The holidays are a time when we often hear the words gratitude and thankfulness. What is gratitude really? By definition, it is the quality of being thankful and a tendency to show appreciation for what one has. Seems so simple when stated as a definition but it is not so easy in application. We live in a stressful world and it can be easy for our brains to latch on to the negative but research has shown that developing a habit of gratitude will make you happier and less stressed. Not only that, it can help children do better in school, create more positive action in a person’s daily life (such as exercising more) and help you thwart your biological adaptations that aren’t so helpful any longer.