Life is a whirlwind. We must contend with a relentless tide of stress that threatens to engulf us all. You may be motivated, determined and competent, but our universe is filled with trials, and our dreams and goals will not be handed to us on a silver platter.

How can we find the balance amidst the chaos?

Exercise, healthy eating, family time, talking with a close friend and connecting with your higher power are some ways to maintain equilibrium.

Gratitude is also a potent ally.

Enter the realm of The HeartMath Institute, an institution that has boldly ventured into the uncharted waters of human consciousness since its inception in 1991.

Years ago, I stumbled upon the intriguing works of Joe Dispenza, who spoke of HeartMath in his lectures. Since then, I’ve learned that some hospitals, businesses and schools, including all four military branches, have worked with HeartMath to help their personnel develop a sharper focus using HeartMath techniques.

With a repository of over a hundred research papers spanning over three decades, the HeartMath Institute has revolutionized our understanding of the heart-mind connection.

Remarkably, our hearts contain more than 40,000 neurons that engage in a dynamic dialogue with our brains. This fascinating discovery has led scientists to call this complex system the “Heart Brain.”

This breathes new life into the old adage, “Let your heart be your guide.”

By studying EKGs and brain scans of thousands of people, they’ve discovered that the heart’s rhythm changes when feeling different emotions.

Experiencing love, Gratitude, and joy results in what HeartMath calls “Heart Coherence,” as shown by EKGs, while negative emotions disrupt this harmony, leading to incoherence between heart and brain.

There is a phenomenon that athletes talk about called “Being in the zone.” “Being in the zone” embodies peak human performance. When you achieve heart coherence, it’s like being in the zone.

When we experience love, compassion, gratitude and other positive emotions, it facilitates harmony between the heart and the brain and helps us think clearly, finding solutions to our problems easier.

In contrast, incoherence invites stress, worry and indecision, reducing mental functioning and creating a foggy state of mind and decreased immunity.

How can we learn to practice heart coherence? There are several tools and methods that HeartMath teaches, but one simple and powerful method is the practice of gratitude.

Mother Teresa once beautifully expressed the power of gratitude, stating, “The best way to show my gratitude is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy.”

Gratitude lowers cortisol levels and increases serotonin and dopamine. When feeling gratitude, your brain releases immunoglobulin A, which strengthens your immune system by attacking invading pathogens and fighting infections.

Gratitude can instantly pull you out of a state of incoherence.

A 2015 study on heart failure patients found that having an “attitude of gratitude” led to improved mood, better sleep, less fatigue, lower inflammation and better cardiac-specific self-efficacy. This is a big deal because feeling down or not sleeping well can make things worse for people with heart issues. Helping these patients feel more grateful is a simple, low-cost way to make them feel better and even improve their health.

How can we practice gratitude? It’s simple. Look at everything with a grateful heart.