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Kate Bowler
  • ABOUTExpand

    • 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
      Kate Bowler sitting in front of books

  • PODCASTExpand

    • 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
      Tim Shriver

      How to Disagree Without Hating Each Other

      Listen Now How to Disagree Without Hating Each Other
      Bill Haslam

      You Might Be Wrong

      Listen Now You Might Be Wrong
      Mark Chaves

      Is There Really a Religious Revival?

      Listen Now Is There Really a Religious Revival?
      Diana Butler Bass

      Losing Religion

      Listen Now Losing Religion
  • BOOKSExpand

    • 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)

  • RESOURCESExpand

    • 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

  • MERCHExpand
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  • SUBSTACK
Kate Bowler
Kate Bowler

Here’s Your Free Download

We also sent it to your email, if that’s easier.

May these words offer you a bit of courage to live inside of your life… just as it is.

Imperfect. Often heartbreaking. And still, somehow, beautiful.

Download

You might also like these conversations:

How to Disagree Without Hating Each Other

Listen How to Disagree Without Hating Each Other

You Might Be Wrong

Listen You Might Be Wrong

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

`Tis the season! A brave look back at decisions I made with confidence and a glue gun.

p.s. Post photos of your best (OR WORST) Halloween costumes in the comment section and I`ll choose a few to rate!

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18126123967698366
'Tis the season! A brave look back at decisions I made with confidence and a glue gun. p.s. Post photos of your best (OR WORST) Halloween costumes in the comment section and I'll choose a few to rate!

What if joy is closer than we think? Even when life is a lot (and isn`t it always?).

Join me and the wonderful Meghan Henley at @BlackberryFarm for a few days of honest conversations, yoga, reflection, incredible food, and a little room to breathe. We`ll explore how to make space for joy in the lives we actually have. No perfect mindset required.

Come as you are. All your feelings are welcome. ❤️

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17876158131637900
What if joy is closer than we think? Even when life is a lot (and isn't it always?). Join me and the wonderful Meghan Henley at @BlackberryFarm for a few days of honest conversations, yoga, reflection, incredible food, and a little room to breathe. We'll explore how to make space for joy in the lives we actually have. No perfect mindset required. Come as you are. All your feelings are welcome. ❤️

I`ve always said that giving is very bad math.

You give away your time, your energy, your love. By all reasonable calculations, you should have less.

And yet. Somehow, joy comes rushing in to fill the gap.

It`s terrible arithmetic. I love it.

And few people understand this strange equation better than Tim Shriver (@timothyshriver).

As Chairman of @specialolympics and CEO and Co-Founder of @thedignityindex, Tim has spent his life asking what happens when we treat every person as someone with dignity.

Turns out, the people we think we`re helping have an astonishing amount to give us, too.

Comment TIM and I`ll send you the whole conversation.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18122029000941384
I've always said that giving is very bad math. You give away your time, your energy, your love. By all reasonable calculations, you should have less. And yet. Somehow, joy comes rushing in to fill the gap. It's terrible arithmetic. I love it. And few people understand this strange equation better than Tim Shriver (@timothyshriver). As Chairman of @specialolympics and CEO and Co-Founder of @thedignityindex, Tim has spent his life asking what happens when we treat every person as someone with dignity. Turns out, the people we think we're helping have an astonishing amount to give us, too. Comment TIM and I'll send you the whole conversation.

We have some very strange rules about grief. Keep it private. Don`t make anyone uncomfortable. And for heaven`s sake, try not to bring it up at a dinner party.

But grief has never been particularly interested in following the rules. And thank God for the people who make room for us to tell the truth about it.

Thank you, @AspenWords, for creating such a beautiful space for the conversations that matter most. What a gift to be together, @peterhreynolds and @timtalksbooks. ❤️

Photos by Hal Williams for Aspen Words-Aspen Institute.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17954004081271422
We have some very strange rules about grief. Keep it private. Don't make anyone uncomfortable. And for heaven's sake, try not to bring it up at a dinner party. But grief has never been particularly interested in following the rules. And thank God for the people who make room for us to tell the truth about it. Thank you, @AspenWords, for creating such a beautiful space for the conversations that matter most. What a gift to be together, @peterhreynolds and @timtalksbooks. ❤️ Photos by Hal Williams for Aspen Words-Aspen Institute.

Bless you when you cannot see far ahead. May you do the next faithful thing in a world where Everything Happens.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18571369159075764
Bless you when you cannot see far ahead. May you do the next faithful thing in a world where Everything Happens.

People with special needs are not a punchline. Period.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18158238853450108
People with special needs are not a punchline. Period.

What is one thing this person loves that I`m not seeing?

I know. I KNOW. With everything going on, being curious about someone you’re already pretty sure you’ve figured out can feel like an unreasonable amount of emotional homework.

But the next time you catch yourself thinking you know exactly who someone is, try asking that one question.

What do they love that I haven’t bothered to notice?

And then, if you can, go find out. Ask them about it. Let them tell you something you didn`t know. Because goodness knows we could all use a little more curiosity about each other, especially when we`re so convinced we`re right.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18040515545849827
What is one thing this person loves that I'm not seeing? I know. I KNOW. With everything going on, being curious about someone you’re already pretty sure you’ve figured out can feel like an unreasonable amount of emotional homework. But the next time you catch yourself thinking you know exactly who someone is, try asking that one question. What do they love that I haven’t bothered to notice? And then, if you can, go find out. Ask them about it. Let them tell you something you didn't know. Because goodness knows we could all use a little more curiosity about each other, especially when we're so convinced we're right.

Does anyone else feel like everything is urgent right now? Every headline, every heartbreak, every new thing we’re supposed to care about. It’s hard to know where to begin.

Today’s Substack post asks a question I keep coming back to: How do we live now?

And I think part of the answer might be small kindnesses. The ordinary acts of love that won’t make headlines but might make someone’s Tuesday bearable.

Don’t wait until you can change the whole world. Find the good that is yours to do. And do it.

Even when you cannot see what grows.

Comment KIND for a link to today’s post, or tell us one small act of kindness you’ll try this week. ❤️

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17998555743035838
Does anyone else feel like everything is urgent right now? Every headline, every heartbreak, every new thing we’re supposed to care about. It’s hard to know where to begin. Today’s Substack post asks a question I keep coming back to: How do we live now? And I think part of the answer might be small kindnesses. The ordinary acts of love that won’t make headlines but might make someone’s Tuesday bearable. Don’t wait until you can change the whole world. Find the good that is yours to do. And do it. Even when you cannot see what grows. Comment KIND for a link to today’s post, or tell us one small act of kindness you’ll try this week. ❤️

 

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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Everything Happens.

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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
      Kate Bowler sitting in front of books

  • 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
      Tim Shriver

      How to Disagree Without Hating Each Other

      Listen Now How to Disagree Without Hating Each Other
      Bill Haslam

      You Might Be Wrong

      Listen Now You Might Be Wrong
      Mark Chaves

      Is There Really a Religious Revival?

      Listen Now Is There Really a Religious Revival?
      Diana Butler Bass

      Losing Religion

      Listen Now Losing Religion
  • 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
    • Sweatshirts
    • Shirts
    • Hats
    • Goodies
  • SUBSTACK