Learning to be grateful with a chronic illness via /r/gratitude

I am naturally not someone who cultivates gratitude but I have been struck with a very difficult and life long health issue which is constantly threatening to pull me down into complete despair. I'm doing everything I can to get through the days and I rely a lot on my elderly parents support. But I am constantly plagued by worries about the future. How will I cope once my parents are gone? How will I afford to live when I can't work? These thoughts on top of my symptoms are relentless and take over my life.
I recently thought about gratitude. Just saying to myself I'm grateful. Not for anything in particular but the thoughts naturally come for what I'm grateful for. It's a kind of discipline to keep it up but I feel like I can't afford to be my old cynical self because I will really fall apart. I guess chronic illness forces you to make a decision on how you're going to navigate this new life of illness and fear. I'm only new to this way of thinking, of being grateful, but I hope I can sustain it and that it can help me through this journey that I didn't choose.