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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
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- 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
  Rowan Williams
  The Strange Gift of Joy
  Listen Now The Strange Gift of Joy
  Suleika Jaouad
  Living the Questions (Without Fixing Yourself)
  Listen Now Living the Questions (Without Fixing Yourself)
  Malcolm Guite
  What If Prayer Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Listen Now What If Prayer Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Mark Rank
  The Randomness of Everything
  Listen Now The Randomness of Everything
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
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Sonic Soup of Vulnerability
Bykatebowler January 29, 2018August 17, 2023
This book is a way to faithfully stare down the darkness together.
Read More Sonic Soup of Vulnerability

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

It’s not that I don’t have personality.

But if personality were suddenly required in industrial quantities, @JenHatmaker would handle it.

Come see us at the @gaillardcenter on April 12. We’re going to talk about being joyful in…this economy.

Which sounds impossible, but we have ideas.
Link to tickets in my bio.🎟️ 😍❤️

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18113552578681988

It’s not that I don’t have personality.But if personality were suddenly required in industrial quantities, @JenHatmaker would handle it.Come see us at the @gaillardcenter on April 12. We’re going to talk about being joyful in…this economy.Which sounds impossible, but we have ideas.
Link to tickets in my bio.🎟️ 😍❤️

To celebrate the month that JOYFUL ANYWAY launches in the world, here’s a special list of April “ins and outs.”

You can’t always be happy, but you can be joyful anyway.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18099961445493095

To celebrate the month that JOYFUL ANYWAY launches in the world, here’s a special list of April “ins and outs.”You can’t always be happy, but you can be joyful anyway.

Let’s do this, Canada. 🇨🇦 It’s publication day for JOYFUL ANYWAY—which you’ve welcomed in the most Canadian way possible: snow, bears, and an alarming amount of maple leaf energy.

Winnipeg is sold out (?? excuse me ??), but there are still a few seats left in Toronto. I can’t wait to see you.

p.s. A MASSIVE “thank you” to @mcnallyrobinson and @indigo - without you, this wouldn’t be possible.

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Let’s do this, Canada. 🇨🇦 It’s publication day for JOYFUL ANYWAY—which you’ve welcomed in the most Canadian way possible: snow, bears, and an alarming amount of maple leaf energy.Winnipeg is sold out (?? excuse me ??), but there are still a few seats left in Toronto. I can’t wait to see you.p.s. A MASSIVE “thank you” to @mcnallyrobinson and @indigo - without you, this wouldn’t be possible.

I wrote JOYFUL, ANYWAY because life is… a lot.

There’s grief. There’s disappointment. There’s that weird ache that shows up on Tuesdays when you’re answering emails and wondering if this is it.

And yet—there are also tiny, ridiculous moments of joy.

I wrote this book for anyone who can`t always be happy, but is learning to be joyful, anyway.

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I wrote JOYFUL, ANYWAY because life is… a lot.There’s grief. There’s disappointment. There’s that weird ache that shows up on Tuesdays when you’re answering emails and wondering if this is it.And yet—there are also tiny, ridiculous moments of joy.I wrote this book for anyone who can't always be happy, but is learning to be joyful, anyway.

Bless you who are quietly whispering "help" in a world where Everything Happens.

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Bless you who are quietly whispering "help" in a world where Everything Happens.

These are YOUR words. 🥹

Thank you for reading, for feeling,
and for finding joy anyway. 🤍

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These are YOUR words. 🥹Thank you for reading, for feeling,
and for finding joy anyway. 🤍

NEW YORK CITY. 👀

I told you I had something up my sleeve.

I’m thrilled to say that @drvivekmurthy is joining me on the JOYFUL ANYWAY tour. We’ll be in conversation on April 16 at @fapc_nyc chatting about loneliness, belonging, and finding joy...even in this economy.

Vivek spent years as U.S. Surgeon General naming the loneliness epidemic out loud. I’ve spent years insisting that joy still sneaks in anyway.

So yes. He’s our people.

Comment “NYC” and I’ll send you the ticket link. Let’s fill the room. ✨

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18158574376431554

NEW YORK CITY. 👀I told you I had something up my sleeve.I’m thrilled to say that @drvivekmurthy is joining me on the JOYFUL ANYWAY tour. We’ll be in conversation on April 16 at @fapc_nyc chatting about loneliness, belonging, and finding joy...even in this economy.Vivek spent years as U.S. Surgeon General naming the loneliness epidemic out loud. I’ve spent years insisting that joy still sneaks in anyway.So yes. He’s our people.Comment “NYC” and I’ll send you the ticket link. Let’s fill the room. ✨

For the ache you can’t fix.
For the life that didn’t turn out how you planned.
For the quiet, stubborn joy that still shows up anyway.

This is a litany for real life.

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For the ache you can’t fix.
For the life that didn’t turn out how you planned.
For the quiet, stubborn joy that still shows up anyway.This is a litany for real life.

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
  Rowan Williams
  The Strange Gift of Joy
  Listen Now The Strange Gift of Joy
  Suleika Jaouad
  Living the Questions (Without Fixing Yourself)
  Listen Now Living the Questions (Without Fixing Yourself)
  Malcolm Guite
  What If Prayer Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Listen Now What If Prayer Isn’t What You Think It Is?
  Mark Rank
  The Randomness of Everything
  Listen Now The Randomness of Everything
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