Shifting away from negative emotional patterns can directly benefit your health, says practicing cardiologist Mimi Guarneri, M.D., medical director at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. Anger, for instance, floods the system with stress hormones that suppress the immune system, raise blood pressure, create arrhythmia, and even increase the risk of cancer.

Changing your ways isn’t simple. “The hardest journey to make is the 18 inches from your head to your heart,” notes Gaurneri. But it’s easier when you let gratitude be your guide. “Every night before bed, list 10 things that you have to be thankful for,” she says. “You’ll quickly realize that though your life is not perfect, you have a lot. And you’ll gain a real sense of wellness.”