Making Space with Hoda Kotb

Best-selling author Anne Lamott knows a thing about overcoming obstacles. Thirty-five years on the other side of her addiction, Anne is the author of 19 books, a mother, grandmother, and in her 60s, a wife for the first time. Anne offers wisdom, candidly, and often, hilariously. She shares what she calls "operating instructions": how to master a life of peace and gratitude—a reminder that grace always meets you exactly where you are.

Selena Gomez has spent most of her life in the spotlight, as one of the world’s biggest popstars and actors. After facing physical and mental health challenges, Gomez is stepping into what she considers to be her true calling, mental health advocacy. She’s partnering with Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to change the conversation around mental health, and to help youth struggling with the same challenges she’s faced. Hoda Kotb sat down with Gomez and Dr. Murthy for a candid conversation about their mission, the importance of mental health advocacy and where Gomez is on her health journey today.

Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver describe their forty-two-year friendship as loyal, consistent and honest. Together they’ve navigated the ups and downs of life: births, deaths, marriage, divorce—and their own evolution. In this intimate and insightful conversation, Oprah and Maria share with Hoda what their four decades together have meant, and they look ahead to all the beauty yet to come. Plus, how do you surprise the queen of surprises? Oprah opens up about one of the darkest times in her life and how an unexpected moment brought her to her knees.

At just 22 years old, writer Suleika Jaouad was given a 1-in-3 chance to live after a deadly cancer diagnosis. Today, she's celebrating seven years cancer-free. In a raw and revealing conversation, Suleika shares what it is like to stare down death, and why she feels fighting for your life isn't the hardest part of the journey – it’s what happens after the fight is over. Suleika shares how she learned to anchor herself while swimming in a sea of uncertainty. Plus, her partner and Academy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste joins the interview.

When sportswriter Mitch Albom started meeting with his former professor Morrie Schwartz toward the end of Morrie’s life, Mitch had no idea the impact those meetings would have — not only on him, but around the world. Mitch compiled those lessons into a book, and, nearly twenty-five years and 17 million copies of Tuesdays with Morrie later, Mitch Albom continues to apply the lessons learned from Morrie to live a richer and more purposeful life. Throughout this conversation, Hoda and Mitch connect on love, loss and legacy. As Mitch so beautifully details in this emotional conversation, “what we choose to fill our arms with, and what we choose to carry is actually what ends up defining us.”