Insights & Inspiration
Explore thought-provoking articles and expert advice on mental health, wellness, and personal growth. Stay informed, inspired, and connected on your journey to well-being.
The Zen Life – #6
by Deb Majewski, EdD, LCPC
Hi! Welcome back to The Zen Life. In this issue we’ll discuss the fifth and final component of the Creative Domain of Wellness which is Occupation and Vocation where we explore the difference between the two and how this impacts wellness and Self-care.
Work is the general term that encompasses the words job, occupation, vocation, or any type of task that is performed, paid or unpaid. An occupation with regards to work is defined as the work or job that you do. A job is typically a position a person occupies for compensation 1 . The person may or may not enjoy what they are doing but are motivated to do the job in order to get the pay. A vocation on the other hand, is a strong sense of desire or suitability to perform a certain job. 1 Many people talk about their vocation as a calling that has great meaning for them even though it may or may not have substantial financial rewards. Some people know …Read More
Deb Majewski
Introducing the fourth installment of “The Zen Life“, a blog series dedicated to finding balance and inner peace. In this new post, “The Creative Domain: Occupation/Vocation” we explore the importance of your job and how it affects your wellness.
Deb Majewski
Introducing “The Zen Life”, a blog series focused on finding balance and inner peace. Our next entry, “The Creative Domain: Control,“ discusses how we view and manage control and how it affects us.
The Zen Life – #5
by Deb Majewski, EdD, LCPC
Hi! Welcome back to The Zen Life. In this issue we’ll discuss the fourth component of the Creative Domain of Wellness which is how the ways we conceptualize and manage control in our lives affects our overall wellbeing.
Control is a broad term. The dictionary references the ability to exercise restraint or direct influence over someone
or something or to check, test, or verify something, such as in an experiment.3 With regards to wellness and self-care the first definition is more applicable.
As humans we experience anxiety when we feel we can’t control ourselves, others, or our environment. If we’re afraid our child will engage in activity at a party that we won’t approve of and can’t control, we will worry and may try to control the child. If we believe we are being treated unfairly, we may attempt to try to control the environment or others to take back control of how …Read More
The Zen Life – #4
by Deb Majewski, EdD, LCPC
Tired of Being Tired? Everything You Need to Know About Wellness and Self-Care.
Hi! Welcome back to The Zen Life. In this issue we’ll discuss the third component of the Creative Domain of Wellness which is how Humor/Optimism and Pessimism affect our overall wellbeing.
“Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection.” – Jakob Smirnoff
“We don’t laugh because we’re happy – we’re happy because we laugh.” – William James
You’ve probably heard it said that “laughter is the best medicine” and that isn’t far from the truth. Surprisingly however, there has been little research until recently to substantiate the benefits of humor, laughter, and general optimism toward a general positive state of well-being. …Read More
Deb Majewski
Introducing the fourth installment of “The Zen Life“, a blog series dedicated to finding balance and inner peace. In this new post, “The Creative Domain: Humor/Optimism and Pessimism.” we explore the importance of humor and how it can help people in different ways.
Deb Majewski
Introducing “The Zen Life”, a blog series focused on finding balance and inner peace. Our next entry, “The Creative Domain: Emotional Wellness,“ discusses what emptions are, at their core.
The Zen Life – #3
by Deb Majewski, EdD, LCPC
Tired of Being Tired? Everything You Need to Know About Wellness and Self-Care.
The Creative Domain: Emotional Wellness.
Hi! Welcome back to The Zen Life. In this issue we’ll discuss the second component of
the Creative Domain of Wellness which is Emotional Wellness.
What are emotions? At their core, they are simply neurobiological activity that serves the
purpose of communicating our needs to others. What’s really important about emotional
wellness is the ability to not only understand and articulate our emotions, but also to effectively
manage them.
How people communicate and manage their emotions depends in large part on the environment
they were raised in. Many families encourage the sharing of emotions and are very open and
encourage the sharing of feelings with each other. …Read More
The Zen Life – #2
by Deb Majewski, EdD, LCPC
Tired of Being Tired? Everything You Need to Know About Wellness and Self-Care.
Hi! Welcome back to The Zen Life. In this issue we’ll discuss the first component of the Creative Domain of Wellness which is the way we think.
Thinking consists of two main functions as it relates to wellness: Intellectual functioning and Cognitive functioning. They are similar and both related to brain processes but are different in many important ways.
Let’s look at intellectual wellness first. The easiest way to think about this area is “use it or lose it.” This relates to the idea that keeping your mind active keeps it healthy. The following short YouTube video references college students but is applicable to anyone.
Intellectual wellness relates to ongoing growth and curiosity over the entire lifetime. Engaging in activities such as keeping abreast of current events, reading, engaging in creative endeavors, doing puzzles, and any kind of learning increases critical thinking skills. Did you know that the average person makes over 35,000 conscious decisions per day?! As humans, we are prone to bias, distorted and irrational thinking which can skew these critical choices. Thinking critically allows us to consider pros and cons, compare facts, consider others’ points of view, engage in active listening, and utilize creativity in our thought processes. …Read More
Deb Majewski
Introducing the second installment of “The Zen Life“, a blog series dedicated to finding balance and inner peace. In this new post, “The Creative Domain: Thinking. Intellectual and Cognitive Wellness” we explore the importance of nurturing your mind and enhancing cognitive well-being.
Deb Majewski
Introducing “The Zen Life”, a blog series focused on finding balance and inner peace. Our first entry, “Tired of Being Tired,” offers self-care tips to help you recharge and prioritize your well-being.
The Zen Life – #1
by Deb Majewski, EdD, LCPC
Tired of Being Tired? Everything You Need to Know About Wellness and Self-Care.
What is self-care?
We love the idea of self-care. It brings forth images of spa days, practicing deep breathing, sitting
cross legged while watching a beautiful sunset, or journaling. These are of course, all great avenues to
achieve self-care, but possessing useful and accurate information can take you further than you may
have imagined in applying this valuable and necessary concept to your life.
Self-care comes from the concept of wellness which is defined as “the quality or state of being in good
health especially as an actively sought goal.” Wellness can perhaps best be understood if separated into
various areas of our lives including but not limited to our social lives, our spiritual selves, our financial
and/or occupational situations, our relationship with the environment, our emotional state, our
physical selves, our sense of personal identity and how that relates to others around us, and our sense
of self-worth. …Read More