Oh, we see you.’ And one by one, these cool, awesome women pop up on the stages of QVC—Billy Jean King, Kathie Lee—and it’s like, all of a sudden you look at what 50 and beyond looks like, and your shoulders go back.”

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It’s no secret that representation matters. However, oftentimes, that sentiment is applied to children, teens, and young adults looking to feel seen in the world. In reality, everyone, regardless of age, deserves to feel recognized (and advertised) as part of the tapestry of society, whether it be in fashion, beauty, or the business world at large.

“To be part of [QVC’s mission] is super cool because the conversation should be changed,” Hoda says. “I mean, think about it—think about all the people, all the women in broadcasting: Robin Roberts, Gale King, Savannah Guthrie, Oprah, Maria Shriver—all these women who are leading the way, are sitting in that [50+] seat. So I think it’s great that QVC shone a spotlight on them, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

On Being Back With Kathie Lee

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QVC’s Q50 Age of Possibility campaign showcases dozens of influential women over 50, including journalists, actresses, designers, philanthropists, and more. Of the many women QVC highlights, including Sandra Lee, Barbara “Babs” Costello, and Kathy Hilton, Hoda is especially thrilled to be back alongside her former Today co-host, Kathie Lee Gifford.

“Kath is Kath through and through,” Hoda says of reuniting with Kathie Lee at QVC’s Q50 Age of Possibility summit earlier this year. “Being with her is like coming home again. She’s exactly who she always was: the funniest person in the room, the one who is like a bolt of lightning—she’s lightning in a bottle all by herself, and seeing her felt like home.”

On Her Best Moments With ‘Today’

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It’s only natural that Hoda feels particularly grateful to be reunited with Kathie Lee—they worked side by side for 11 years during their time on the Today show. Meanwhile, Hoda worked for NBC for nearly 30 years before departing Today in January 2025. And when asked what made her time with the company so memorable, she was quick to respond.

“Kathie Lee, Savannah, and Jenna—those were the three who were always there throughout,” she says without a beat. “And that’s how I remember my time there. And the Plaza!

That was my fort; it was [the] feeling of walking outside and seeing people who’ve dreamt of coming to Rockefeller Center and having their anniversary, their birthday, or whatever it is. Those are the indelibles, you know? It’s the people I sat next to and the people who came out. They were some of my fondest memories.”

On Striking a Work-Life Balance


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A career broadcast journalist and businesswoman, Hoda has always been go-go-go, and to her, work-life balance is a bit of a myth. But now, more than ever, she recognizes the importance of slowing down in favor of the people and moments that mean the most.

“I think it’s funny because I think no one can really strike the right balance; I think we can try,” she says. “But I think what I’ve noticed—and I think what probably could have happened while I was working, but you’re too busy sprinting—is you can still slow down time when you want; you can still sit and listen… I think that’s possible no matter where you are.”

As easy as it is to get caught up racing from Point A to Point B, one deadline or class or practice to the next, Hoda emphasizes the importance of truly savoring the moment.

“I think the thing that I was doing unknowingly was racing through and getting through the next day, and what’s happening on Wednesday, and what about Friday? And then it’s the weekend, oh Monday again; and then weeks become months and months become years,” she shares.

“So I think it’s good to just slow it all down. I think that’s probably my best advice, which I’m taking myself. Enjoy breakfast and don’t race through it. Enjoy a funny moment, and listen; sit with it as opposed to trying to quickly move on to the next. All that we have is the here and now.”

On Joy 101

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Hoda launched her wellness platform, Joy 101, at the end of May. In just a few months’ time, the platform’s Instagram has amassed over 140,000 followers and endless accolades for its fuss-free approach to placing mental health at the forefront.

Hoda’s goal in creating the platform was to encourage and inspire people near and far to prioritize self-care, and to educate and assist them with expert-backed, bite-sized daily practices that can be fit into even the busiest schedules.

To Hoda, Joy 101—an app brimming with meditations, breathwork practices, affirmations, and more—is a “retreat in your pocket,” and as woo-woo as it may seem, she thinks anyone and everyone can benefit from giving it a go.

“Breathwork can be transformative, so that can be medicine for somebody; meditation—calming your body down—is a form of medicine,” Hoda explains. “All these things, you’re teaching yourself how to regulate. And I think there’s something magical about that.”

The way Hoda sees it, it’s about experimenting beyond what you’re used to.

“I went running or went to a Soul Cycle class; I ate broccoli; I tried to get good rest, and I thought, ‘That’s good; I did my thing,’” she shares. “I never paid attention to [breathwork or meditation], quite frankly; I was like, ‘It all sounds real woo woo and weird, so no thank you.’”

But then, she read the research on the effect of these practices on things like blood pressure, brain function, and cortisol levels, and she gave them a shot. “All of a sudden you do it, and you’re like, wait… it works,” she exclaims.

“I think that’s been the thing that’s been transformational for me. I hope people try something they’ve never tried before. If it works, yay. If it doesn’t, okay, you tried something new. Like so what? 15 minutes. That’s it.”

On Her Favorite Beauty Products

You know what they say: Look good, feel good. Good, though, like so many things, is subjective. Where some people might feel their best with a full face beat, others feel most confident letting their natural beauty shine through with more minimal makeup applications. For Hoda, it’s all about feeling fresh.

“My favorite look for me is after a run or after spin class, like all of a sudden your face looks like that,” she shares. “So I’m like, how do I get that when I haven’t? When I’m not in the mood?”

Her secret? Serums and face sticks. “I’m a serum person. I love, love, love a serum or any kind of thing that makes your skin feel buttery,” she says, calling out It Cosmetics. “And I don’t like a ton of makeup, but I want to have some cheek.

” Her favorite way to achieve a rosy, sun-kissed cheek sans workout and harsh UV rays is with a cream blush and stick bronzer—specifically, she loves the Laura Geller Blush Sticks and LWYA by Kim Gravel Bronzer Stick.

Meanwhile, to define her eyes, she swears by the Thrive Causemetics Tubing Mascara. “Their mascara is to beat the band, forget it,” she exclaims. “You can just literally peel it off your eyelashes. You don’t have any black smudges. [It’s] really good.”

Her Advice For Women Wanting to Age Gracefully

Hoda was chosen to be part of QVC’s Q50 Age of Possibility because of her undeniable influence and radiant demeanor. She is a shining example of aging gracefully. But to her, age is nothing but a number. It’s your spirit that matters.

“I think spirit is ageless,” she shares. “And I think when you see someone coming, you know what their spirit is. I’ve seen a 30-year-old who’s hunched over and a 90-year-old who’s effervescent, bubbling, and curious.”

In that way, Hoda says aging gracefully—and living gracefully, really—all boils down to how you carry yourself. “[It’s] how you walk into a room—you set the temperature, you decide,” she says.

“Beauty, by the way, is confidence. And I know that how we look affects how we feel; I feel the same way. But I think it’s when we put our focus on others and other things, [that] beauty comes out.”

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During our chat, Hoda revealed that her mom is the perfect role model in the topic of aging gracefully. “I’m sitting next to my mom, who’s amazing, and she’s the epitome of falling in love with new things all the time, telling me about a new product she tried, or a new person she met, or a new this, and she’s effervescent,” she says. “That kind of spirit is what beauty is to me.”

Of course, Hoda also believes that prioritizing self-care lends to a more infectious spirit. “Getting good rest changes how we feel every single day, and taking like 20 minutes to set your day up, I think affects how you go through the day,” she reveals. “So if you can take care of those two things, I think your days fill with goodness, and you give it off.”

And when that happens, the world responds. “I want what she’s having,” Hoda quips.