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ABOUT
- Meet Kate
  Hi, I’m Kate. I’m a Duke professor, podcaster, and author with a single mission: giving you permission to feel human. After years of being told I was incurable, I was declared cancer-free. But there’s no going back. I am forever changed by what I discovered: life is so beautiful and life is so hard. For everyone.
  ABOUT KATE
  Get to Know Me
  HUMAN
  AUTHOR
  PODCAST HOST
  SPEAKER
  How to Connect
  NEWSLETTER
  BOOKING
  EVENTS
  CONTACT
  PRESS
PODCAST
- Everything Happens.
  Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.
  See All Episodes
  Mark Rank
  The Randomness of Everything
  Listen Now The Randomness of Everything
  Molly Worthen | Ross Douthat
  The New Shape of American Religion
  Listen Now The New Shape of American Religion
  Patrik Hagman
  What If Happiness Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Listen Now What If Happiness Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Bishop Michael Curry
  There Is More Good Among Us Than We Think
  Listen Now There Is More Good Among Us Than We Think
BOOKS
- Books
  Let’s untangle our culture’s obsession with toxic positivity and self-help, shall we? Kate studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. She is the author of seven books including three instant New York Times bestsellers.
  All Books
  Joyful, Anyway
  
  Everything Happens for a Reason
  (And Other Lies I’ve Loved)
  
  Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!
  Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens
  
  No Cure for Being Human
  (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)
RESOURCES
- Resources
  Our goal with Everything Happens is to create rich language and vibrant community that sustains us when life comes apart. Below, you’ll find categories that may be good starting points for you. Inside are a mix of podcasts, blessings, support guides, and bonus resources that we hope will be useful.
  ALL RESOURCES
  Types
  BLESSINGS
  DEVOTIONALS
  SUPPORT GUIDES
  COURSES
  FREE DOWNLOADS
  Discussion Guides
  FOR MINISTRY
  Topics
  ILLNESS
  GRIEF
  WHAT NOT TO SAY
  RESILIENT FAITH
  INSPIRING LIVES
  NUANCED HOPE
  CARING AT HOME
  CARING AT WORK
  COMPLICATED FAMILIES
  MOVING FORWARD
MERCH
SUBSTACK

…being an orphan. I lost both my parents within 5 years of one another. Both sudden, both unexpectedly.

Every week I usually forget most of the basics:
a) you are loved. b) life is absurd. c) it’s hard to be a human.

If you want some smart, kind, and funny encouragement to get you through your week, sign up for my newsletter. I’d love to be your reminder.

Follow along on socials

@katecbowler

Raise your hand if you’ve never celebrated Lent before. 🙋‍♀️ Welcome.

Yes, it’s the 40 days before Easter—Jesus in the wilderness, resisting temptation (the original “Not today, Satan”).

But mostly, Lent is an invitation.

A little space to notice what’s sustaining you…
what you might be ready to let go of…
and who you hope to become on the other side.

It’s a little sad.
Very honest.
And somehow, still hopeful.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18063172673654587

Raise your hand if you’ve never celebrated Lent before. 🙋‍♀️ Welcome.Yes, it’s the 40 days before Easter—Jesus in the wilderness, resisting temptation (the original “Not today, Satan”).But mostly, Lent is an invitation.A little space to notice what’s sustaining you…
what you might be ready to let go of…
and who you hope to become on the other side.It’s a little sad.
Very honest.
And somehow, still hopeful.

A CONTRADICTION IS TYPICALLY THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. (I`m sorry.)

Joy isn’t the answer to every feeling we have. But it will pull up a chair beside us, keep us grounded in what’s real, and let us experience the everythingness of life just a little more fully.

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A CONTRADICTION IS TYPICALLY THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. (I'm sorry.)Joy isn’t the answer to every feeling we have. But it will pull up a chair beside us, keep us grounded in what’s real, and let us experience the everythingness of life just a little more fully.

The dumbest thing I ever did was put my email address at the bottom of a @nytimes essay.

It turns out thousands of people have very strong opinions about why bad things happen to good people.

Hi, I’m Kate Bowler. I’m a @dukeuniversity professor, author, and podcast host. When I wrote that essay—what I assumed was my swan song—I thought I was making a simple case: maybe life would feel a little lighter if we didn’t insist that everything happens for a reason.

And let let me just say the people...disagreed.

My inbox filled with thousands of emails. At first it felt like being lightly attacked by a very opinionated mob. But honestly? They were deeply human.

Because uncertainty is unbearable. We want answers. We want meaning. We want to know why.

My life’s work is studying the stories we tell about pain.
And why we keep reaching for the ones that promise everything will make sense.

Stick around. I’m still trying to figure it out, too.

