How Hoda Kotb’s daughter Hope influenced her decision to make a career change

Sometimes small moments can lead to the biggest changes in life. Just ask Hoda Kotb.

The TODAY co-host, whose last day on the show is Friday, Jan. 10, experienced an unexpected moment with her younger daughter Hope, 5, last year that helped her reflect on where she was in her life and their career stands.

In an interview with TODAY.com, Hoda says she can feel the peak of her own career at NBC News, where she has worked for 26 years.

“I knew this was the best it was going to be,” she says, also attributing her decision to leave TODAY to a realization she had around her 60th birthday celebration.

“I was at the top of the mountain and looked out and said, ‘God, this is amazing,'” she explains.

“And then it was kind of underlined,” she adds, “because my little girl Hope climbed a tree about a week before, and she loves that tree, and she was up there. And so, I said, ‘Look at you.’ I’m like, ‘What are you going to do – what are you going to do now?'”

Hoda didn’t know at the time how much her daughter’s answer would influence the course of her life.

“She says, ‘I guess I’ll find another tree,'” Hoda explains. “And I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ Sometimes the world starts to show you. So I knew it was time to try something different, and that means my kids will have to ride in the sidecar more often than ever before.”

Hoda will soon be spending more time with Hope and Hope’s big sister Haley, 7.

She previously spoke to Jimmy Fallon about how she told Hope and her older daughter Haley, 7, that she would be home more often.

“I told them, ‘Mommy will be able to take you to school,’ and they said, ‘(gasp) Wednesday?’ “No, honey, not Wednesday.” “Next week?” I say, “No, honey, not next week.” Probably somewhere in January, February,” she said on “The Tonight Show” in October.

“(They said) ‘January, February?’ I might as well keep working forever. For them it’s like till the end,” she added.