100 Beautiful & Inspiring Thankful Quotes
Last updated: September 21, 2022
Looking for thankful quotes and quotes about gratitude? You've come to the right place. These beautiful quotes about thankfulness remind us to count our blessings and reflect on what we do have in our lives rather than what we don't have.
These inspiring thankful quotes are perfect for sharing with your friends or family as part of a greeting card message. Let them inspire you to cultivate a more thankful mindset. Be sure to be thankful every day of the year - not just at Thanksgiving!
Scroll down the page to read all our thankful quotations, or use these links to jump to a particular category.
Inspiring | Gratitude | Funny | Family | Friends | Thankfulness | Biblical
Inspiring Thankful Quotes
Take a moment from your busy life to reflect and be thankful. These inspiring quotes about thankfulness are from notable people from history. Though each person has chosen different words, they all tell us the same truth: taking the time to reflect on all that you have will help you find the path to happiness and contentment.
Reflect upon your present blessings - of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
~ Charles Dickens
The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.
~ James E. Faust
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
~ Epictetus
We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.
~ Albert Barnes
The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
~ Henry Ward Beecher
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
We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.
~ Henry A. Ironside
It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.
~ Germany Kent
Don't let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.
~ Stephen King
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
The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything; the soul that complains can find comfort in nothing.
~ Hannah Whitall Smith
Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.
~ Marcus Aurelius
Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson
Gratitude Quotes
Gratitude or gratefulness comes from the Latin word "gratus", meaning pleasing or thankful. In this section, you'll find a beautiful collection of gratitude quotes and thankful quotes to inspire you to express your appreciation and be grateful for all that you have.
Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.
~ Doris Day
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
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
~ William Arthur Ward
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
~ Gilbert K. Chesterton
Take full account of what excellencies you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.
~ Marcus Aurelius
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
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
~ Gilbert K. Chesterton
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.
~ Melody Beattie
Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It's the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.
~ Amy Collette
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
Gratitude goes beyond the 'mine' and 'thine' and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift.
~ Henri J. M. Nouwen
Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.
~ John Milton
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
~ Aesop
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
~ Marcel Proust
Grumbling and gratitude are, for the child of God, in conflict. Be grateful and you won't grumble. Grumble and you won't be grateful.
~ Billy Graham
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
The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now.
~ Oprah Winfrey
To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.
~ Johannes A. Gaertner
When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.
~ Anthony Robbins
No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.
~ Alfred North Whitehead
Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.
~ Anon
Gratitude for all that we have leads to abundance in all that we desire.
~ Anon
Gratitude transforms every negative situation.
~ Anon
Funny Thankful Quotes
Being thankful doesn't always have to be serious! Here are some funny thankful quotes which provide a humorous perspective on thankfulness and gratefulness.
Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them, the rest of us could not succeed.
~ Mark Twain
You ought to be thankful a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you're lucky you're not!
~ Dr. Seuss
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
~ William Arthur Ward
Gratitude is the wine for the soul. Go on. Get drunk.
~ Rumi
There's always something to be thankful for. If you can't pay your bills, you can be thankful you're not one of your creditors.
~ Charles E. McKenzie
This is a wonderful day. I've never seen it before.
~ Maya Angelou
Inspiring Thankful Quotes about Family
Family truly is the most important thing in the world - so there are plenty of inspiring thankful quotes about family that express that sentiment. Here is a collection of inspiring quotes for your own family. These wise quotes about thankfulness are from notable people from popular culture and history.
Family is the most important thing in the world.
~ Princess Diana
Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
~ Michael J. Fox
When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends.
~ Barbara Bush
Family is a life jacket in the stormy sea of life.
~ J.K. Rowling
The family is one of nature's masterpieces.
~ George Santayana
The family is the first essential cell of human society.
~ Pope John XXIII
Family, nature and health all go together.
~ Olivia Newton-John
What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.
- Mother Teresa
I have a wonderful shelter, which is my family.
