How To Be Grateful In Life?

Being fully present and grateful for your life and what you have can yield significantly positive effects on your life.

According to a study posted on the Harvard Health Publishing blog, two psychologists proved that people who were more focused on positivity and gratitude had a better quality of life than those who were more cynical. To help motivate you in getting into that state of gratitude.

Here is a list of 15 quotes from trusted spiritual leaders, writers, media personalities, and musicians who know the meaning of being grateful.

1. “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

These words crafted by the legendary poet Maya Angelou remind us that gratitude and faith as a spiritual foundation can help us overcome even the toughest obstacles.

2. “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” – Eckhart Tolle

Coming into a state of gratitude starts with acknowledging what you already have. Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle suggests that taking stock of all the good you already have in your life is the key to living in true abundance

3. “A miracle happened: another day of life.- Paulo Coelho”

This short quote by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho shows us the simplicity of gratitude in that every day we wake up is a reason to be grateful. Just the act of having another day to live is a miracle and reminds us that not everybody has the privilege to wake up and make the most of their day.

4. “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you,’ that would suffice” – Meister Eckhart

German theologist Meister Eckhart says that coming into a state of gratitude can be simple as just uttering two words. Just a simple “thank you” is a good enough prayer to cover a lifetime of gratitude and abundance.

5. “Gratitude, like faith, is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows, and the more power you have to use it on your behalf.” – Alan Cohen

Although being in gratitude can be a very simple thing to do, it is still something that requires effort and patience. The more you stand in gratitude, the easier it becomes for it to become your default, which makes it easier for abundance to flow.

6. “The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get.” – Oprah Winfrey

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey reminds us to stay grateful for the here and now. It’s easy to always want to strive for more, but being content with where you are now will bring you happiness that no material possession ever could.

7. “Every once in a while God allows you to stub your toe as a kind reminder to be grateful for the miraculous body attached to it.” – Richelle E. Goodrich

Being grateful that you have a body is a great way to stay in a vibration of gratitude. Poet Richelle E. Goodrich says that to even be able to experience the pain that comes with being in a body is reason enough to be grateful.

8. “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Gautama Buddha

Buddha is probably one of the most recognizable spiritual teachers of all time. His teaching spans centuries, and this quote on finding something to be grateful for, even in difficult times, is a major lesson in being in a state of gratitude. Even if life has not gone your way, or you haven’t made the most out of your day, there is always something to be thankful for.

9. “Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.” — Doris Day

Gratitude is where we find wealth and abundance, while Complaint is refusing to acknowledge the abundance that already surrounds us. Actress Doris Day knew the difference between operating in gratitude versus operating in a state of complaint.

10. We don’t need more money, we don’t need greater success or fame, we don’t need the perfect body or even the perfect mate. Right now, at this very moment, we have a mind, which is all the basic equipment we need to achieve complete happiness.” Dalai Lama

Having money and fame can be nice, however, it is not a requirement to live a happy, fulfilling and abundant life. Respected spiritual leader the Dalai Lama says when we come back to the basics of having a body to maneuver this earth that is enough to bring us into an ecstatic state of gratitude and abundance.

11. The meaning of happiness consists of three elements — freedom, gratitude, and the sense of wonder.” Alan Watt

Philosophical writer Alan Watts seems to know just the right formula for sustainable happiness, with gratitude being an essential part of that formula. True happiness comes from being in a state of gratitude, having the freedom to pursue what you feel, and having a magical outlook on life that keeps you curious.

12. “The Universe provides abundantly when you’re in a state of gratefulness.” Wayne Dyer

Motivational speaker and self-help author Wayne Dyer talks a great deal about tapping into the abundance the universe has to offer. Everybody in the universe has access to this abundance, all you have to do is come into a state of gratitude, and the universe will do the rest.

13. “It’s not possible to experience constant euphoria, but if you’re grateful, you can find happiness in everything.” — Pharrell Williams

Producer Pharell Williams understands that the ecstatic happiness that people often seek out in life is not possible 100% of the time. Rather than be bummed out about this, he realizes that if you come into a state of gratitude, you can at least find joy in the small things in life.

14. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein

Even the iconic scientist Albert Einstein understood that living life in a state of gratitude was better than living life as if everything was meaningless and banal. Einstein made his legacy off of a big “what if?” He consciously made the decision to look at life through a state of gratitude and wonder rather than as if everything in the universe was an accident.

15. “Gratitude is a divine attitude in the wisdom traditions. It takes you out of the ego self and takes you into the higher self. That higher state of consciousness initiates self-repair, self-regulation, and healing.” Deepak Chopra

Respected spiritual leader Deepak Chopra shows that there is a science behind operating in a state of gratitude. In this quote, he tells us the amazing healing effects that gratitude can have on your mind, body, and spirit.