Gratitude can be used as a method for up-regulating all desires for what you already have while down-regulating desires for what you lack. It is an excellent strategy for countering the disappointment of failure by shifting emotional investment away from new gains and toward things that you already have, such as loved ones, achievements, or fortunate living conditions. Often the greatest barrier to serenity is too many desires for what we don’t possess and too few for what we do.
