There are many personal values which can provide an individual with a moral code to aid decision making and improve life. Gratitude is a value some people hold dear, while others are just discovering its benefits. Appreciating what you have and being grateful for the many gifts life offers rather than taking things for granted, can bring humility and increase feelings of love and satisfaction

Studies now reveal that having gratitude as a personal value can be beneficial in many other ways too. Professor of psychology, R Eammons discovered that gratitude can help strengthen the immune system, provide individuals with better sleep, and make them more forgiving and generous.

Eammons also found that gratitude can increase feelings of compassion and joy, enhancing an individuals relationships with people and contentment with life. They are likely to become more gracious, optimistic and outgoing as a result of recognizing the good aspects of their lives and being thankful for having them.

Gratitude is a value which can help heal emotions such as frustration, jealousy and discontent. Once individuals begin practicing the art of gratitude they can see the bright aspects life offers. Focusing on positivity helps good feelings to grow, and as individuals are better able to spot positive experiences and feelings, they help attract more to them.

One way to increase gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal in which you write all that you appreciate in life. You may include material goods, people, experiences or the kind and generous actions people make which affect you or others around you. Reflecting on happy events and positive occurrences can drive out negativity and leave less room for unhappiness and sadness.

When individuals are grateful in life their positive attitude reflects in the things they do and say, which in turn touches other people in a good way, helping them to begin to feel happier too. Leaving behind misery and self induced feelings of resentment and envy, can free individuals up to give and receive more love, and help improve their relationships with others.

Good things happen even on the darkest days of an individuals life. Being able to see them through despair, grief and stress can sometimes be hard. However, practicing the art of gratitude makes doing so more likely, and with greater intensity, and ease. When the gratitude ball starts rolling it gathers speed and volume, turning desperate times into opportunities to grow and learn, and joyful times into blissful occasions.

References,

http://www.organicsoul.org/the-essence-of-gratitude/