Tiếng Việt
日本語
It is human nature to fixate on what is missing. We often move through our days cataloging our lack—the things we haven’t achieved, the items we don’t own, the problems we haven’t solved yet. We live in a perpetual state of “waiting” for happiness to arrive.
But gratitude invites us to flip the script.
It asks us to pause, look around, and realize that happiness is not a future destination. It is found in what most of us deem as the mundane – the breath filling your lungs right now, the morning cup of tea, the kindness of a friend, or the simple resilience of your own beating heart.
Gratitude is, at its core, the practice of recognizing that life itself is not a right, but a gift.
This shift in perspective doesn’t deny that life can be hard. It simply acknowledges that even in the difficulty, there is beauty worth noticing.
To help you tune your heart to that frequency, let us reflect on the following list of gratitude quotes, shall we?
Highlights
- The collection below examines the transformative power of gratitude, from its role in shifting our perspective from lack to abundance to its connection with mindfulness, kindness, and spiritual well-being.
- These wise words from spiritual teachers, philosophers, and writers are meant to serve as a reminder of life’s inherent gifts, a tool for grounding oneself in the present, and an invitation to cultivate a heart of appreciation.
Short Gratitude Quotes
Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.
Henry Ward Beecher
Like a flower, the inner self needs nourishment to bloom. Acknowledging the good allows natural beauty to surface, turning a barren spirit into a garden.
The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.
Mary Davis
Perception shapes reality. When appreciation becomes the lens, the mundane suddenly sparkles with hidden wonder and colors appear brighter.
Eat the fruit and remember who planted the tree.
Vietnamese Proverb
We rarely succeed in isolation. That’s why we should always remind ourselves of the invisible hands and sacrifices that laid the groundwork for today’s comfort, even if those people are long gone.
No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
James Allen
More than polite manners, acknowledging kindness balances the scales of human connection. Never let a good deed fade into silence!
Good short thank you quote
Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone.
Gertrude Stein
Unspoken appreciation remains a secret known only to the feeler. Speak up to bridge the gap between hearts, for thoughts alone cannot comfort another.
To me, the two sweetest words in the language are ‘Thank you.’
Marshall Goldsmith
Indeed. These two simple syllables hold enough power to soften egos, disarm tension, and strengthen bonds instantly.
Inspirational Gratitude Quotes
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
Cicero
Just as a house needs a solid base, character relies on thankfulness. From this single trait, patience, kindness, and humility naturally grow.
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.
Meister Eckhart
You need not articulate complex requests to connect with the divine. A simple bow of the heart suffices to align with the sacred.
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
Epictetus
As long as we keep chasing the phantom of “more”, we will never escape miseries. Wisdom rests in cherishing what already sits in your hands, finding fullness in the present inventory.
Read more: 105 Stoic Quotes for a Virtuous & Abundant Existence
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melody Beattie
By appreciating what is present, empty spaces fill up, confusion settles into peace, and a house transforms into a sanctuary.
Positive gratitude quotes
The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.
Robert Holden
The world changes not because the scenery shifts, but because the eyes soften. Gratitude cleans the window through which we view everything.
Read more: 101 Positive Thinking Quotes – Kindle Your Inner Light
Attitude of Gratitude Quotes
Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.
Robert Braathe
Circumstances happen, but how one reacts to them is a personal decision. You wield the power to select a perspective that serves rather than drains the spirit.
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
Energy flows where attention goes. Fixating on the void only enlarges it, while celebrating small wins invites abundance to stay.
Gratitude is not a limited resource, nor is it costly. It is abundant as air. We breathe it in but forget to exhale.
Marshall Goldsmith
We hoard thanks as if it were a rare currency, yet it costs nothing to spend. The supply replenishes with every breath, so give it away freely!
Gratitude and thankfulness quotes
Itʼs wonderful to give back to the world, but what we must understand is who we are with the people around us first.
Nick Vujicic
Philanthropy begins across the dinner table. Before trying to save the world, aim to cherish the specific, imperfect humans right beside you.
Read more: 155 Quotes About Identity & Self – Mirrors of the Soul
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
Henri Frederic Amiel
Feeling warm inside is merely the spark; doing something is the fire. Let appreciation move your hands and feet, not just your lips.
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
John F. Kennedy
Words are cheap without integrity. True honor lies in aligning daily behavior with the praise we speak, embodying the values we admire.
Read more: 111 Integrity Quotes – Nurture Character & Inner Truth
Gratitude and Appreciation Quotes
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
William Arthur Ward
Keeping joy contained benefits no one. Release the sentiment to complete the exchange; otherwise, the gift gathers dust in the corners of the mind.
Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.
Voltaire
Admiration is not distinct from possession. By celebrating another’s light, we spark a flame within ourselves and share in their brilliance.
There’s really no art to saying, ‘Thank you.’ Yet people still have a tough time executing this rudimentary maneuver. Whether they’re receiving a helpful suggestion or unwanted advice or a nice compliment, they get confused about how to respond. They have too many options. They can dispute the comment, question it, fine-tune it, clarify it, criticize it, amplify it. They’ll do practically everything but the right thing: Say ‘Thank you.’
Marshall Goldsmith
We often complicate simple interactions with defensiveness or over-analysis. Just accept the grace offered; no rebuttal or complex maneuver is required.
Read more: Not Saying Thank You – Why Do We Often Fail to Express Gratitude?
Powerful message of gratitude
Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return.
Ralph Marston
Transactional praise rings hollow. Rather, build a reflex of noticing good independent of any potential reward, simply because the observation is true.
The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.
Charles Schwab
Criticism causes contraction, while praise encourages expansion. Water people with kind words and watch them grow beyond their current limits!
Gratitude Quotes for Life
Gratitude is the memory of the heart.
Jean-Baptiste Massieu
The mind records facts and figures, but the spirit records kindness. These warm moments, stored today, will become fuel for colder days.
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.
Willie Nelson
Indeed. Life feels heavier when tallying burdens, but becomes lighter the moment we start zooming in the seemingly trivial gifts endowed on us everyday.
Read more: 90 Resilience Quotes – Finding Fortitude in the Storm
Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
Warren Buffett
We are shade-bathers in a garden we didn’t plant. Remember the foresight and labor of those who came before to create the ease enjoyed today.
Blessed and thankful quotes
Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life.
Jack Canfield
Achievement feels empty without appreciation. The fullness of a life is measured not by accumulation, but by the depth of enjoyment.
In life one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day – or to celebrate each special day.
Rasheed Ogunlaru
Stop deferring joy for a milestone that may change. The calendar is filled with ordinary days waiting to be made special by your attention.
Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.
Tony Robbins
Existing is the baseline; evolving is the thank-you note. Using one’s potential to the fullest honors the source that gave it.
Read more: 63 Accountability Quotes – The Courage to Own Your Life
Mindful Gratitude Quotes
Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Rushing robs the moment of its flavor. Let a simple sip ground you in the here and now, preventing the mind from racing toward tomorrow.
Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos — the trees, the clouds, everything.
Thich Nhat Hanh
We are stardust and soil. Caring for physical vessels honors the elements that convened to create us.
Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.
Eckhart Tolle
True. Satisfaction begins the moment we stop looking elsewhere and start validating the present.
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.
Thich Nhat Hanh
As awkward as it may seem, this may be the perfect step to realizing your oneness with the universe and all beings.
Around us, life bursts with miracles – a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops. If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere. Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles. Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and forms; ears that hear a bee flying or a thunderclap; a brain that ponders a speck of dust as easily as the entire cosmos; a heart that beats in rhythm with the heartbeat of all beings. When we are tired and feel discouraged by life’s daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Tune the senses to the symphony of small things usually ignored—the leaf, the rain, the beat of a heart. Then your troubles will go away, and you will have a taste of what it means to live!
Read more: 145 Suffering Quotes – Finding Light in the Darkness
Best gratitude quote
Open your eyes to the beauty around you, open your mind to the wonders of life, open your heart to those who love you, and always be true to yourself.
Maya Angelou
A simple, yet amazing way to live. Stay permeable to the beauty trying to reach you, rather than shielding yourself against it.
Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
Oprah Winfrey
The past is a ghost; the future, a dream. Our only viable option is to clutch the only tangible reality available: this single inhale.
Read more: 77 Mindfulness Quotes – Awakening to the Miracles of Existence
Kindness and Gratitude Quotes
No one has ever become poor by giving.
Anne Frank
Generosity does not deplete the spirit; it enriches it. The more love poured out, the more flows in to replace it.
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.
Maya Angelou
It does no good to stop the cycle of goodwill at your doorstep; just let it flow!
The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.
Dalai Lama XIV
Virtues do not grow in a vacuum. Valuing the good in others plants the seed of goodness within oneself.
Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Mark Twain
Compassion transcends syntax and sound. Even without words, the heart understands a gentle gesture instantly.
A person is a person through other persons. None of us comes into the world fully formed. We would not know how to think, or walk, or speak, or behave as human beings unless we learned it from other human beings. We need other human beings in order to be human. I am because other people are.
Desmond Tutu
Absolute independence is just an illusion. We are formed, refined, and sustained in the crucible of community; we exist because others exist.
Gratitude quotes from famous people
The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.
Oscar Wilde
Grand plans mean nothing if they stay in the head. A tiny, tangible favor outweighs the noblest abstract thought every time.
Humble Grateful Quotes
A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility.
James E. Faust
Arrogance claims credit; thankfulness acknowledges help. Recognizing support is the first step toward maturity and leadership.
Here’s the gift of gratitude: In order to feel it, your ego has to take a backseat. What shows up in its place is greater compassion.
Oprah Winfrey
When the “I” steps aside, the “We” finds room to breathe.
Read more: 80 Self Control Quotes – Your First & Greatest Triumph
Saying ‘Thank you’ means letting go of our overwhelming need to win, to be right, to add value, to come out on top.
Marshall Goldsmith
Relationships are not debates to be won at all costs. Surrender the need for dominance – and you will have space for appreciation and harmony!
Words of gratitude
Gratitude makes a person modest. A sense of gratitude expands the heart.
Daisaku Ikeda
Indeed. Realizing how much is received from others softens the edges of the personality.
If you eat three meals a day, you are far better off than the 1 billion people on the planet who eat once a day at most.
Jack Canfield
What feels like a meager lunch is a feast to another. Let global perspective check local privilege!
Read more: 120 Overcoming Sadness Quotes – From Sorrow to Strength
Love and Gratitude Quotes
Love and thanks have the same vibration no matter what the language. These are words that can be understood by everyone in the world.
Masaru Emoto, ‘The Secret Life of Water‘
Some frequencies bypass the intellect and strike the heart directly. Appreciation is a universal resonance that requires no translation.
We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
Thornton Wilder
Many of us sleepwalk through routine. Only when recognizing the immense value of the fleeting moment may we truly wake up – and start living!
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust
Joy doesn’t bloom in isolation. Cherish those who tend the soil of your spirit and help you grow.
Fill your soul with love and gratitude. Share the message of love. And let us flow as long as we live.
Masaru Emoto
Let affection circulate freely to keep the inner emotional ecosystem healthy and vibrant!
Everything begins and ends with love and thanks. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live each day with the beauty of this crystal within your heart?
Masaru Emoto
Frame the day with a clear intention. Starting and ending with thanks polishes the hours in between like a crystal.
Read more: 84 Unconditional Love Quotes for Every Soul
Happiness and Gratitude Quotes
It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.
David Steindl-Rast
We assume positive events trigger thanks, but the reverse is true. Many times, the act of opening your heart is the starting point of joy.
If you want to find happiness, find gratitude.
Steve Maraboli
Stop hunting for bliss in objects or achievements. Look for it in the appreciation of what is already there!
When you align your soul with the hado of appreciation and love, a small drop of happiness will seep into your heart and spread throughout your body. This will link you to the vibration of happiness, and happiness will become a part of your daily life.
Masaru Emoto
Tuning into appreciation physically alters the body’s state, inviting lightness and dispelling heaviness.
Famous gratitude quotes
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
Denis Waitley
Bliss is not a trophy at the finish line. It is the manner of traveling the road, accessible in every minute.
Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have, we will not be happy.
David Steindl-Rast
Abundance without appreciation feels like poverty. The key to unlocking satisfaction is already in the palm of your hand.
Read more: 100 Happy Life Quotes to Illuminate the Day
Self Gratitude Quotes
To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.
Robert Morley
The longest relationship you will ever have is with yourself. So try to make it a loving, supportive one rather than a critical battle!
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.
Sharon Salzberg (sometimes attributed to the Buddha)
You are not an exception to the rule of kindness. Extend the same grace inward that you so readily offer outward.
Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have.
Parker Palmer
Burnout serves no one. Protecting one’s energy is an act of respect for the vessel given to navigate this existence.
Acknowledge all of your small victories. They will eventually add up to something great.
Kara Goucher
Momentum is built on inches, not miles. Celebrate the tiny steps to fuel the long journey ahead.
Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.
Lao Tzu
Fighting one’s nature creates friction with the world. Making peace internally smoothes the external path.
Read more: 55 Self-discovery Quotes – Know Thyself
Lack of Gratitude Quotes
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Epicurus
Nostalgia for the future ruins the present. After all, the current reality was once a distant dream you hoped for, so why wasting time looking to an uncertain time?
Read more: 140 Uncertainty Quotes – Finding Peace in the “Not Knowing”
The unthankful heart… discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
Henry Ward Beecher
Perception filters reality. A bitter mind finds faults; a grateful spirit attracts blessings like a magnet finding iron.
Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.
Alphonse Karr
The object remains the same; only the focus shifts. Choose to see the bloom rather than the prick.
We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.
Cynthia Ozick
Familiarity breeds invisibility. Do not wait for loss to teach the value of what is currently held.
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
Helen Keller
We ignore the miracle of sight until the lights go out. Sometimes, imagining the void is necessary to truly value the view.
Read more: 72 Memento Mori Quotes – Remember You’re Mortal
Philosophical Quotes about Gratitude
Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings.
Marianne Williamson
Problems may seem like dead ends. Yet with appreciation, one will have the key to open new doors where none appeared before.
Less stuff, more soul. Less hustle, more ease. Less chaos, more calm. Less mass consumption and more unique creation. Less complexity, more clarity. Less judgment, more forgiveness. Less resistance, more resilience. Less bravado, more truth. Less control, more surrender. Less head, more heart.
Beth Kempton, ‘Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life’
Very simple – just strip away the noise of modern striving. In the quiet, imperfect simple life, the soul will finally find room to exhale.
Read more: 77 Self Reflection Quotes – Looking Inward to Awaken
In gratitude, I bow to this land and all of the ancestors who made it available. I see that I am whole, protected, and nourished by this land and all the living beings that have been here and made life worthwhile and possible for me through all of their efforts.
Thich Nhat Hanh
We stand on the shoulders of giants and the soil of ages. There is an immense history and biology that supports this single breath; always remember that!
Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.
Zig Ziglar
Emotions are fuel. While anger corrodes the vessel, thankfulness regenerates the system and attracts more reasons to be glad.
Our enemies provide us with a precious opportunity to practice patience and love. We should have gratitude toward them.
Dalai Lama XIV
Friction polishes the stone. Even difficult people serve a purpose by testing patience and strengthening the capacity for love.
Read more: 50 Essential Emotional Intelligence Quotes for Success
Spiritual & Religious Gratitude Quotes
Give thanks in all circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
It is easy to praise when the sun shines. The true spiritual practice is finding grace even in the storm.
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:45
Indeed. The universe does not discriminate. Universal gifts—light, rain, air—are bestowed upon everyone equally, regardless of status.
Good are friends when need arises; good is contentment with just what one has.
Dhammapada, Chapter 23, The Elephant
Craving is a hunger that never ends. Satiety comes only from being at peace with the present portion, however small.
Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.
Dalai Lama XIV
If you think about it, sleep can be seen as a temporary death; waking a rebirth. That’s why you should treat the morning as a fresh, unearned chance to experience the world again!
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
Elbert Hubbard (sometimes attributed to Marcus Aurelius)
Sentience is a statistical anomaly in the universe. Marvel at the sheer odds of existing to think, feel, and touch.
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
Even setbacks sculpt character. Every event, good or bad, should therefore be viewed as a necessary tutor for advancement.
Daily Gratitude Quotes
Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.
Khalil Gibran
Start with the morning light. A heavy heart drags through the hours, but a thankful one soars above the daily grind.
Gratitude good morning quotes
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
William Arthur Ward
Drudgery is a matter of perspective. A shift in mindset turns a chore into a ritual of care and a routine into a rhythm.
Gratitude quotes for work
The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.
Norman Vincent Peale
It works like a muscle. The more one exercises appreciation, the stronger the capacity for joy becomes.
Read more: 60 Quotes on the Meaning of Life
Funny Gratitude Quotes
I feel a very unusual sensation – if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude.
Benjamin Disraeli
Cynicism creates knots in the stomach. Genuine appreciation might feel strange to the skeptic at first, but it digests much better.
I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.
Woody Allen
Joy isn’t always dignified. Sometimes, you need to cherish the moments of hilarity that make you lose composure and control too!
If you think you are enlightened, go and spend a week with your family.
Ram Dass
Abstract peace is easy in solitude. The true test of zen is keeping cool at the dinner table with relatives who know how to push your buttons.
Gratitude quotes of the day
Final Thoughts
Now that we have finished our reflection, I hope you feel a shift in the air around you.
Gratitude, as you may see, is more than just good manners or a polite “thank you.” It is a way of seeing. It is an alchemy that turns what we have into enough, and more.
We cannot deny the thorns of life, but we have the choice to focus on the roses. The practice of gratitude allows us to be humble enough to admit that we did not create ourselves – that we are supported by the earth, by our ancestors, and by the people around us.
So, as you step back into your day, I invite you to start small. Notice the light in the room. Taste your food. Appreciate the person standing in front of you.
There are miracles hidden in the mundane, waiting for you to find them. May you walk through your days with your eyes open to the beauty, and your heart open to the gifts that have been there all along!
Other resources you might be interested in:
- 40 Life Coaching Quotes: Wisdom for Levelling Up Your Life
- 77 Quotes about Listening: From Hearing to Understanding
- 82 Ikigai Quotes: Find Your Reason for Being
- 100 Existential Quotes: Rethink One’s Place in the Universe
Let’s Tread the Path Together, Shall We?
