coming sept 18!

Maybe Life Hurts by Carol Bruess Inside cover
Maybe Lifer Hurts by Carol Bruess pastedown
Maybe Life Hurts by Carol Bruess inside excerpt
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Maybe Life hurts aesthetic cover by Carol Bruess

available Sept 18, 2026

pre-order now

Maybe Life Hurts is a book for people living through the complicated parts of being human. Through essays, poetry, letters, and art, it explores grief, love, faith, identity, and healing. Inspired by Cassandra Voss and the father-daughter relationship that continued to transform lives eveb after her death, it features work from bell hooks, bell’s sister Valeria Watkins, Cathy Wurzer, Patty Wetterling, Joan Steffend, and dozens of other wise writers and poets, each asking how we stay open to one another when life does not offer easy answers.

Visit book's website →
Carol Bruess typing on vintage typewriter candid.

I write where relationship science meets lived experience: in the spaces between intimacy and distance, grief and love, technology and attention, conflict and connection, friendship and loneliness, wondering and certainty. I write to help others navigate life, relationships, family, conflict, marriage, and the challenges of living well — and sometimes not — with others.

  • What Happy Couples Do by Carol Brues and Anna Kudak

    What Happy Couples Do

  • What Happy Parents Do by Carol Brues and Anna Kudak

    What Happy Parents Do

  • Book cover titled 'What Happy Women Do' with silhouettes of two women on a motorcycle and subtitle 'A Salute to Sisterhood and the Rituals that Sustain Us'. by Carol Bruess

    What Happy Women Do

  • Family Communication in the Age of Digital and Social Media Edited by Carol Bruess

    Family Communication in the Age of Digital & Social Media

  • Family Communication in the Age of Digital and Social Media Edited by Carol Bruess (Back of Book)

    Family Communication in Digital Age (back of book)

  • Contemporary Issues in Interpersonal Communication by Mark Orbe and Carol Bruess

    Contemporary Issues in Interpersonal Communication

Essays and articles for everyday readers

Writing for public platforms is where I unleash research, story, humor, vulnerability, and unanswered questions in service of helping fellow humans (& myself) navigate relationships. Below are a few of my favorite platforms for making contributions. 

Writing for Wit & Delight

Being invited by Wit & Delight founder Kate Arends to write about relationships for her expansive platform has brought me much joy. Kate launched Wit & Delight in 2009. Her North Star of the platform has always been “about cultivating a meaningful home life.” I said yes to becoming a regular contributing writer because relationships are our greatest sources meaning in life.

Wit and Delight: A Case for Becoming More Gentle in Your Life by Carol Bruess
Wit and Delight: How to Develop a Healthy Relationship with Regret
Wit & Delight: How to Nurture Your Relationship When You're in Close Quarters
Wit & Delight: How to Adapt Your Rituals in Times of Uncertainty by Carol Bruess
Wit & Delight: You Gotta Nourish to Flourish: An Interview With a Relationship Expert by Carol Bruess
Wit & Delight: Marriage Is Too Important to Take It Too Seriously by Carol Bruess
Wit & Delight: What a Simple Mantra Can Do for You by Carol Bruess
Wit & Delight: 6 of the Best Ways to Cultivate a Relationship That Lasts
Wit & Delight: How to Advocate for Your Needs in a Relationship by Carol Bruess
Wit & Delight: When to Leave a Relationship and How to Do It by Carol Bruess
Wit & Delight: 3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Relationship, Without Therapy by Carol Bruess

Writing for TED

Read all Carol's TED.com pieces →
Illustration of two women sitting on the pages of an open book, holding hands, with earphones connected to the book on a yellow background.
Digital illustration of a woman in purple pajamas sitting outdoors with a sunset and mountains in the background, holding a small glowing yellow bird. Four step-by-step panels show her gently holding and interacting with the bird, ending with her rel
An illustrated image shows two hands reaching out to hold each other against a blue background. Below it, there is text asking whether humans are lonely in their partnership or marriage, along with a short explanation about relationships and loneline
An illustrated infographic titled '6 Relationship Resolutions to Make This Year' depicting four scenes: a person taking a selfie, a couple kissing, a person waving from a bicycle, and a child being handed a heart-shaped craft. The text emphasizes mak
Top view of a man and woman working at desks with computers in a modern office, with a large window showing an outdoor view.