140+ Best Thankful Quotes and Sayings
Last updated: September 8, 2023
Are you looking for thankful quotes and quotes about gratitude? These beautiful quotes about thankfulness remind us to count our blessings and reflect on what we have in our lives, rather than what we don't have. These inspiring quotes are perfect for sharing with friends and family, whether in a greeting card message or on social media. Let them motivate you to cultivate a more thankful mindset.
Whether you're looking to share that blessed feeling through 'Thankful Thursday' quotes, express your gratitude for something special with 'thankful for you' quotes, or praise the Lord with thankful quotes directed towards God, you're in the right place.
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 | Thanking God | Biblical | For Mom | For Teacher
Inspiring Thankful Quotes
Why not take a moment from your busy life to reflect and be thankful for everything? These inspiring quotes about being thankful come from thought leaders, philosophers, and notable figures from history. Each quote offers a unique perspective, yet they all converge on the same essential truth: taking time to reflect on what you have can lead 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
Did you know that the word 'gratitude' originates from the Latin word 'gratus,' meaning pleasing or thankful? In this section, you'll find a curated collection of quotes exploring gratitude's transformative power. These wisdoms not only encourage you to express appreciation but also highlight how gratitude can turn ordinary moments into blessings.
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.
Being thankful doesn't always have to be serious! Here are some funny thankful quotes which provide a humorous perspective on thankfulness and gratefulness.
~ 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
Gratitude doesn't have to be serious! Here are some funny thankful quotes that offer a humorous perspective on being grateful. They say that laughter is the best medicine - second only to gratitude. So why not enjoy a double dose of humor and thankfulness to boost your happiness?
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 is the cornerstone of our lives, providing love, support, and a sense of belonging. To honor this special bond, we've curated a collection of thankful quotes about family. Perfect for sharing on social media or with your loved ones, these quotes also feature insights from renowned figures in history and popular culture.
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
Do you want to thank a friend? Use one of these heartfelt thankful quotes to make them feel loved and appreciated. Friendship is a vital aspect of our lives, enriching our emotional and social well-being. Taking a moment to express gratitude to a friend is a simple yet deeply meaningful gesture that strengthens these important bonds.
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
Here are some more beautiful quotes that focus on gratitude and thankfulness. These sayings not only reflect on the importance of being thankful but also illustrate how gratitude can positively transform your life. Use them as a source of inspiration or share them with others to spread the power of gratitude.
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
Thank You God Quotes
This thoughtful selection of quotes for thanking God will help you express your sincere gratitude to the Lord. Whether you're using them for personal reflection, group gatherings, or quiet moments of contemplation, these quotes offer a meaningful way to appreciate our divine Creator.
We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.
~ C.S. Lewis
God has promised to supply all our needs. What we don't have now, we don't need now.
~ Elisabeth Elliot
God, I will never be able to thank you enough for always being there for me.
~ Anonymous
If there was ever a secret for unleashing God's powerful peace in a situation, it's developing a heart of true thanksgiving.
~ Lysa Terkeurst
Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.
~ A.W. Tozer
Every day, I thank God that I am still able to enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life.
~ Anonymous
If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace.
~ Max Lucado
Thank You, God, for providing me strength when I was falling apart. You became the light of hope in my darkest moments and saved me from myself. Thank You, Dear Lord.
~ Anonymous
God is in control, and therefore in EVERYTHING I can give thanks - not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.
~ Kay Arthur
Thank you, God, for never leaving me.
~ Anonymous
Sometimes I just look up, smile, and say, "I know that was you, God!" Thank you.
~ Anonymous
Gratitude produces deep, abiding joy because we know that God is working in us, even through difficulties.
~ Charles Stanley
Thank God for giving me life and for allowing me to share with family and friends good times that will be in the memory forever. Always light my way.
~ Anonymous
Bible Quotes about Thankfulness
The Bible encourages us to cultivate a mindset of appreciation and express gratitude to the Lord for the blessings we receive. Here, you'll find some touching Bible verses focused on thankfulness. Psalm 100 is especially beautiful, which is dedicated to offering praise full of gratitude.
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
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 Quotes for Mom
Let's take a moment to appreciate the incredible moms who always have our backs! Here are some super lovely quotes that serve as a big "thank you" hug. Whether in a sweet card, a social media shoutout, or a simple text, these quotes are perfect for showing our awesome moms how grateful we are.
Mom, I got all my best qualities from you. Aren't we lucky that you had enough for both of us?
Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.
~ Robert Browning
Happy Mother's Day, Mom! Thank you for looking after us so well, I know it's not always easy! I love you!
God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.
~ Rudyard Kipling
Only a mother as perfect as you... could have a (daughter/son) as perfect as me. Happy Mother's Day!
It may be possible to gild pure gold, but who can make his mother more beautiful?
~ Mahatma Gandhi
Thanks for giving me the best things in life: Your love, your care, and your cooking. Happy Mother's Day!
A mother's love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.
~ Marion C. Garretty
Happy Mother's Day to a woman who deserves a medal... for putting up with me all these years!
Who ran to help me when I fell, and would some pretty story tell, or kiss the place to make it well? My mother.
~ Ann Taylor
I'm so lucky to have you as my mother... I'm sure no one else would have put up with me this long. Happy Mother's Day!
A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.
~ Cardinal Meylillod
Happy Mother's Day to the best Mom I've ever had!
As far as I'm concerned, there's no job more important on the planet than being a mom.
~ Mark Wahlberg
Thank You Quotes for Teachers
We all know how teachers have this amazing superpower of making a huge impact on our lives, both inside and outside the classroom. They give us that extra push when we're stuck and believe in us when we doubt ourselves. These quotes serve as a heartfelt "thank you" for the invaluable knowledge, guidance, and inspiration they've provided.
Just a little note to say how glad I am that you are my teacher. You're the best!
Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.
~ John C. Maxwell
Thank you for caring so much about all of us. We appreciate how much you do.
One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.
~ Malala Yousafzai
They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
~ Carl W. Buechner
You are the best teacher I have ever had. Thank you for making learning fun.
The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don't tell you what to see.
~ Alexandra K. Trenfor
You've made such a huge difference in my life. I am so glad to have had you as a teacher this year.
Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.
~ Japanese Proverb
What greater or better gift can we offer the republic than to teach and instruct our youth?
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
Because of you, I've come to love ... (maths, science, reading, etc)
The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.
~ Khalil Gibran
During our time at school, we have so many teachers. But only a few we will remember forever. Thank you for being one of those special teachers who we'll never forget.
Thank you for being such a wonderful teacher. I've really enjoyed your lessons this year, and I'm going to miss you.
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. And if you're interested in starting a practice of thankfulness as you learn to express your vivid internal life, check out our gratitude journal prompts.
Is there a teacher in your life that you're especially 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
These beautiful Thanksgiving prayers and blessings will 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.
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