Natalie Morales: Career Reinvention, Big Leaps & Letting Go in the Saddle

03/19/25 • 55 min

What happens when two longtime friends—TV host & journalist Natalie Morales (The Today Show, Access Hollywood, The Talk) and Kit Hoover—finally sit down to spill the tea on everything they nevertalked about before? Pure magic.

Today’s episode is real, raw, and ridiculously fun—just two girlfriends catching up and dishing on career twists, hilarious behind-the-scenes moments, and the unexpected things that bring them joy (hint: horses, wine, and letting go of perfection).

Some of Our Favorite Moments:

“What are we waiting for?” – Natalie talks about making the bold move from NYC to LA, inspired by Kit, and realizing that the perfect time never comes—you just have to jump.

“I feed my therapist hay.” – Natalie opens up about her deep connection with horses and how they’ve taught her to let go, trust, and be present.

“Don’t underestimate me.” – For years, she was told she wasn’t “Latina enough” or that she didn’t have the right news “edge.” Natalie shares how she finally found her voice and learned to ask for what she deserved.

“Forget hair, makeup, and glamour.” – Advice for aspiring journalists? Be ready for 3 AM wake-up calls, working weekends, and rolling your own teleprompter—because that’s the real grind.

“Give me wine, cheese, and chocolate, and I’ll talk for days!” – Natalie reveals her go-to indulgences and her undeniable love for a good hangout session.

“Laugh at yourself more.” – Even now, she admits she’s her own toughest critic. But she’s learning to let go, internalize less, and embrace the joy.

“Sleep. Turns. Me. On.” – Forget the fancy answers. A solid night’s sleep is what gets Natalie feeling her best! (Relatable, right?!)

“I’ve just started manifesting.” – While she doesn’t know exactly what’s next, one thing is for sure—Natalie is creating space for new opportunities and FUN.

This isn’t just another interview—it’s two besties getting real about reinvention, change, and finding clarity in life’s pivots. If you’ve ever thought about making a big life move, chasing a dream, or just wondering what’s next, this one’s for you.

And don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more from The Coop with Kit.

This episode was produced by Kit Hoover and Harper McDonald. Business Development by Casey Ladd. Editing by You & Me Media.
--
To learn more about our sponsors:
OluKai
Live the Ohana Life with OluKai.
Incredible lifestyle shoes and sandals for everyday comfort and style.
Check out their new pickleball and golf shoes!
https://olukai.com
Use code COOP for Free EXPEDITED Shipping.

Erin Gray
The perfect white Tshirt has been found.
The softest Pima cotton from Peru.
Pre shrunk and pre washed and no tags.
https://eringraydesign.com
Use code COOP20 for 20% off your next order.

Blue Delta Jeans
There is nothing like custom-fit jeans.
Once you try them, you will never go back.
Easy measuring system to your best-fitting jeans ever.
bluedeltajeans.com
Use code COOP20 for 20% off your next order

Follow The Coop with Kit on Instagram @kithoover and @thecoopwithkithoover

Some of Our Favorite Moments:

“What are we waiting for?” – Natalie talks about making the bold move from NYC to LA, inspired by Kit, and realizing that the perfect time never comes—you just have to jump.

“I feed my therapist hay.” – Natalie opens up about her deep connection with horses and how they’ve taught her to let go, trust, and be present.

“Give me wine, cheese, and chocolate, and I’ll talk for days!” – Natalie reveals her go-to indulgences and her undeniable love for a good hangout session.

“Laugh at yourself more.” – Even now, she admits she’s her own toughest critic. But she’s learning to let go, internalize less, and embrace the joy.

“Sleep. Turns. Me. On.” – Forget the fancy answers. A solid night’s sleep is what gets Natalie feeling her best! (Relatable, right?!)

“I’ve just started manifesting.” – While she doesn’t know exactly what’s next, one thing is for sure—Natalie is creating space for new opportunities and FUN.

And don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more from The Coop with Kit.

Follow The Coop with Kit on Instagram @kithoover and @thecoopwithkithoover

Previous Episode

Letters to The Coop: Handling Criticism, College Decisions & Thriving Through Tween Chaos

We’re back with another round of Letters to The Coop, and y’all keep bringing the good questions! In this episode, we dive into everything from dating after divorce (Katie Couric gave us GREAT advice for dating in your 50s!) to handling a friend who’s suddenly way too critical. We also talk about surviving the college admissions process (spoiler: the stress is real, but we’ve got tips!), and of course, middle school drama—because is there anything more brutal than those tween years? Plus, Kit spills her best parenting hack for making middle school a little easier (trust us, this one’s a game-changer).

Whether you’re in the thick of it or just here for things that make us all laugh, we’ve got you!

Today we cover:

Dating After Divorce – Okay, deep breath. We talk about confidence, embracing the unknown, and why we’re all about the “don’t chase, attract” mindset and the slow burn (thank you Katie Couric!).

When Your Friend Gets a Little Too Critical – We’ve all been there—one of your closest friends suddenly starts questioning your decisions. How do you handle it without blowing up the friendship?

College Admissions Stress – If you’re a parent going through this process, we see you! We’re sharing what’s worked for us (and what definitely didn’t) to help keep the stress levels down—for you and your kid.

Middle School Madness – The mean girl phase? The friend drama? The why-is-this-so-hard moments? We get into all of it.

Fav quote of Kit's this week:

The lotus flower grows in the mud—sometimes, you’ve got to sit in the mess before you bloom.

---Got a question you want us to tackle? Drop it in the comments or send it our way through our Contact Us on our website (thecoopwithkit.com) — we love hearing from you!

Follow The Coop with Kit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen or stream!

Follow The Coop with Kit on Instagram @kithoover and @thecoopwithkithoover

Next Episode

Letters: Gray Hair Confessions, Unwritten Text Rules & Questions We’re Not Supposed to Ask

Get ready for a funny, keep-it-real ride as Kit and Harper dive into more juicy, hilarious, and relatable listener questions!

This week, we’re talking:

• How Kit keeps her energy sky-high (spoiler: it’s not just coffee)

• The gray hair debate: embrace the silver or dye till you die?

• Group texts gone wild (should you leave? how many emojis is too many?)

• Botox, fillers, eyelid lifts... & the million-dollar question: can you ask if someone had work done?

• Future grandma names, slumber party fails, and a Jennifer Aniston sighting 👀

It’s real talk, hot takes, and deep belly laughs—aka another day inside The Coop.

Have a question for Kit and Harper? Send yours to: [email protected]

New episodes every week.

Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to get your weekly dose of bold convos, badass women, and Coop-style fun.

This episode was produced by Kit Hoover and Harper McDonald. Business Development by Casey Ladd. Editing by You & Me Media.

--
To learn more about our sponsors:
OluKai
Live the Ohana Life with OluKai.
Incredible lifestyle shoes and sandals for everyday comfort and style.
Check out their new pickleball and golf shoes!
https://olukai.com
Use code COOP for Free EXPEDITED Shipping.

Follow The Coop with Kit on Instagram @kithoover and @thecoopwithkithoover

The Coop with Kit - Natalie Morales: Career Reinvention, Big Leaps & Letting Go in the Saddle

Transcript

This episode was transcribed using AI. Some inaccuracies may exist.

All right. Today on the coop, she's not just a journalist, she's a global citizen, a risk taker, a boundary pusher, an athlete, a mother, and a dreamer.

Her ability to adapt, connect, and inspire makes my friend unstoppable. She speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and probably a bunch of languages I don't even know about.

She's competed in the New York City Marathon. Finished in Ironman triathlon,