Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

Everything Happens Studios

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. Find her online at @katecbowler.

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Our Editor's Take

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler is about navigating life when bad things happen. On the podcast, guests join the hosts to discuss times in their life they had to deal with misfortune. Stories on the show center on loss, pain, recovery, and changing priorities. From losing a loved one to receiving a serious health diagnosis, invitees share stories of trials and triumphs. Discussions center on moments that cause people to reset priorities and embrace bravery.

Host Kate Bowler is a prolific nonfiction author and Canadian academic. When the married mother-of-one received a cancer diagnosis in 2015, it was devastating. Her bestselling book Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I've Loved) details her experience. The host also has her own TED Talk, which has over 8 million views and counting. Kate started Everything Happens in 2018, three years after her cancer diagnosis.

On Everything Happens with Kate Bowler, listeners can expect personal stories of perseverance. Kate has conversations with experts and everyday people who dealt with unexpected circumstances. Guests on the show have included actor Alan Alda. The M*A*S*H star and Kate discuss the power of effective communication. Alan shares an unpleasant experience he had at a dentist's visit. His story highlights the importance of clear communication. Alan also shares many insights on communicating with empathy in his interview.

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy appears in another episode. She and Kate discuss loneliness and its far-reaching effects. The host shares how she felt lonely after her diagnosis and sought answers. They talk about Vivek's work around loneliness and well-being. Other guests include Ray Hinton, a former death row inmate. His story is about living under a flawed sentence and his life after. Another heartfelt conversation centers on a man who went from partner to caregiver.

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler is about resetting priorities and embracing bravery. New episodes arrive twice monthly.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Play Trailer

Introducing Season 11 of Everything Happens

Introducing Season 11 of Everything Happens

Are you living your best life now? Not always? GREAT, ME NEITHER. My name is Kate Bowler. I’m a professor, speaker, podcast host and New York Times bestselling author. Which makes it sound like I believe in living your “best life.” Don’t worry—I don’t. I study the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. And hobbies are wasted on me because I’d rather be talking to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens. A new season of *fantastic* conversation starts on September 5th. Mark your calendar. Make sure you’re subscribed. You won’t want to miss this. EVERYTHING HAPPENS is available everywhere you get your podcasts. ***Find Kate on Instagram or Facebook or (what was formally known as) Twitter. And be sure to subscribe to our email to receive behind-the-scenes updates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episodes

Samantha Bee: This is Going to Be(e) a Great Story

Samantha Bee: This is Going to Be(e) a Great Story

We become the sum of so many people throughout our lives. Kate speaks with one of the funniest people on the entire planet, comedian Samantha Bee, about the people who made her, her. What virtues did they create? What absurdity ensued? How does she think about how she impacts her own kids? In this conversation, Kate and Samantha discuss: Samantha's hand of God moment that changed the trajectory of her lifeHow the people who love us shape us into who we becomeWhat siblings or friends or partners teach us about intimacy Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pamela Morris-Perez: Suicide Prevention and Hope

Pamela Morris-Perez: Suicide Prevention and Hope

Here on the Everything Happens Podcast we don’t shy away from difficult subjects, and today’s episode tackles a topic we’ve been wanting to discuss for awhile—suicide among teens and young adults. My guest today, Dr. Pamela Morris-Perez is someone who approaches this subject with the heart of a grieving mom and the mind of a professor and practitioner who wants to make change possible and wants to teach us how we can help. This is such an important conversation on how communities can help prevent adolescent suicide. In this conversation, Kate and Pamela discuss: Poignant reflections on being a suicide loss survivor from a parent who is grieving the loss of her child—a topic so rarely discussedWhy we say “died by suicide”How we can prevent teen suicide—including what signs to look for, what to ask, and next steps to take when you’re concerned In a very important way, this episode won’t create nearly as much anxiety as you think. Talking about suicide is one of the most important ways of making it less likely. So let’s find better language together, shall we? If you need to talk to someone, call or text 988. If you are worried about someone, you too can call or text 988 to get resources. Remember: you matter. Please listen with care. Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chantal Kreviazuk: Finding the Melody

