Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008 Barbara L. Fredrickson, Michael Cohn, Kimberly A. Coffey et al. 2,359 citations
Daily experiences of positive emotions can compound over time to build personal resources that enhance well-being. In a field experiment with 139 working adults, half were randomly assigned to practice loving-kindness meditation. This meditation increased daily positive emotions, which led to growth in mindfulness, purpose in life, social support, and fewer illness symptoms. These gains then predicted greater life satisfaction and reduced depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that loving-kindness meditation generates positive emotions in a way that counteracts the hedonic treadmill, making it an effective intervention for building psychological resources.