With the holidays right around the corner, you would think people would fall naturally into having more grace and attitude with everyone they encounter. However, thanks to the constant bombardment of negativity and stress in today’s world on top of the chaos of the holiday season, it’s easy to fall into a vicious cycle of feeling overwhelmed, hopeless and helpless. You might find yourself constantly in a state of self-pity or extreme stress. Here’s the key to having mind over matter. Mentally strong people take that self-pity and stress and exchange it for gratitude.