Chantal Kreviazuk: Finding the Melody

Chantal Kreviazuk is a Canadian singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist—her voice is the soundtrack of all Kate’s Canadian’s teenage angst. She has had an incredible career with a passion for helping others. Among many things, she’s a powerful advocate for destigmatizing mental illness—a cause near and dear to her heart after her brother struggled to get adequate care for nearly 20 years. She’s said, “When a family member is sick, the whole family is sick.” She offers such wisdom for people who struggle with a hurting family member, or their own mental health, or for their marriages that are sometimes not as easy as we had hoped. In this conversation, Kate and Chantal discuss: Setting necessary boundaries in complicated familiesThe ups and downs of a marriage and the unexpected gifts that only reveal themselves when you commit to staying in it for the long haulA trick to starting a hard day Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rainn Wilson: Brave, Beautiful, and Good Things

Rainn Wilson: Brave, Beautiful, and Good Things

Sometimes we can fix our lives and sometimes can’t. So when self-help and self-care fall short, what do we need to turn instead? Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute of NBC’s The Office) says that what we need is a spiritual revolution. This conversation is rich and challenging and invites us all to think about the virtues we need to sustain a life and how we might cultivate these virtues not just for our own wellbeing but for that of the people around us. Spoiler alert: it has nothing to do with bubble baths or the latest cold plunge trend. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were that easy? In this conversation, Kate and Rainn discuss: How self-care is often a form of toxic individualismThe current mental health crisis and the need for spiritual tools that provide vision, mission, and purposeHow making oneself useful can be an antidote to despair A big thank you to our friends at The Fetzer Institute for making today’s conversation possible. Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicky Gumbel: Questions of Meaning

Nicky Gumbel: Questions of Meaning

Our lives are rarely predictable or at all in our control. Sometimes what happens to us or around us can reshape our entire trajectory. Nicky Gumbel is someone whose life was dramatically changed. He thought he was going to be a very fancy lawyer… just like everyone else in his family, but that’s not what happened. Nicky became one of the pioneers of the Alpha Course where 30 million people have been introduced to Christian faith around the world. In this conversation, Kate and Nicky discuss: Nicky’s reluctant conversion to ChristianityHow to stay open to the things we didn’t expect to happen.How age isn’t necessarily the limiter we might assume—perhaps there are opportunities or new ventures that can open up in our later third of lifeWhy the church should be more like a hospital than a museum Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emma Gannon: The Butterfly Era

Emma Gannon: The Butterfly Era

So much of modern culture emphasizes success, hard work, and ambition. But what if we don’t conquer every problem or reach every mountaintop? How do you live with the hunger for more while letting yourself have limits and be tired and say no and shut it down too? In this conversation, Kate and Emma Gannon discuss: Why ambition isn’t necessarily a bad thingHow Emma reacted to a season of severe burnout and what wisdom she has for all of usHow bucket lists can inadvertently place us in a game we are never going to win (Psst… It’s okay to simmer down a bit) Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maggie Jackson: The Wisdom of Uncertainty

Maggie Jackson: The Wisdom of Uncertainty

These are uncertain times for so many of us. But, according to writer Maggie Jackson, perhaps there is deep wisdom to be uncovered too—surprising gifts of curiosity, creative thinking, open-mindedness, and ways forward through the (often) unpredictabilities of life. In this conversation, Kate and Maggie Discuss: How uncertainty might foster creativity, resilience, and mutual understandingWhy we avoid ambiguity and a few small steps to help us become more comfortable with not knowingHow the practices of imagination and perspective-taking can help us see the potential in othersWhy focusing on outcomes can close you off from picking up new information, nuance, or other peoples' perspectivesWhy experiences contrary to our beliefs take longer, sometimes even weeks, to process Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alan Alda: Stay Curious

Alan Alda: Stay Curious

We don’t usually have repeat guests on this podcast… except we’re making an exception for the wonderful and wise Alan Alda. Alan Alda, of course, is an award-winning actor, writer, director, and podcast host. You probably know and love him as Hawkeye on M*A*S*H or Senator Arnie Vinick on The West Wing. He is endlessly curious on just about every topic—which makes him the perfect person to talk to about empathy, learning across differences (and disagreement), and how we might age into new hobbies and careers. In this conversation, Alan and Kate discuss: Tricks for staying curious as we ageHow to talk to someone you disagree withHow Alan hopes to destigmatize Parkinson’s DiseaseThe difference between empathy and compassion and how to practice these important skills Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Grant: Finding a Pocket of Happiness

