Kate Bowler on Memento Mori and Falling in Love with Fate | This Decision—This Process—Will Change Your Life

Oct 6, 2021

In this engaging conversation, Kate Bowler, a New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor, shares insights from her personal battle with Stage IV cancer. She discusses the razor-thin line between hope and fear and how the prospect of death sharpens our focus on what truly matters. Bowler emphasizes the power of stillness, resilience during tough times, and the emotional complexities of navigating the healthcare system. Through her reflections, she invites listeners to embrace uncertainty and find meaning amidst life's challenges.

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ANECDOTE

Accepting Bad Luck

Kate Bowler shares her experience of being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.
She discusses the search for a reason and the eventual acceptance of bad luck.

INSIGHT

The Illusion of Reason

Kate Bowler distinguishes between "bad luck" and "everything happens for a reason."
The latter implies a closed universe with predetermined outcomes.

INSIGHT

The Danger of Clichés

Clichés offer comfort but hinder action by masking underlying problems.
Accepting that bad things can happen randomly motivates positive change.

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Ryan reads today’s meditation and talks to author and professor Kate Bowler about her recent book Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved, her battle after being unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, the similarities between hope and fear, the importance of stillness, how the prospect of death concentrates the mind, and more.

Kate Bowler, PhD is a New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and a professor at Duke University. She studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, which received widespread media attention and a lot of puns about being #blessed.

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