An expanded mindful mindset: The role of different skills in stress reduction and life satisfaction

• Published in: The Journal of consumer affairs Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 821 - 847
• Main Authors: Bahl, Shalini, Milne, George R., Swani, Kunal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01-07-2023; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Compassion; Consumers; Energy; Life satisfaction; mindful mindset; mindfulness; mindfulness skills; Skills; Structural equation modeling
• ISSN: 0022-0078; 1745-6606
• DOI: 10.1111/joca.12509

Mindsets brought to the marketplace by consumers determine the decisions they make and, ultimately, their well‐being. Mindsets based on a comprehensive set of mindfulness skills can provide a broader lens to understanding life's varied situations to make better choices. Considering research on mindfulness and Buddhist psychology, this study introduced an expanded mindful mindset comprising nine mindfulness skills: awareness, compassion for others, self‐compassion, curiosity, energy, gratitude, inner calm, focus, and discernment. A national online survey, along with structural equation modeling, was conducted to examine differences in the narrower and expanded mindful mindsets and the relative contribution of the nine mindfulness skills to address stress and life satisfaction. The study found that a different set of mindfulness skills was required for life satisfaction and stress‐reduction. Energy had the greatest impact on life satisfaction, and self‐compassion had the greatest impact on stress reduction. Finally, the implications of an expanded mindful mindset were discussed.