Posts on how to slow down and be present in the moment.
Is Calm Worth It? Calm App Review 2020
Picture this. It’s 2006, and 23-year-old me is a brand new graduate student. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, I was ready to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a psychologist. Even though I knew very little at this point, I had strong opinions about the type of psychologist I would …
Do You Really Need a Mindfulness App?
Several months ago, I was talking with one of my friends’ moms. We’d chatted months earlier about mindfulness, and after doing some research on her own, she was on board. She was ready to start practicing! But she acknowledged that the whole concept seemed a bit overwhelming. She acknowledged that …
The Technology Hack Your Brain is Begging You to Make
You may not even realize it, but your cell phone is hijacking your brain. I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Your phone steals your attention in all sorts of subtle ways. And this has surprising consequences for your mood, your relationships, and your productivity. So today, I’m sharing …
Does Meditation Cure Anxiety?
It seems like lately, meditation is everywhere. It’s being talked about in magazines, podcasts, and news articles. Athletes are doing it. Oprah’s on board. And there are literally hundreds of meditation apps in the app store. Even the guy in the cubicle next to you is practicing! It seems like …
Mind Wandering: The Unconscious Habit That’s Making You Unhappy
Did you know that, on average, humans spend 47 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they’re doing? That’s right. 47 percent of the time, you’re thinking about something other than what you’re actually doing. You’re in a meeting, thinking about the conversation you had last …
A Psychologist’s Apple Watch Review: Helpful or Harmful?
The results are in! My week-long experiment with the Apple watch is complete. I’ve got so many thoughts and reflections to share. If you didn’t see last week’s video, where I introduced my experiment, you can view that here. It highlights why I took on this challenge in the first …
A Psychologist Wears the Apple Watch for a Week. Is It a Mindfulness Killer?
I have a confession to make. And I’m afraid it’s either going to make me sound like a technology hater or a grumpy, old curmudgeon. I hate Apple watches. Okay okay, perhaps “hate” is too strong of a word, so let me rephrase that. I have some major concerns about …
What Mona Lisa Taught Me About Mindfulness
This past spring, Matt and I took a vacation to France, spending several days in Paris. The City of Light had been at the top of my travel bucket list for some time, and it was every bit as magical as I dreamed it would be. The picturesque streets, the …
Why Can’t I Clear My Mind? The Surprising Answer.
Ever wondered, “Why can’t I clear my mind?” Why can’t I get all the noise upstairs to just disappear? Learn the answer to this age-old question. Plus, learn what you can do about it! One of the most common questions I get when talking about anxiety, stress, and …
Join Me for a New Series: A Mindful Minute with Dr. Allison
If you’re a regular here, then you know how much I love mindfulness. Mindfulness has a ton of incredible benefits, yet so many people don’t practice it regularly. The biggest excuse I hear? “I don’t have time.” Well, it’s time to turn that excuse on its head, because it doesn’t …
