Mindfulness Meditation: Beyond Relaxation, How-To Guide

Experts explain how mindfulness can help you face difficult emotions and experiences with more acceptance and balance.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:42am

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Psychological scientists Yuval Hadash and J. David Creswell discuss their research on the benefits of mindfulness meditation, which goes beyond just relaxation. They explain how mindfulness can help people face difficult thoughts, emotions, and sensations with more acceptance, rather than trying to avoid or suppress them. Their studies show that developing an attitude of acceptance during mindfulness practice can reduce feelings of loneliness, increase positive emotions, and lower stress hormones.

Why it matters

Many people struggle to simply sit with their own thoughts and feelings, often turning to distractions like smartphones to avoid unpleasant internal experiences. However, avoiding difficult emotions can backfire and contribute to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Mindfulness offers an alternative approach, training people to face their experiences with more openness and acceptance.

The details

Mindfulness involves directing one's attention to the present moment, including bodily sensations, emotions, and thoughts, with an attitude of curiosity and acceptance. While mindfulness is often portrayed as a way to relax, the researchers have found that it can actually feel quite challenging, as it brings people into contact with experiences they normally try to push away. However, adopting an accepting attitude toward these difficult experiences is key to the benefits of mindfulness, which include reduced feelings of loneliness, increased positive emotions, and lower stress hormones.

  • The 2014 study referenced was conducted several years ago.
  • The researchers' own studies on the benefits of mindfulness and acceptance were conducted more recently.

The players

Yuval Hadash

A postdoctoral fellow in psychology at Carnegie Mellon University who studies mindfulness and its effects.

J. David Creswell

A professor of psychology and neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University who studies mindfulness meditation and its impact on stress, health, and well-being.

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What they’re saying

“Turning your attention inward can feel challenging. Often, it brings you into contact with experiences that you normally try to push away, such as feeling bored, uncomfortable or agitated.”

— Yuval Hadash, Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University

“Adopting an accepting attitude toward your experiences seems to drive many of the positive effects of mindfulness. Our research shows that developing the capacity for acceptance through mindfulness meditation can reduce feelings of loneliness and increase positive emotions, such as happiness.”

— J. David Creswell, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Carnegie Mellon University

What’s next

The researchers suggest that people interested in trying mindfulness should start by pausing and opening up to challenging experiences in their daily lives, even briefly, without trying to fix or distract from them. They note that meaningful change comes through consistent, ongoing practice, and that every small step matters.

The takeaway

Mindfulness offers an alternative to avoiding or suppressing difficult emotions and experiences. By learning to face these challenges with more acceptance and openness, people can develop greater emotional balance and well-being, rather than adding to their suffering through resistance or avoidance.