The Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero once wrote that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” In the two millennia since, countless poets, philosophers, authors, and inspirational figures have spoken to the central role that gratefulness plays in human happiness.
To live with gratitude — whether for our friends, family, health, or even the very planet we inhabit — is to have a deeper appreciation for life that invites joy to each moment. Gratitude helps us focus on the positive and reduce negative emotions, thereby improving mood and helping to cultivate happiness. In fact, researchers at UC Berkeley discovered that people who counted their blessings by writing “gratitude letters” reported improved mental health compared to those who didn’t. These 14 quotes speak to the power of grateful living, and how it’s an essential ingredient for lifelong happiness.
The Universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want, you already are.
Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.
Have gratitude for the things you’re discarding. By giving gratitude, you’re giving closure to the relationship with that object, and by doing so, it becomes a lot easier to let go.
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard but must be felt with the heart.
Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.
Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.
We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
Thornton Wilder, playwright
This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.
Gratitude bestows reverence… changing forever how we experience life and the world.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
Featured Image Credit: Jim Dyson/ Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
Darren Orf
Darren lives in Portland, Oregon, has two cats, and writes about science, technology, nature, and history.
