Gratitude Archives

How A Gratitude List Will Make You Happier

When you hear the research about gratitude and how making a gratitude list improves your health, makes you feel more connected to others, and lifts your mood – are you skeptical?

How are you going to feel better just by making a list?

And do those psychologists actually think that this Pollyanna-attitude-thing is going to help when you’re really feeling crappy?

It may sound too good to be true, but I’m here to tell you it’s not.

Gratitude increases happiness and is a great antidote to many things, including anger and bitterness (read this post I wrote to learn more about […]

2021-08-27T04:13:35+00:00By Erin Olivo|Be Happier, Wise Mind Living, Gratitude|Comments Off

7 Tips to Bring Positivity Into Your Life

Every day has something positive in it. Some days you just have to look a little harder. Here are seven things you can do to bring positivity and happiness into your life.

Write in a gratitude journal every day.

Make sure to be specific! A number of studies have found gratitude to be linked with positive emotions, and overall well-being and life satisfaction. And writing in your journal every day will help it to become a habit.

Listen to music that sounds the way you want to feel.

Research has shown that music activates the region of the brain that releases […]

2021-08-27T04:13:35+00:00By Erin Olivo|Be Happier, Wise Mind Living, Gratitude|Comments Off

Give Yourself Some Love This Valentine’s Day

I was making Valentine’s cards with my 5-year-old son, and as he was counting to make sure there was a card for each kid in the class, he casually said, “Oh wait, I need to make one for myself!”

This got me thinking about how infrequently we stop to offer ourselves love and appreciation. In fact, all too often we do the exact opposite and beat ourselves up and put ourselves down.

So this Valentine’s Day, I suggest you take the sage advice of a child and start giving yourself some love and appreciation on a regular basis. Here are […]

2021-08-27T04:13:36+00:00By Erin Olivo|Feel Better About Yourself, Wise Mind Living, Gratitude|Comments Off

4 Ways to Help Relieve Anxiety and Stress During the Holidays

I love the excitement of the holidays, but I know it’s also a time when many people are dealing with more stress and anxiety than usual.

If you’re feeling frazzled, I’m here to help with some easy-to-incorporate tips that will help relieve anxiety, stress and the blues.

A mindfulness practice is one of the best ways to relieve anxiety and stress, but you might find it hard to fit into your schedule right now—exactly when you need it most. I recently wrote a post for The Guardian with two simple mindful meditation exercises that you can […]

2021-08-27T04:13:36+00:00By Erin Olivo|Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief, Gratitude|Comments Off

The Best Ways to Cope With Negativity

Have you ever had one of those days where your exposure to negativity is overwhelming?

I had one this week. After a long day at the office, I turned on the evening news and heard about the shooting in Ottawa, the ongoing fear of the Ebola virus, and the continuing ISIS attacks.

Whew – sometimes it feels like the world is going crazy!

It’s hard to not let the negatives around us become negatives inside us. But you don’t have to let the bad news ruin your day or make you anxious.

Here are three tips to help you shake off the […]

2021-08-27T04:13:39+00:00By Erin Olivo|Be Happier, Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief, Gratitude, Acceptance|Comments Off

Happiness is a Choice

I often tell my patients that happiness is a choice—it doesn’t just happen to some people and not happen to others.

Then I tell them about the difference between people who are happy and people who are unhappy. It has nothing to do with how much good stuff or bad stuff is going on in their lives.

At this point, I often get some push back or rolling of the eyes. You might even be rolling your eyes right now.

But I’m here to tell you it’s true, happiness really is a choice. It’s about how you choose to view your […]

2021-08-27T04:13:40+00:00By Erin Olivo|Be Happier, Wise Mind Living, Gratitude|Comments Off