Richard Grant: Finding a Pocket of Happiness

When we are in deep grief, we can anticipate some of the horrible parts—the sleeplessness, the denial, the loneliness. But what about the moments of surprising lightness and joy? Moments that don’t erase the pain, but make it a bit more bearable. Academy Award-nominated actor Richard E. Grant practices finding these pockets of happiness while grieving his beloved wife. In this conversation, Kate and Richard talk about: the gritty side of caregivinghow to support people in grief (even when it makes you uncomfortable)the importance of knowing and being known Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Savannah Guthrie: Mostly What God Does

Savannah Guthrie: Mostly What God Does

How do you have faith that can hold all of reality—the beautiful, the terrible, and everything in-between? The TODAY Show’s Savannah Guthrie thinks carefully about this question, especially given that her job is reporting the news every morning. In this conversation, Kate and Savannah discuss: Savannah’s trick for handling difficult news every dayHow to adjust the dial on fear and hope when there is so much to be afraid ofMaking sense of the wisdom we can learn in the midst of difficult times—without saying ‘everything happens for a reason’ (because we would never do that to you)How we hope to be transformed by God’s love Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Polley: Run Toward the Danger

Sarah Polley: Run Toward the Danger

Do you ever look back at your childhood and go… certainly that didn’t happen like that? Where were the adults? Academy Award-winning director and childhood actress Sarah Polley describes what it was like to not be believed when she was afraid or when she wanted to stop or when she was in pain or when she was in danger. And how, as adults, we can all better protect those around us and learn to look back on our younger selves with compassion. How hard it can be to believe our own memories or painWhen kids aren’t protected by the adults in their life and how they make sense of that as adultsManaging invisible illnessesHow we can better support those going through chronic illness with compassion Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephanie Wittels Wachs: When Life Gives You Lemons

Stephanie Wittels Wachs: When Life Gives You Lemons

Today, we’re talking about tragicomedy. And isn’t that all of life? The absurdity. The horror. The laughter that somehow cuts through the most difficult of moments. Our guest today, Stephanie Wittles Wachs wrote a beautiful memoir called Everything is Horrible and Wonderful about the death of her brother to an accidental heroin overdose when he was 30 years old. In this conversation, Kate and Stephanie discuss: Loving someone with addictionGrieving a person in publicWhy it’s okay (and maybe necessary) to laugh in the midst of the worst momentsThe 6th stage of grief—the manic-investigative stage CW: mention of suicide, drug overdose, death of a sibling Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Made for Connection: A Bonus Heart-to-Heart with Dr. Vivek Murthy

Made for Connection: A Bonus Heart-to-Heart with Dr. Vivek Murthy

Today, we have a little bonus episode to kick off your weekend. Vivek Murthy, the current U.S. Surgeon General, had so much wisdom to offer us in this week's conversation on combatting loneliness and building better relationships. In this bonus clip, he offers us a little pep talk for connection. It may be just what you need to hear. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vivek Murthy & Jon Scheyer: Made to Belong

Vivek Murthy & Jon Scheyer: Made to Belong

A basketball coach, a doctor, and a history professor walk into a bar…. This might be the start of a great joke OR the start of an episode of Everything Happens. In this conversation, Kate Bowler speaks with Duke Men’s Basketball Coach, Jon Scheyer and the current US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy. Together they discuss: What is ailing Americans (especially young people)—loneliness (and why it can be so embarrassing to admit)Practical tips to connecting with othersThe usefulness and pitfalls of social media use This conversation was taped live at Duke University as part of the Surgeon General’s We Are Made to Connect Tour. A huge thank you to Chris Simmons, the Office of Student Affairs, and the Office of the US Surgeon General for making this possible. Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Crawford: These Beautiful, Terrible Days

