Wise Mind Living Archives

Why You Should Start Cultivating Mindfulness Now

Have you noticed how the term mindfulness is popping up everywhere?

It’s no longer just reserved for Buddhist retreats and Yoga Journal articles. How to practice mindfulness is the hot topic at the office for coping with stress, and the media can’t seem to get enough of it.

Time magazine’s cover story this week is on “The Mindful Revolution” and The Huffington Post has a “GPS for the Soul” section. A search on The New York Times comes up with almost 200 articles on mindfulness in the past year.

Mindfulness has clearly reached buzzworthy […]

2021-08-27T04:13:40+00:00By Erin Olivo|Live Mindfully, Wise Mind Living, Meditation|Comments Off

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly: The Downside of Change

So how’s your New Year’s resolution going? Have you made it to the gym, quit smoking or stuck to your new diet plan?

If you’re like most people, you’ve already given up on your resolution by now. Am I right?

According to researchers at the University of Scranton, only eight percent of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions achieve their goal. (Read this post on how to make resolutions that last).

Not being realistic about the goals you set is one of the biggest mistakes people […]

2021-08-27T04:13:40+00:00By Erin Olivo|Feel Better About Yourself, Wise Mind Living, Managing Emotions, Acceptance|Comments Off

5 Wise Mind Ways to Manage Holiday Stress

The holidays are supposed to be fun, right?

But most people experience some level of holiday stress . This can be caused by the demands of shopping for gifts, attending social gatherings, and coping with the inevitable memories that are brought up by the holiday season.

Here are a five Wise Mind Living tips to help you cope with stressful situations during the holidays.

1. Set realistic expectations and keep things in perspective.

Most of us find ourselves faced with too much to do, too much to buy and not enough time or money for everything we think we […]

2021-08-27T04:13:40+00:00By Erin Olivo|Stress Less, Wise Mind Living, Forgiveness|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

Welcome to Wise Mind Living

Welcome to the Wise Mind Living blog. I’m Dr. Erin Olivo (Oh-leave-oh), a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University. I’m also a mother, daughter, wife, best friend, younger sister and New Yorker. Like you, I wear a lot of different hats throughout the day. I’ve been treating patients for more than 12-years, and during this time I’ve taught numerous adults and teenagers how to regulate their emotions, tolerate and manage stress, and achieve a more balanced approach to life that I call Wise Mind Living. But it’s not just my patients that need to learn this—everyone, including myself, needs to learn to live in Wise Mind!

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