Andrewtix
MY BLOGS
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The Quest for a Good Life
http://thequestforagoodlife.wordpress.com/
For the past 20 years, at least, I have dedicated myself to living a good life. This blog primarily is devoted to my reflections regarding this quest, and draws upon my Christian faith, knowledge of psychological science, and personal experiences. Topics vary, but include religion/spirituality, culture, happiness, relationships, work, and leisure.
LATEST ARTICLES ( 178 )
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Advent, 2020
In the Christian calander, Advent refers to the four Sundays and weeks leading up to the celebration of Christmas. In Latin, Advent means “coming,” and this... Read more
Posted on 04 December 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Do Young Adults Need Their Godparents?
As more and more people read this blog, I get increasingly asked by others if they can write a guest post. I have almost always declined, but this post below... Read more
Posted on 01 December 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Becoming an Instrument of Peace
Last week, I stumbled upon an opportunity to join a Zoom book club in South Africa in which famed Yale theologian, Miroslav Volf, agreed to participate. Read more
Posted on 04 October 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
The Religious Language of Republicans and Democrats
Note: It’s my honor and joy that my former student, Whitney Harper, guest authored the post below. Whitney was a student of mine when I taught in Scotland in... Read more
Posted on 28 September 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
The Emotional Benefits of Sacred Moments
“The higher goal of spiritual living is not to amass a wealth of information, but to face sacred moments.” (Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel)***The year 2020 will g... Read more
Posted on 23 September 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
The Need for Sacred Moments
“The higher goal of spiritual living is not to amass a wealth of information, but to face sacred moments.” (Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel)***The year 2020 will g... Read more
Posted on 23 September 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
“Done” with Religion?
My core identity remains deeply Christian. However, after 48 years of attending church at least once per week (almost without exception, even during college),... Read more
Posted on 16 September 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
COVID-19 is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a process by which expectations elicit behaviors that ultimately confirm those expectations. For instance, many psychologists... Read more
Posted on 24 August 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Self-Fulfilling Pandemic
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a process by which expectations elicit behaviors that ultimately confirm those expectations. For instance, many psychologists... Read more
Posted on 24 August 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
On Living in the Age of COVID-19
For anyone who regularly reads this blog, you might remember me writing a post in March of this year about C. S. Lewis’s essay “On Living in an Atomic Age,” fro... Read more
Posted on 21 August 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Three Updates to Psychology Courses for Fall, 2020
According to the most recent data available, approximately 30% of American high school students take a course in Psychology. In addition, approximately 1.2-1. Read more
Posted on 26 July 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
The Stories We Tell Ourselves About Race
Like so many, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about race relations, particularly in my community. The death of George Floyd shocked so many of us, myself... Read more
Posted on 15 June 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
What If We’re Not Waging “War” Against COVID-19?
As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to increase in our region, I continue to think of this excellent article from Christian Century. Read more
Posted on 16 May 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Is Mental Health a Valid Reason to Not Socially Distance?
Even as public health experts and government authorities continue to advocate for physical distancing to minimize the spread of COVID-19, compliance appears to... Read more
Posted on 11 May 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Lessons from the Monks for the COVID-19 Pandemic
When people ask me how I’m doing in this time of “shelter-in-place,” I sometimes will make an attempt at humor and respond: “I’ve always thought I could have... Read more
Posted on 22 April 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
The Most Lonely and Isolated
Which of the following groups do you believe, in the last 7 days, have felt most lonely or isolated?-Those aged 18-29 -Those aged 30-49 -Those aged 50-64... Read more
Posted on 20 April 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Psychological Factors in School Success
“What enables a student to be a successful learner in school, while others struggle?,” I recently asked. As I said in a previous post, part of the answer may... Read more
Posted on 15 April 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Successful Learning at Home
What enables a student to be a successful learner in school, while others struggle? This question is being asked with renewed urgency, as many students work fro... Read more
Posted on 14 April 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
Holy Saturday
I have always loved what Christians historically call “holy week.” Part of this is because, as someone raised Catholic, I remember this week as the time in the... Read more
Posted on 11 April 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY -
The Science of Happiness During COVID-19
Yesterday, I participated in a webinar on “The Science of Happiness During Covid-19” (the discussion begins at 16:14 below). In this program, Marina... Read more
Posted on 08 April 2020 BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY