20 Quotes on the Importance of Thankfulness and Gratitude

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share with you 20 quotes that really help put into perspective the power and importance of being thankful more of the time and not just on one particular day out of the year.

1. "Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." -- William Arthur Ward

2. "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." -- Oprah Winfrey

3. "If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get." -- Frank A. Clark

4. "Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” -- Maya Angelou

5. "Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” -- Marcus Tullius Cicero

7. "The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.” -- Henry Ward Beecher

8. “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” -- John F. Kennedy

9. "Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” -- Alice Walker

10. “None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.” -- Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

11. "Gratitude always comes into play; research shows that people are happier if they are grateful for the positive things in their lives, rather than worrying about what might be missing.” -- Dan Buettner

12. "The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” -- Dalai Lama

13. "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” -- Willie Nelson

14. "Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” -- Margaret Cousins

15. "If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” -- W. Clement Stone

16. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” -- Albert Einstein

17. "Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first or the last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” -- Betty Smith

18. "When you give and carry out acts of kindness, it’s as though something inside your body responds and says, ‘Yes, this is how I ought to feel." -- Rabbi Harold Kushner

19. "Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” -- W.T. Purkiser

20. "All across America, we gather this week with the people we love to give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives.” -- President George W. Bush

Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions that you can practice in your everyday life.

Do you have a favorite quote about gratitude not found above? Share it in the comments section below.