HOPE PREVAILS

Optimism trumps mindfulness when things get tough, says the science

- by IAN TAYLOR

In the last decade or so, mindfulness has been one of the revelations in the science of wellness. Researchers have shown that meditative practice can lower stress, reduce blood pressure, improve sleep and promote good mood.

But there’s a but, because in science there’s almost always a but. Mindfulness doesn’t work for everyone and for some people, it can lead to adverse effects, such as increased anxiety or depression.

Which makes sense. Being present in the moment feels good when the moment in question is generally positive, or neutral. But if you happen to be going through a bad time, mindfulness can serve to increase awareness of your own emotions and exacerbate the psychological problems that come with them.

"I'm drowning here... And you're describing the water!" yells Jack Nicholson in the 1997 film As Good as it Gets. He was talking about his love life, but the sentiment holds for mindfulness, too.

So, when mindfulness means a mind full of negative emotions, what mental tools should we reach for instead?

Last year, an interesting study compared mindfulness with a different kind of positive mindset: hopefulness.