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The dumbest thing I ever did was put my email address at the bottom of a @nytimes essay.It turns out thousands of people have very strong opinions about why bad things happen to good people.Hi, I’m Kate Bowler. I’m a @dukeuniversity professor, author, and podcast host. When I wrote that essay—what I assumed was my swan song—I thought I was making a simple case: maybe life would feel a little lighter if we didn’t insist that everything happens for a reason.And let let me just say the people...disagreed.My inbox filled with thousands of emails. At first it felt like being lightly attacked by a very opinionated mob. But honestly? They were deeply human.Because uncertainty is unbearable. We want answers. We want meaning. We want to know why.My life’s work is studying the stories we tell about pain.
And why we keep reaching for the ones that promise everything will make sense.Stick around. I’m still trying to figure it out, too.

FINITE PEOPLE CANNOT ASK ONE THING TO SAVE THEM. So often we look to our jobs to solve our crisis of purpose, but they just weren’t meant to do that.

Jobs are important. Work is fulfilling. But it cannot be everything.

That’s all. Happy Lent.

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FINITE PEOPLE CANNOT ASK ONE THING TO SAVE THEM. So often we look to our jobs to solve our crisis of purpose, but they just weren’t meant to do that.Jobs are important. Work is fulfilling. But it cannot be everything.That’s all. Happy Lent.

Bless you who still bend toward the earth in search of flowers in a world where Everything Happens.

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Bless you who still bend toward the earth in search of flowers in a world where Everything Happens.

I thought I would have more pics but I was too busy giving the gift of dance and unhinged Duke support to neighbors and friends and @kenjeong.

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I thought I would have more pics but I was too busy giving the gift of dance and unhinged Duke support to neighbors and friends and @kenjeong.

If you`re looking for a Lenten practice that feels mildly inappropriate for polite Christian conversation, may I suggest filing a few complaints?

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If you're looking for a Lenten practice that feels mildly inappropriate for polite Christian conversation, may I suggest filing a few complaints?

Lent isn’t about giving up sugar. It’s about giving up pretending.

It’s the season we get honest about what hurts.
The ache.
The disappointment.
The thing we keep calling “fine.”

Enter: THE LIST.

A sacred complaints department. A place to name what stings —without fixing it, spinning it, or baptizing it into a life lesson.

Just tell the truth. Because joy doesn’t start with forced gratitude. It starts with honesty, just like Lent.

Raise your hand if you’ve added a thing or two to THE LIST.

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Lent isn’t about giving up sugar. It’s about giving up pretending.It’s the season we get honest about what hurts.
The ache.
The disappointment.
The thing we keep calling “fine.”Enter: THE LIST.A sacred complaints department. A place to name what stings —without fixing it, spinning it, or baptizing it into a life lesson.Just tell the truth. Because joy doesn’t start with forced gratitude. It starts with honesty, just like Lent.Raise your hand if you’ve added a thing or two to THE LIST.

If you are reading this you have great eyesight. But also, thanks for being a person with me. The world is strange and hard for soft-hearted humans, but I think you’re a delight.

© 2026 Kate Bowler
Development by Penner Web Design

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ABOUT
- Meet Kate
  Hi, I’m Kate. I’m a Duke professor, podcaster, and author with a single mission: giving you permission to feel human. After years of being told I was incurable, I was declared cancer-free. But there’s no going back. I am forever changed by what I discovered: life is so beautiful and life is so hard. For everyone.
  ABOUT KATE
  Get to Know Me
  HUMAN
  AUTHOR
  PODCAST HOST
  SPEAKER
  How to Connect
  NEWSLETTER
  BOOKING
  EVENTS
  CONTACT
  PRESS
PODCAST
- Everything Happens.
  Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.
  See All Episodes
  Mark Rank
  The Randomness of Everything
  Listen Now The Randomness of Everything
  Molly Worthen | Ross Douthat
  The New Shape of American Religion
  Listen Now The New Shape of American Religion
  Patrik Hagman
  What If Happiness Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Listen Now What If Happiness Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Bishop Michael Curry
  There Is More Good Among Us Than We Think
  Listen Now There Is More Good Among Us Than We Think
BOOKS
- Books
  Let’s untangle our culture’s obsession with toxic positivity and self-help, shall we? Kate studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. She is the author of seven books including three instant New York Times bestsellers.
  All Books
  Joyful, Anyway
  
  Everything Happens for a Reason
  (And Other Lies I’ve Loved)
  
  Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!
  Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens
  
  No Cure for Being Human
  (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)
RESOURCES
- Resources
  Our goal with Everything Happens is to create rich language and vibrant community that sustains us when life comes apart. Below, you’ll find categories that may be good starting points for you. Inside are a mix of podcasts, blessings, support guides, and bonus resources that we hope will be useful.
  ALL RESOURCES
  Types
  BLESSINGS
  DEVOTIONALS
  SUPPORT GUIDES
  COURSES
  FREE DOWNLOADS
  Discussion Guides
  FOR MINISTRY
  Topics
  ILLNESS
  GRIEF
  WHAT NOT TO SAY
  RESILIENT FAITH
  INSPIRING LIVES
  NUANCED HOPE
  CARING AT HOME
  CARING AT WORK
  COMPLICATED FAMILIES
  MOVING FORWARD
MERCH
SUBSTACK