News has been circulating about Hoda Kotb's next steps since leaving the Today show, and it's finally here – Hoda is officially launching her new wellness app, Joy 101.
Why a wellness app? It all began with breathwork. In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Hoda reflected on her wellness journey. "When I was in my 50s, I started kind of not having the oomph I used to have. But I thought, wait – I'm exercising, I'm eating healthy, I'm doing the things that I always did." She then confided in her former Today show co-host Jenna Bush Hager, who suggested breathwork.
Although skeptical at first, Hoda ended up trying a guided breathwork session. "After about seven minutes in, I exploded in tears," she said. "I knew right then and there that something had unlocked. Then the next day, I felt like someone took a squeegee to my brain – I felt clarity and energy. As I went along my path, things kept unlocking."
This breakthrough inspired Hoda to embrace self-care practices like meditation, prayer and journaling, and even going on a wellness retreat recommended by her friend, Maria Shriver. "Little by little, things started changing for me. I started seeking stuff and I couldn't find it. I thought to myself, let's get a place where it can all live together." That's when the idea of her new app started to become a reality.
Hoda describes the app as a "soul project," and something she has long dreamed of creating with an emphasis on joy and the deep belief that joy is a fundamental human right. "I just want everybody to put down the heavy backpack that they have been lugging around and don’t know they have been carrying. And also to know that joy is something that we all deserve."
Think of Joy 101 like a wellness retreat in your pocket. Open up the app and you'll see a customized daily plan with rotating wellness practices that cover meditation, breathwork, movement, mindfulness, sleep hygiene and emotional-wellbeing. With over 500 on-demand courses personally curated by Hoda, the app also includes access to 20+ world-class wellness experts handpicked by Hoda herself who have developed courses and programs on the app. Joy 101 is only on iOS now (Android coming soon) but will offer a 7-day free trial, and then a monthly membership fee of $16.99 or $99 annual rate.
Hoda told Good Housekeeping that she is most excited about twice-monthly livestreams that she plans to host with friends and wellness experts on the platform, along with exclusive in-person experiences like a Hoda retreat and an annual joy celebration.
And if you're hesitant about breathwork, meditation or any of these self-care practices, Hoda has a message for you. "My piece of advice is to open yourself up to trying things you haven’t tried before – open up and try something that is out of your comfort zone. Give it a minute to try and see what happens, and you’ll see little increments of joy coming back."
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women's Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
