Hoda Kotb decided to leave Today at the peak of her career

• Hoda Kotb, longtime anchor of NBC's “Today,” said she will step down from the role.
• In a tearful announcement, she said her 60th birthday had made her reevaluate the next phase of her life.
• She also wants to spend more time with her two daughters, Haley and Hope.

After 26 years at NBC, Hoda Kotb said she plans to step down as anchor in 2025.

In an emotional announcement Thursday, Kotb said her 60th birthday was a “monumental moment” that made her reflect on her next decade.

“I realized that at 60 it was time for me to turn the page and try something new,” she told her co-hosts, choking back tears.

She recalled celebrating her 60th birthday with “Today” staff and fans at Rockefeller Plaza in August.

“I remember standing outside looking at this beautiful group of people with all these beautiful signs, and I thought, this is what the peak of the wave feels like to me,” Kotb said, adding, “And I thought, It can't get any better. And I decided that this is the right time for me to move on.

During “Today with Hoda & Jenna,” Kotb explained to her co-host Jenna Bush Hager that she had a desire to do something new. “I had something swirling around inside me, but I kept pushing it down,” she said.

Her birthday party made her think more seriously about her next steps. “I didn’t know I could have this feeling,” she said of being “at the top of the wave.”

“But I also know that the waves are high and then they come ashore. That's what waves are like. And I thought, I get to ride this one, and that's great. And at the same time, I realized that this wave is the peak for me,” she said.

Kotb added that she was thinking 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 cake,” she said.

“I think when I look back on my 60s in 10 years, it will be full of new adventures, a brand new one – like hopefully trying out my entrepreneurial skills, and also watching my children take baby steps, and that's it. “it,” she said.

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Although Kotb will be stepping down from her hosting duties, she won't be leaving the station entirely. Kotb joined NBC News in 1998 as a correspondent for “Dateline” and joined “Today” in 2007. Her new role was not specified.

“I will be there,” she wrote in a letter to Today staff. “How could I not? Family is family and you will always be a part of me.”

Know when to shift gears in your career

For Kotb, her 60th birthday was an opportunity to rethink her career. She's not alone — birthday milestones can make people reflect on their lives, Alan Castel, psychologist and author of “Better With Age,” previously told Business Insider.

“Research has shown that on certain 'important' birthdays (30, 40, 50) people reassess their age and adopt or change habits,” he said.

For others, the decision about when to take a career break or retire depends on factors such as lifestyle, occupation, health and financial situation. The best way to decide A realistic retirement age is to consult a financial advisor to create a financial plan.

Still, the transition can be a psychological hurdle. After many years of work, it can be unsettling when life lacks structure or schedule. Five retirees told BI why people often misperceive retirement and emphasized how important it is discovering new hobbies and discovering yourself.

“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.