Emma Cartisano

almost forgot that this was the whole point… jk, no I didn’t. spoiler alert: it’s about the people. loving, being loved, hurting, healing—all of it. today marks 5 years of living in Texas. FIVE years. half a decade. wow. scrolling through 5 years of photos brought back memories. hope. anticipation. excitement. anger. doubt. frustration. joy. gratitude. celebration. this reel holds it all: highs, lows, and everything in between. and here’s the beautiful dichotomy of it all: would I do this all again? nope. hard pass. do I have any regrets? mostly, no. yes, I grieve the losses. and at the same time, I hold the joy of the person I’ve become. here’s what it’s all about: • loving fiercely + losing big • falling down + getting back up • dreaming big + doing it scared • chasing dreams + grieving losses • saying yes to unexpected adventure • opening your heart to new (incredible) people • allowing the Holy Spirit to refine the deepest part of your soul • cheering on friends as they chase their dreams it’s not about the finish lines. it’s about the journey—celebrating what’s good + beautiful + true in all the ups + downs of life. it’s about the quiet, behind-the-scenes grind—putting in the gritty work every day. it’s about being + becoming—savoring every moment, from the mundane to the spectacular. it’s about learning the rhythms that restore your soul and sustain you in the work you were brilliantly created to do. what a privilege to do life with other humans. it’s messy + it’s beautiful. what a gift to be the one who stays—the one who welcomes the newcomer and then throws her the best farewell party a few years later. what an honor to travel the hard road and then make it a little easier for the girl who comes after you. they say it takes 3 years to really feel at home in a place—to find your people and build your rhythms. 5 years + counting, and I am glad I stayed. Waco made me into the person I am today, and I couldn’t be more grateful. thanks for a hard + wonderful 5 years, Wacotown. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. here’s to another year of love + loss, growth + grace, and choosing wholeheartedness every step of the way. soli deo gloria

Y’all asked for the tweet that went viral, so here ya go [with minor edits]! A few thoughts to add based on twitter feedback: • my target audience is grad students but almost anyone can apply the tips for addressing burnout! • meditation is another strategy that has been shown to reverse some of the effects of burnout in the brain. • my tips are targeted towards individual coping mechanisms, but I KNOW burnout is a systemic problem. The goal here is to help you in the moment while we continue the long-term work of systemic reform. • I have references, and you can find them in my blog post once I publish it this weekend. • BURNOUT IS NOT FOREVER. but just like it took months or years to get to this place, it’ll take time and intentional practice to recover. There’s a surprising amount of solidarity around this topic, so I encourage you to open up to a close friend (or me!) if you’re feeling burnt out. You’ll feel a little less burdened, and together we’ll continue breaking down the stigma and shame around burnout. It’s a systemic issue, and we need to shine light on the causes and effects of burnout, especially in academia. Don’t hide in shame or embarrassment. Burnout isn’t your fault. And most importantly, I’m honored and humbled that God used my speaking up to encourage y’all. He gets the glory here. I’m rooting for you and praying daily and cheering you on!

I’m still soaking in everything about race day and the last 6 months, and it’ll probably be a while before I have words. but for now, I’ll say that Sunday was one of the most incredible days of my life. PURE JOY. an absolute CELEBRATION of people, place, and God. of healing, redemption, and possibility. of renewed purpose + hope. I fought HARD to get to the start line, shattering lies about myself + my ability with every training session. I had to learn to trust my coach + my teammates as I ventured into the scary unknown of pursuing my dream. it took time, but I got there, and I learned how to have fun in the learning + failing + trying again + succeeding. and then race day was so much better than my wildest dreams. I just had SO MUCH FUN!! each leg was a celebration of all the hard work I put in—going from a newbie to beyond capable. yes, I absolutely CRUSHED my goals, but that’s not what the day was about. it’s just a sweet little bonus! instead, I spent the hours reflecting on just how cool it was that my body was doing things it couldn’t do 6 months earlier. I soaked it all in—the sights, the other athletes, the strength it takes. I expected to cross the finish line in happy tears, but those came earlier in the race—particularly when I was having a blast biking. it was the sweetest surprise given how much I had to work to learn to like riding. nope, just the biggest grin as I bolted past another athlete in the finishing chute (I couldn’t have him blocking my finisher pic, ha). and then the support! seeing friends + family ALL over the course was an unexpectedly beautiful reminder of how God answers prayers. for community. for healing. for hope. I’m still very much riding the race day high, and I’m SO eager to see what else my body can do! but for now, I’m reveling in the wonder of what’s possible when opportunity + hard work come together. I will forever cherish #TEAMWaco and my first 70.3. thanks to ALL who made it possible! soli deo gloria

This Saturday at 8am, meet us at Heritage Square as we do a pre-run of the Badass Texas 10k route. We’re going to be joined by Run Project race ambassador @emmcart and handing out some goodies for everyone who comes out, so bring a friend and let’s go run!

