Kristin,
There are certainly some situations that I feel gratitude would be a far reach, and some days that negative energy has infiltrated; on those I make sure to find the sunset or sunrise and am just thankful to be able to appreciate the beauty of that specific moment.  After my initial separation from my then husband, I was pretty down, and I would run laps partly because I couldn't cry and run at the same time, and it was then that I found the sunset/sunrise thing.  That was never all I had, but if that's how I felt at least I had something beautiful and grand to build upon! I'm glad you were so honest in your post, then followed up with practical ways to invoke gratitude. Thank you for sharing so openly!