Abstract
An abundance of research has examined emotional reactivity to daily stressors, but less is known about emotional responsiveness to daily positive events and self-regulatory factors that predict these emotional dynamics. This study examined whether mindfulness and effortful control were related to daily levels of and variability in well-being and emotional reactivity and responsive to daily stressors and positive events. Data were drawn from individuals in midlife (ages 40–65) who completed daily assessments for 30 days. Greater mindfulness and effortful control was associated with reporting higher levels of and less variability in daily well-being. Lower mindfulness and effortful control was linked to stronger increases in well-being on days when a positive event was experienced. Mindfulness and effortful control were not associated with emotional reactivity to daily stressors. Our findings highlight the value of considering self-regulatory factors when studying the dynamics of everyday life and their potential long-term implications for healthy aging.