It's a way of life that goes beyond what's happening in the present moment. I learned this the hard way when I lost everything (yes, everything) and was left looking at my own demise.
When you stare death in the face, it isn't pleasant. Being grateful has to come from the heart. This isn't about just reading off affirmations. It's the feeling you get when you visualize or think about persons, situations, or blessings you have received or continue to receive that aren't necessarily front and center in our lives.
We fall into the trap of chasing material objects, money, and validation from others that blind us to the simple but profound moments our lives are shaped by events or gestures that hardly seem consequential. Except they are if we look hard enough.
I've come to appreciate a smile from a total stranger (didn't see much of that during the pandemic), an offer to buy me a cup of coffee (happened in Virginia this past summer) or recently when a friend recommended me to a firm that is launching a new mentoring service aimed at small to medium size enterprises.
These instances remind me to be grateful for who I am and what I can do to be a better human being. It's not hard to do when it comes from your heart because as my wise grandmother once told me "Your heart never lies to you".