Bob Crawford: These Beautiful, Terrible Days

We are kicking off Season 12 of the Everything Happens Podcast (!!) with a little bonus situation because we’re having a little bonus moment. Kate’s new book HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, TERRIBLE DAY! Is available everywhere books are sold today. It is a book of daily meditations meant to ground whatever day you’re having—all of the ups and downs and inbetweens. And who better to talk about that with than my friend, Bob Crawford. Bob is the bass player for the wildly popular band The Avett Brothers, and someone who knows too well how terrible and beautiful life can be. In this conversation, Kate and Bob discuss: How there can be a strange comfort in our worst momentsHow they continued despite the ongoingness of their kinds of tragedies Why they both long for more spiritual language around living like this Everything Happens is brought to you by Cologuard®. Are you 45 or older? Start screening for colon cancer with Cologuard, an effective and noninvasive screening option for adults 45 and older at average risk for colon cancer. Rx only. Learn more at Cologuard.com/everything Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen Again: Beth Moore

Listen Again: Beth Moore

Today, we are re-airing one of our favorite episodes. Beth Moore has been in the limelight for almost thirty years, but during that time, she revealed very little about her formative family history. Now, this world-famous Bible teacher is ready to tell her story for the first time. In this episode, Kate and Beth discuss: How Beth’s faith offered stability during a very unpredictable and unstable childhood The complicated grief that occurs when family members cause deep, unforgivable harmWhat it means to be fully known (and why that feels better than anything else) Beth’s long-faithfulness despite experiencing rejection, pain, and hurt from her faith community This was Beth’s first interview about her new memoir, and Kate felt so honored to get to ask this wise soul about the role of faith in lives that haven’t worked out like we thought they should. CW: sexual abuse, mental illness. Looking for the transcript or show notes? Click here. Find Kate on Instagram or Facebook or X. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen Again: Bryan Stevenson

Listen Again: Bryan Stevenson

Today, we are re-airing one of our favorite episodes. Bryan Stevenson (founder of the Equal Justice Initiative) is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable among us. In this episode, Kate and Bryan discuss: The hope that motivates Bryan in this slow, sometimes frustrating work of justiceWhat it means to be a ‘stonecatcher’ (and why it serves both the one being condemned and the one doing the condemning)The power of forgiveness, maybe especially toward those who don’t deserve it CW: discussion of slavery, lynching, and other racist violence, death row Looking for the transcript or show notes? Click here. Find Kate on Instagram or Facebook or X. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine May: Becoming Enchanted

Katherine May: Becoming Enchanted

Living in uncertainty can lead to a sense of languishing. How do we wake up from this feeling? Katherine May has written gorgeous books like Wintering and Enchantment that help us better understand how to live wide-awake to the world around us. In this conversation, Kate and Katherine discuss: How we move from languishing to enchantmentWhy we need community more now than maybe everWhy we both hate gratitude journals Everything Happens is brought to you by Cologuard®. Are you 45 or older? Start screening for colon cancer with Cologuard, an effective and noninvasive screening option for adults 45 and older at average risk for colon cancer. Rx only. Learn more at Cologuard.com/everything Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bozoma Saint John: Everything Can Be True at Once

Bozoma Saint John: Everything Can Be True at Once

Bozoma Saint John is a successful marketing executive, but she is also a woman who knows the rollercoaster of profound love and deep loss. She shares her hard-won wisdom and complicated grief as she faced her husband’s terminal cancer diagnosis. In this conversation, Kate and Bozoma: Give us permission to tell the whole truth (even when it isn’t a neat)Speak honestly about the complicated realities of caregiving Discuss how our roles change within families from daughter to parent or spouse to caregiverDescribe anticipatory grief CW: adult language, death of a child during pregnancy, death of a spouse Everything Happens is brought to you by Cologuard®. Are you 45 or older? Start screening for colon cancer with Cologuard, an effective and noninvasive screening option for adults 45 and older at average risk for colon cancer. Rx only. Learn more at Cologuard.com/everything Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anna Sale: Hard Topics, Softer Conversations

Anna Sale: Hard Topics, Softer Conversations

In this conversation, Kate and Anna discuss: How conversations might engender the intimacy we need to get byFostering the right interpersonal and listening skills it takes to approach a difficult topic (especially when you’re feeling nervous)Best practices for responding to someone’s hard newsHow learning to listen might bridge differences of all kinds What do we lose when we don’t talk about hard things? And what might we gain if we do? Everything Happens is brought to you by Cologuard®. Are you 45 or older? Start screening for colon cancer with Cologuard, an effective and noninvasive screening option for adults 45 and older at average risk for colon cancer. Rx only. Learn more at Cologuard.com/everything Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.