By Bobbi Eggers
On Wednesday evening, more than 500 people filled Christ Church Greenwich to celebrate the launch of Jump and Find Joy, the newest book from beloved Today Show coanchor Hoda Kotb. In a heartfelt conversation with her longtime co-host and friend Jenna Bush Hager, Kotb reflected on life’s biggest leaps, the power of resilience, and how she has learned to find joy in the smallest of moments.
The Dogwood Books event began with laughter and tears as the two women reminisced about their six years sitting side-by-side on national television. Hager recalled witnessing Kotb’s joy firsthand each morning at 5:30 a.m., while Kotb shared a deeply personal story of the day Hager tearfully told her she was pregnant — a moment filled with love, gratitude, and mutual vulnerability.
“That’s who Jenna is,” Kotb said warmly. “Even in one of her most glorious moments, she was thinking about me. We both cried like babies that day, and I’ll never forget it.”
Much of the evening focused on Kotb’s bold decision earlier this year to leave her coveted Today show seat. Turning 60 was a pivotal moment for her, she explained, using the image of riding a wave.
“You know when you’re out in the ocean and you climb all the way up and it’s so beautiful — but you know you can’t stay there forever?” she said. “That’s how it felt. I loved everything about that job, but sometimes you have to leave something you love to make room for what’s next.”
Kotb said she wanted to create space for mornings spent walking her daughters to school and for whatever future adventures God might have in store. “The question is, what happens if you don’t leap?” she reflected. “You stay standing on the edge, looking down, wondering what it would have felt like to fly. And I don’t want to live that way.”
Kotb’s daughters, Hailey and Hope, were a recurring theme throughout the evening. She shared stories of reading with Hope, who has Type 1 diabetes, and the profound wisdom she often hears from both of her girls. When asked how she balances work and motherhood, Kotb offered a simple metaphor: “I’ve learned to put the important things in first — like the big rocks in a jar. If you fill the jar with sand first — all the little busy things — there’s no room for the big stuff.”
Kotb also spoke about Joy 101, her daily practice of sharing uplifting messages, prayers, and quotes with thousands of followers. “Joy is contagious,” she said. “When you start your day with it, it spills into everything else.”
During the audience Q&A, Kotb offered encouragement to those feeling stuck in life. “Start small,” she advised. “Close your eyes and picture what life feels like on the other side of that change — and then take one tiny step. The first step is the hardest, but it gets easier after that.”
As the evening came to a close, Kotb’s words left the crowd inspired and energized. Her message was clear: life’s greatest joy often comes not from the big milestones, but from the courage to take a leap — and the grace to savor every little moment along the way.
Hoda’s autographed books are available at Dogwood Books & Gifts, 254 East Putnam Ave. (inside Christ Church Greenwich)
dogwoodbooksandgifts.com