~ José Carreras
Family isn't defined only by last names or by blood; it's defined by commitment and by love.
~ Dave Willis
A man should never neglect his family for business.
~ Walt Disney
A happy family is but an earlier heaven.
~ George Bernard Shaw
Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.
~ David Ogden Stiers
Inspiring Thankful Quotes about Friends
If you want to thank a friend, one of these inspiring thankful quotes for friends will help! Friendship is so precious. If you'd like to inspire a friend the way they have inspired you, be sure to add one of these quotes to a card or message.
Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends.
~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.
~ Charles R. Swindoll
Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold.
~ Joseph Parry
Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.
~ Dalai Lama
True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island... to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing.
~ Baltasar Gracian
We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.
~ John F. Kennedy
Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.
~ Mark Twain
It is always good to make new friends.
~ Jose Feliciano
Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
~ Mencius
So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.
~ Helen Keller
Make space in your life for the things that matter, for family and friends, love and generosity, fun and joy. Without this, you will burn out in mid-career and wonder where your life went.
~ Jonathan Sacks
I am blessed to have so many great things in my life - family, friends, and God. All will be in my thoughts daily.
~ Lil' Kim
Don't make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up.
~ Thomas J. Watson
There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first; when you learn to live for others, they will live for you.
~ Paramahansa Yogananda
Quotes about Thankfulness
In this section, you'll find more gratitude quotes and thankful quotes. These reflect on thankfulness and how it can transform your life in a positive and uplifting way.
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.
~ Willie Nelson
Be thankful for the struggles you go through. They make you stronger, wiser, and humble. Don't let them break you. Let them make you.
~ Unknown
If we magnified blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.
~ John Wooden
If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.
~ Gerald Good
The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.
~ Douglas Wood
I never met a bitter person who was thankful. Or a thankful person who was bitter.
~ Nick Vujicic
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~ Robert Brault
Saying thank you is more than good manners, it is good spirituality.
~ Alfred Agache
The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.
~ William Blake
You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.
~ Kahlil Gibran
We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
~ Thorton Wilder
Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.
~ Westlake Taylor Purkiser
Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.
~ Voltaire
When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.
~ Vietnamese Proverb
If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.
~ Eckhart von Hochheim
True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.
~ Seneca
We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.
~ Alphonse Karr
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.
~ Maya Angelou
They do not love, that do not show their love.
~ William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Rest and be thankful.
~ William Wordsworth
Smile often. Think positively. Give thanks. Laugh loudly. Love others. Dream big.
~ Anon
When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. When life is bitter, say thank you and grow.
~ Shauna Niequist
Bible Quotes about Thankfulness
The Bible teaches us to develop an attitude of gratitude and thank the Lord for His blessings in our lives. In this section, you'll find thankful quotes taken from the Bible, which talk about God's love and faithfulness and how to give thanks to the Lord. I particularly love Psalm 100, a psalm for giving grateful praise.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:8-9
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Deuteronomy 8:10
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Philippians 4:8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1
Go to our full collection of Thanksgiving Bible Verses & Scripture.
Thank You Messages
Looking for more ways to express your appreciation? Check out our collection of Thank You Messages for All Occasions and Thank You for the Birthday Wishes pages.
Is there a teacher in your life that you're grateful for? Use our Teacher Thank You Notes as inspiration for how to thank them for the difference they've made.
Happy Thanksgiving Wishes & Messages
If you're looking for more Thanksgiving quotes and messages, take a look at our Happy Thanksgiving Wishes & Messages and Thanksgiving Messages for Employees.
25 Thanksgiving Prayers
Beautiful Thanksgiving prayers and blessings to help you find the words to give thanks before your Thanksgiving day feast.
Thanksgiving Coloring Pages for Kids & Adults
I hope you enjoyed reading these Thankful quotes. To keep the kids busy and entertained while you prepare for the holidays, check out our Thanksgiving coloring pages for a huge range of fun pictures to color in.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
