OK. I am a contrarian. What if there is little good in your life? Should you be grateful for Charlie Parker (mentioned in the article)? Really, what do I care about heroin addict Charlie Parker?
In the same mold, I’m grateful for Mick Jagger, and I have no reason to suspect it wasn’t he hisself, sending me Happy Thanksgiving greeting on Fakebook. But what does such gratefulloness mean?! Nothing as far as I can see.
As the article says, be grateful for your breath. Be grateful for what you have, however little it may be. The best way to have more is to begin by being grateful for what you have. Focus on abundance, not on lack.
To be grateful is to notice what you have...water that magically comes from the tap, lights that turn on, a car that works, a nice meal, rather than to only notice what is missing, such as noticing only when the plumbing is broken, the electricity goes out, the car is on the fritz. A very good book about this is NAIKKAN.
Even if there is little good in your life, there is something. You’re alive. You have clothes on your back. There is something to be grateful for — always. Start there.