Mind Your Purpose: Intervening on Mindfulness to Promote Daily Levels of Purpose

In three studies, mindfulness was assessed as a candidate for promoting purpose in life through its effect on moods, stress and daily activities. Studies 1 and 2 provided evidence that purpose and mindfulness were strongly related but independent predictors of well-being using cross-sectional, online samples. Furthermore, the relationship between mindfulness and purpose was partially explained through moods and stress. In Study 3, a brief online mindfulness intervention versus positive affirmation control group design was implemented in 65 college and university students. Results of Study 3 demonstrated that daily purpose fluctuates as a function of mindfulness, daily moods, activities and stress. Across the three studies, mindfulness was positively related to purpose cross-sectionally and it influenced daily purpose above and beyond the effects of moods and stress. This series of studies provides an important contribution to the understanding of purpose in life and mindfulness and has broader implications for positive psychology interventions.