The TODAY Show’s Jenna Bush Hager sits down for a wide-ranging conversation with Kate Bowler. Together, they share about the importance of family and intergenerational relationships (Jenna shares such tender stories about her grandparents), how they hope to let their kids make mistakes and be met with grace, and how they both (try to) find beauty in ordinary, regular days and regular problems. 

In this conversation, Kate and Jenna discuss:
How to model openness and empathy across difference (even when people really, really disagree)
Why they want to raise their kids to be curious and independent
How the love of others makes us brave—brave enough to make mistakes (and why that’s okay)

Kate visited Jenna in New York City for this conversation. And Jenna is just as lovely and generous of spirit as you’d imagine.

CW: fertility issues; Alzheimer’s 

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). 

The TODAY Show’s Jenna Bush Hager sits down for a wide-ranging conversation with Kate Bowler. Together, they share about the importance of family and intergenerational relationships (Jenna shares such tender stories about her grandparents), how they hope to let their kids make mistakes and be met with grace, and how they both (try to) find beauty in ordinary, regular days and regular problems. 
In this conversation, Kate and Jenna discuss:
<ul>
<li>How to model openness and empathy across difference (even when people really, really disagree)</li>
<li>Why they want to raise their kids to be curious and independent</li>
<li>How the love of others makes us brave—brave enough to make mistakes (and why that’s okay)</li>
</ul>
Kate visited Jenna in New York City for this conversation. And Jenna is just as lovely and generous of spirit as you’d imagine.
CW: fertility issues; Alzheimer’s 
<hr>
Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by <a href="https://katebowler.com/podcast/">clicking here</a>.
Follow Kate on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katecbowler/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katecbowler">Facebook</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/KatecBowler">X</a> (formerly known as Twitter).

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.

Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/

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.
Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media <a href="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-stringify-link="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://lemonadamedia.com/</a>

Honest conversation about life's less-shiny moments.

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

Jenna Bush Hager: Get in the Game

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 justice
What 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 Twitter.

Subscribe to receive blessings in your inbox every week.

No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) is now available in PAPERBACK. Order your copy, today.

Looking for some short spiritual reflections and blessings? Check out GOOD ENOUGH: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection. Available wherever books are sold.

Introducing THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days (releasing February 14, 2023). Learn more, pre-order, and receive a free pennant, here.

Leave us a voicemail and who knows? We might even be able to use your voice on the air: 919-322-8731

 

This episode originally aired December 2022.

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:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>The hope that motivates Bryan in this slow, sometimes frustrating work of justice</li>
<li>What it means to be a &lsquo;stonecatcher&rsquo; (and why it serves both the one being condemned and the one doing the&nbsp;condemning)</li>
<li>The power of forgiveness, maybe especially toward those who don&rsquo;t deserve it</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
CW: discussion of slavery, lynching, and other racist violence, death row
***
Looking for the transcript or show notes? <a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/">Click here</a>.
Find Kate on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katecbowler/">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katecbowler">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/KatecBowler">Twitter</a>.
<a href="https://katebowler.com/newsletter/">Subscribe to receive blessings in your inbox every week.</a>
No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) is now available in PAPERBACK. <a href="https://katebowler.com/no-cure-for-being-human/">Order your copy, today.</a>
Looking for some short spiritual reflections and blessings? Check out GOOD ENOUGH: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection. <a href="https://katebowler.com/good-enough/">Available wherever books are sold.</a>
Introducing THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days (releasing February 14, 2023). <a href="https://katebowler.com/the-lives-we-actually-have/">Learn more, pre-order, and receive a free pennant, here</a>.
Leave us a voicemail and who knows? We might even be able to use your voice on the air: 919-322-8731
&nbsp;
This episode originally aired December 2022.

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 justice What 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

Listen Again: Loving Mercy with Bryan Stevenson

What if you started thinking really concretely about small, hard choices? That’s exactly what palliative care physicians do every day. They help us think about what we really want—knowing that we have limited time and limited resources. You’re going to love our guest today, Dr. Kathryn Mannix, palliative care physician and cognitive behavioral therapist. She offers practical steps to help people and their loved ones make sense of what limited choices they have, navigate any pain and fear they may experience, and gives the most comforting speech on what the end of a life looks like that we’ve ever heard. (I promise this is not scary at all. It is perfect.)

In this conversation, Kate and Kathryn discuss:


Why we want to keep a lid on the scary things of life 


What even is palliative care


How palliative care-type thinking can help us live better 


What happens to hope when facing end of life

This is a masterclass in walking right up to the edge with people, in the most gentle, compassionate way. 

If you liked this episode, you’ll also love: 


Sunita Puri on living in uncertainty


Rev. Tom Long on the importance of the rituals for death and dying

 

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.

This episode originally aired October 2024.