April photo dump! no words, no lessons to share. hard + good. isn’t that what all of life is? grateful for my people. stay tuned for May 😊

today I got to run my very favorite race—the one I make a point of running every year (except last year when I broke my toe 2 days before 🤦🏻‍♀️)! this race is reminder of why I love Waco—the community, the people, the good work happening in my town. it’s a display of my research in action: how attachment to a place grows over time + repeatedly showing up, and how that attachment leads to mutual flourishing. it wasn’t the fitness day of my dreams, but that also wasn’t my goal this year. I just wanted to show up for my people + a good cause. there’s time enough to continue healing my brain + body. maybe next year I PR?? 👀 anyway, I hope y’all get to experience moments like this in the communities you’ve chosen to call home ☺️ *yes there are bonus pics at the end of the puppies I cuddled at the farmers market after @mission_waco Race ONE—the best in town!

catch me in my happy place 😊

Easter 2026 ☺️

March photo dump! March started ROUGH and I was not even close to a good version of myself by the time spring break hit. but spring break was SO good for my soul! it came at just the right time to get a little bit of distance from all the grief Waco held. as much as March was a month of grief + despair, it was also a month of affirmation as I got to try out some things that I hope + pray will be a part of my career—and found out that I THRIVED. I don’t have lessons to share (still in the discerning), but some highs: • 7 talks • my first conference acceptance • 3rd place in a puzzle comp • travel + seeing family • networking / dreaming of collaborations • visiting SO many chapels + FM72 • Olive cuddles as I was journaling a few weeks ago, I realized that I unintentionally memorized Psalm 13 in the midst of all my lamenting. it starts, “how long, Lord? will you forget me forever?” and then this week, I was studying Lamentations for one of three upcoming talks on celebration. and smack in the middle, Lam 3:31 says, “for the Lord will not reject forever?” what a word for my soul, for all of our souls 😭 anyway, I’m still not the best version of Emma going into April. but as I’m working these talks about celebration, I’m reminded that joy is a gift—just because we’re God’s image bearers. so that is why we celebrate. whether we feel forgotten or rejected or we’re walking in the days of promises fulfilled, we get to celebrate the gifts of life, of knowing Jesus, of sunny days, of all the things that make our hearts sing. join me in (re)learning how to celebrate when life is hard? sdg PS - this month, I also included some pics of recent reads! I’m already at 30 books for the year ☺️ and I love book buddies!

February photo dump (on time this month!) this was a hard month in a lot of ways. so much stress. so much exhaustion. so much grief. so. much. grief. AND SO MUCH affirmation of my calling, my worth, and my community. I said to a colleague last week, “I’m so sad that you’re seeing one of the worst versions of Emma.” and she responded, “but also, it’s such a gift that we get to walk with you through healing and rediscovering yourself!” 😭 my lessons this month: • I might not be able to advocate for myself, but I’m so lucky to have people in my corner who will. • healing takes time. I’m not the most patient. but so far, there is still grace for me. • with the right supports + expectations, I can do scary things + live into more of my fullest self 🥹 • honestly, sometimes the world really is just unfair, no matter how much we advocate for better. that’s just the reality of a broken creation. I’m entering March utterly exhausted, on the brink of burning out (if I’m not already there). but I’ll still keep investing in my dissertation, my job, and my community—because it’s a joy to be called to do hard but good work. AND… God promises restoration (one day). soli deo gloria

come make a valentine card with me on a letterpress from 1870! what an INCREDIBLE resource we have at Baylor with the @baylorbookarts letterpress lab! the team is great. the facility is top notch. the creativity is unmatched. and since part of my job is literally to BE creative (hi faith + arts chapel), I will for sure be back! thanks for the experience! (shoutout to Jeanne!) #letterpresslove #baylorcreative #madebyhand #processoverproduct #campusmoments

just wanted to document that today marks 6 months at my job, and I’m eternally grateful! mental, physical, and emotional healing. dreaming, daring, and doing. my team is the BEST as they support me and invite me to do the same for them. there’s so much good here, and I can’t wait for what else is to come.