New episodes of Hoda’s podcast are available every Wednesday — just search “Making Space” wherever you get your podcasts, or click here.
In a new episode of “Making Space with Hoda Kotb" released March 6, Hoda chats with author Brianna Wiest about her book, "The Pivot Year", and gets real about one of her own major life changes.
Hoda calls Wiest's book of essays and meditations "life-changing" and has shared copies of the book with friends and family. Even TODAY co-host Carson Daly, who Hoda says "never posts" on social media, is now publicly sharing wisdom from Wiest's book.
After Wiest shared stories about learning from real-life experiences, Hoda said that she would "think about all these little life lessons you learned along the way when we were going to adopt children."
Referencing her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman, Hoda said that they "filled out all the paperwork" and did "all the stuff," only to learn that it could take a year or two to be matched with a child. Because that timeline seemed so long, Hoda says, you "go on with your life."
Hoda and Schiffman had a room designated for their future child, and because it could be years before a baby slept there, Schiffman wanted to use the room as an office.
Hoda, however, stopped him, saying, "No. We can't do that."
She explained: "We have to make room. If it's happening, you have to clear space for it. You have to make a spot so that we are ready. By filling every spot, you're not ready. It's like the girl who is whispering on the phone to her ex-boyfriend wondering why she's not meeting anybody."
In the end, Hoda adopted her first daughter, Haley Joy, in 2017, naming her after Halley's comet. The following year, Hoda published a book dedicated to her daughter. She titled it, "I've Loved You Since Forever."
Interestingly, that book is one of just two titles that Wiest keeps with her through every move. "I thought it was the most beautiful book I had ever read," she said. "And I was saving it for my future child."