What if you started thinking really concretely about small, hard choices? That&rsquo;s exactly what palliative care physicians do every day. They help us think about what we really want&mdash;knowing that we have limited time and limited resources. You&rsquo;re going to love our guest today,&nbsp;Dr. Kathryn Mannix, palliative care physician and cognitive behavioral therapist. She offers practical steps to help people and their loved ones make sense of what limited choices they have, navigate any pain and fear they may experience, and gives the most comforting speech on what the end of a life looks like that we&rsquo;ve ever heard. (I promise this is not scary at all. It is perfect.)
In this conversation, Kate and Kathryn discuss:
<ul>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
Why we want to keep a lid on the scary things of life&nbsp;
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
What even is palliative care
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
How palliative care-type thinking can help us live better&nbsp;
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
What happens to hope when facing end of life
</li>
</ul>
This is a masterclass in walking right up to the edge with people, in the most gentle, compassionate way.&nbsp;
If you liked this episode, you&rsquo;ll also love:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/sunita-puri-the-uncertainty-specialist/">Sunita Puri</a> on living in uncertainty
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/number-our-days/">Rev. Tom Long</a> on the importance of the rituals for death and dying
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
&nbsp;
Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by <a href="https://katebowler.com/podcast/">clicking here</a> or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts.
Follow Kate on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katecbowler/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katecbowler">Facebook</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/KatecBowler">X</a> (formerly known as Twitter)&mdash;@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.
This episode originally aired October 2024.

Listen Again: Living with the End in Mind with Kathryn Mannix

Does life ever feel like an endless to-do list? Like if you could just wake up tomorrow with a little more discipline, you’d finally master your schedule, achieve balance, and feel…enough? 

On today's episode, Oliver Burkeman (bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals) and Kate unravel some of the beautiful lies we cling to about time and control, the fantasy of hyper-efficiency, and what it might look like to embrace the limits that make us who we are. 

In this conversation, Kate and Oliver discuss: 


Some of the most common self-help myths that stand in our way


Why the relentless pursuit of self-improvement often leaves us feeling empty, anxious, and overwhelmed. 


How embracing our limits can lead to more contentment

This is a conversation about limits—not as something to overcome, but as a doorway to something richer, deeper, and (dare I say) more human.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also love: 


Katie Couric on The Courage to Try (and Wisdom to Know When to Let Go)


Susan David on Toxic Positivity


Samantha Irby on Doing My Best (Life Now)


Elizabeth Gilbert  on Why Your Creativity Matters

Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here.

Subscribe to Kate’s Substack for blessings, essays, and reflections that hold what’s hard and beautiful. 

This episode originally aired December 2024.

Does life ever feel like an endless to-do list? Like if you could just wake up tomorrow with a little more discipline, you&rsquo;d finally master your schedule, achieve balance, and feel&hellip;enough?&nbsp;
On today's episode, Oliver Burkeman (bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals) and Kate unravel some of the beautiful lies we cling to about time and control, the fantasy of hyper-efficiency, and what it might look like to embrace the limits that make us who we are.&nbsp;
In this conversation, Kate and Oliver discuss:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
Some of the most common self-help myths that stand in our way
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
Why the relentless pursuit of self-improvement often leaves us feeling empty, anxious, and overwhelmed.&nbsp;
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
How embracing our limits can lead to more contentment
</li>
</ul>
This is a conversation about limits&mdash;not as something to overcome, but as a doorway to something richer, deeper, and (dare I say) more human.
If you liked this episode, you&rsquo;ll also love:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/katie-couric-the-courage-to-try-and-wisdom-to-know-when-to-let-go/">Katie Couric</a> on The Courage to Try (and Wisdom to Know When to Let Go)
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=kate+bowler+Susan+David&amp;sca_esv=076c6e27218f3cb7&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS985US985&amp;ei=KBhXZ5rhOJa5wN4P4dW6mAY&amp;ved=0ahUKEwialZqji5uKAxWWHNAFHeGqDmMQ4dUDCA8&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=kate+bowler+Susan+David&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiF2thdGUgYm93bGVyIFN1c2FuIERhdmlkMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAFIswNQwgFYwgFwAXgAkAEAmAF6oAF6qgEDMC4xuAEDyAEA-AEC-AEBmAICoAKFAcICDhAAGIAEGLADGIYDGIoFwgILEAAYsAMYogQYiQXCAgsQABiABBiwAxiiBJgDAIgGAZAGBpIHAzEuMaAHzAM&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp#:~:text=Search%20Results-,Toxic%20Positivity,https%3A//katebowler.com%20%E2%80%BA%20Podcasts,-Meet%20Dr%20Susan">Susan David</a> on Toxic Positivity
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/samantha-irby-im-doing-my-best-life-now/">Samantha Irby</a> on Doing My Best (Life Now)
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/why-your-creativity-matters/">Elizabeth Gilbert </a> on Why Your Creativity Matters
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by <a href="https://katebowler.com/podcasts/new-year-same-me/">clicking here</a>.
<a href="https://katebowler.substack.com/" data-start="2069" data-end="2132">Subscribe to Kate&rsquo;s Substack</a> for blessings, essays, and reflections that hold what&rsquo;s hard and beautiful.&nbsp;
This episode originally aired December 2024.

Jenna Bush Hager: Get in the Game

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