In preparation for the upcoming week, which may prominently feature time of travel, possibly reflection of the actions and results from the year to date, quality time with family, and potentially an opportunity to share thoughts I felt myself drawing towards quotes on gratitude to best position my assessments and harness my thoughts.
As I did so, I was impacted by the universal significance of gratitude — thoughts on the subject through history early as Aesop to Aristotle to Cicero to Rousseau, through religious thinkers like John Milton who wrote the epic Paradise Lost or Meister Eckhart the Christian mystic to atheist philosophers as Nietzsche and through cultures, from Tecumseh the Native American tribal leader during the Revolutionary War to the Dalai Lama.
I realized the wisdom of gratitude in thoughts and words reverberate past the boundaries of culture, industry sector and people group, to the core of human experience. And how beneficial as professionals it is to take the step away from the daily deliverables to reflect on this.
I came to develop a practice of gratitude when a mentor recommended in reaction to a bad attitude I sit to write 100 things I am thankful for, and not arise until it’s completed. It’s a habit that will sure transform the position of your thinking.
Here I will share the quotes that inspired me this week. This is certainly no exhaustive list, just a reflection of my brief time of study. Feel free to add your favorites in comments.
May they inspire you towards excellence in your practice of gratitude as they have in me.
Quotes on Gratitude
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. – William Arthur Ward
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. KennedyGratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. – Melody Beattie
Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. – Henry Ward Beecher
Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. – Henry Van Dyke
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. – Aesop
The young patriots now returning from war in Iraq and Afghanistan and other deployments worldwide are joining the ranks of veterans to whom America owes an immense debt of gratitude. – Steve Buyer
‘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
The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude. – Friedrich Nietzsche
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
Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice. – Joseph B. Wirthlin
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
I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude. – Brene Brown
It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up. – Eckhart Tolle
Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy. – Jacques Maritain
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. – Marcus Tullius Cicero
When a person doesn’t have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity. – Elie Wiesel
Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect. – Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone. – Gertrude Stein
Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty. – Doris Day
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. – Meister Eckhart
When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself. – Tecumseh
When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others. – Dalai Lama
It is just that we should be grateful, not only to those with whose views we may agree, but also to those who have expressed more superficial views; for these also contributed something, by developing before us the powers of thought. – Aristotle