By: Alana Hayes on April 23, 2023
Max Weber’s work The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism was published in 1905. Weber investigates the relationship between religious ideals and economic development in Western Europe in his book. He believed that Calvinism, with its focus on hard work, delayed gratification, and worldly success, played a significant role in the creation of modern…
By: Alana Hayes on April 23, 2023
Hans Rosling’s book Factfulness takes us on a journey to discover how our world works. He believes that individuals are drawn to tales and headlines that focus on the negative when there is far more positive news in the world than we realize. Rosling invites readers to abandon knee-jerk emotions based on fear, shame, or anger…
By: Audrey Robinson on April 20, 2023
My goal in writing this essay is to provide a different lens on unresolved posttraumatic experiences and how these experiences are a lurking crisis in our society. The first section is a high-level overview of Van Der Kolk’s book. The following section is a personal account of a lived traumatic experience. And lastly, is a…
By: Alana Hayes on April 18, 2023
“We must learn how to turn off our intense reactions and regain control of ourselves so that we can process painful memories without being overwhelmed.” (1) Many of us have been through trauma in our lives, whether as a result of an accident, a crisis, or a traumatic encounter. So what happens once the trauma…
By: Michael O'Neill on April 14, 2023
The Body Keeps the Score The Body Keeps the Score, written by Bessel van der Kolk, MD, is a groundbreaking work on trauma and its lasting effects on individuals throughout their lives. It sheds light on how traumatic experiences can cause physical, emotional, and neurological disturbances that are often deep-seated and complex to untangle. This…
By: Michael O'Neill on April 10, 2023
I was unexpectedly motivated this week by Daniel Nettle’s book, Personality. Psychology in general has never excited me and I negatively anticipated an Enneagram-style survey of some kind that was going to inaccurately “define me,” or accurately define me but I may disagree. I have completed various assessments in the past but find they tend…
By: Audrey Robinson on April 9, 2023
As I read the book and pursued other research on the personality topic, the most influential quote that summarizes the essence of our physical and mental state and how we are wired is Psalm 139:13-16 NLT. 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.…
By: Alana Hayes on April 4, 2023
It’s not easy to navigate the murky waters of personality because the reality is that people are messy. We are all imperfect humans trying to make sense of a very convoluted world. People also vary greatly in their characteristics, behaviors, and life experiences which allows for actions and reactions to be shown or expressed differently.…
By: Alana Hayes on April 2, 2023
When I was a little girl I would create maps of our farmland with old napkins left in the truck and designate places that had an important value to me as a child. Whether it be the best spot to dig for worms, the place that denoted a dreaded snake hole, or even an x…
By: Alana Hayes on April 2, 2023
Gendered stereotypes tend to have an innocent until proven guilty vibe and they make me very tired. Let’s start with the line boys are better than girls at sports. My daughter and I would tell you differently. Although her and I’s chosen sports differ.. here are two examples to debunk that awful line with us…
By: Alana Hayes on April 2, 2023
Have you ever wondered what makes that leader different? Why did they stand out among the world? What risks were they able to take than others around them and why? When reading his book for the second time I couldn’t help but compare everything my husband and I have gone through within starting our own…
By: Alana Hayes on April 2, 2023
Peter G. Northouse’s book “Leadership – Theory and Practice” is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and robust publications on leadership. It presents an overview of many leadership theories, approaches, and views while highlighting the importance of situational context in successful leadership. The book examines power and influence, motivation, communication, decision-making, conflict resolution,…
By: Alana Hayes on March 31, 2023
Stephen King’s book “On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft” is both a book on his writing craft and a personal account of his long career as a master storyteller. The author takes readers on an intimate journey through his writing problems, creative process, and insights into being a successful writer in today’s competitive…
By: Alana Hayes on March 31, 2023
Although geological knowledge and technical expertise are needed for gold mining, a different sort of prospecting is required for the mining of leaders. Coaching is essential for turning an individual into a strong leader. However there are some other keys such as time, patience, and a willingness to experiment with new methods. “We sometimes judge…
By: Alana Hayes on March 31, 2023
Um, hello body…. This is your captain speaking… is your transmitter that’s regulating all of your body’s dopamine levels turned on? While I appreciated your initial interest and motivation – I wonder if you have maybe taken on too much. This is the conversation that I wanted to have with my body after reading this…
By: Michael O'Neill on March 30, 2023
Consuming Religion Consuming Religion, Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture by David Miller is an insightful look at how consumer culture has affected religious beliefs and practices over the past century. Miller uses economic justice, environmental ethics, and postmodern theory, among other things, to show how much consumerism has taken over our lives.…
By: Audrey Robinson on March 30, 2023
Peter G. Northouse, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus of Communication in the School of Communication at Western Michigan University. Northouse has spent over 30 years teaching leadership. His book, Leadership: Theory and Practice, is the world’s best-selling academic textbook on leadership.[1] Once you open the book and start to review the table of contents, you…
By: Alana Hayes on March 26, 2023
Vincent Miller reveals how consumerist ideas have crept into our religious activities, by putting more of an emphasis on consumerism than on a deep spiritual connection. This commercialization of religion has the potential to be detrimental. Miller states that people must give up the materialistic ideals embedded in their beliefs if they are to completely…
By: Audrey Robinson on March 24, 2023
Us versus Them Vincent Miller’s work in Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture is not an ‘Us’ (Christianity) versus ‘Them’ (Consumerism) read. Instead, Miller has taken a unique approach that provides the reader with a description of ‘Them,’ i.e., consumerism and all its tentacles in culture, and insights into how the Church…
By: Daron George on March 19, 2023
Introduction: “Leadership: Theory and Practice” by Peter G. Northouse is a seminal work in the field of leadership studies. The book provides a comprehensive overview of various leadership theories and practices, offering readers an in-depth understanding of the complexities involved in effective leadership. My review aims to evaluate the book’s strengths and weaknesses and highlight…
