20 Best Gratitude Quotes

Grateful thoughts to you, our friends!

It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude, it’s gratitude that brings us happiness.

What is gratitude? How do we stay grateful when times are difficult?

Gratitude can shift a negative moment into a positive in an instant but it’s not always easy to find something to be grateful for when times are challenging…..or is it?

Even in the darkest times, those who are considered saints, martyrs, great philosophers and spiritual teachers have mastered the art of a “gratitude attitude.”   Can you?   Here are 20 gratitude quotes to brighten your day and open your heart to the blessings in life.

20 BEST GRATITUDE QUOTES

1. Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal.  It’s a way to live.  ~Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear
2. Praise the bridge that carried you over.  ~George Colman
3. If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.  ~Robert Quillen
4. The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes.  It has enough lush forests, flowered fields and sandy beaches.  It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day.  What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.  ~Michael Josephson, whatwillmatter.com
5. Gratitude is the memory of the heart.  ~Jean Baptiste Massieu, translated from French
6. All that we behold is full of blessings.  ~William Wordsworth
7. As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. ~Terri Guillemets
8. I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.  ~G.K. Chesterton
9. Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  ~Marcel Prous
10. We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder
11. 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
12. At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.   ~Albert Schweitzer
13. The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.
   ~WIlliam James
14. 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
15. He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.   ~Epictetus
16. Thou hast given so much to me, Give one thing more, – a grateful heart; Not thankful when it pleaseth me, As if Thy blessings had spare days, But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise. ~George Herbert
17. Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture.  ~Kak Sri
18. If you have lived, take thankfully the past.  ~John Dryden
19. Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings.  ~Marianne Williamson
20. There is not a more pleasing exercise of the mind than gratitude.  It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance.  ~Joseph Addison

Best wishes and gratitude to you for your friendship.

_____________________________

This article is written by Jean Voice Dart,  M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.”  She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance.  The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3  nonprofit health and wellness education organization.  For more information about  the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.

Disclaimer: The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.

Let it Go!

Best wishes to you, our health and wellness friends!

Click, copy, download and share with friends and family. Give up all bad qualities in you. Just let it go!

Today the focus is on letting go…. surrendering the negative and bad qualities that exist inside of ourselves.

Surrendering the domination of the mind, emotions, and ego, when it is destructive to our health and happiness.

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
~Havelock Ellis

It sounds simple enough. Just let go. Banish the ego. But why should we banish the ego? Is it really all that bad? Don’t we need the ego to survive and be successful? Yes, this is true. The ego helps us fight and prosper and helps us make good choices in life.  The ego is the inner voice that is concerned for self welfare, safety, and success.

However, the ego can sometimes get in our way and prevent us from truly loving, being prosperous, successful, and achieving our dreams and goals, especially when we are trying to work as a team. There is no place for ego when working together with a group or a partner.  So what exactly is the ego?

Here’s what Einstein had to say about the ego:

EGO = 1 / Knowledge. 

More the knowledge lesser the Ego, lesser the knowledge, more the Ego.

~Albert Einstein

An over-dominating ego can be what causes little children to start swinging at one another on the playground and  little Freddie to come home with a black eye and a broken tooth. So what do we do when  a person is angry, dominating, controlling, and our ego wants us to fight back and hold onto a grudge?  The little voice inside says, “This feels bad.  It’s not right. That person is wrong,” and if we let the ego take over, we might soon find ourselves hurt and angry, saying things we later regret, slamming doors, or in a boxing match with a friend or family member.  Here is what Sigmund Freud has to say about the ego.

“One might compare the relation of the ego to the id with that between a rider and his horse. The horse provides the loco-motor energy, and the rider has the prerogative of determining the goal and of guiding the movements of his powerful mount towards it. But all too often in the relations between the ego and the id we find a picture of the less ideal situation in which the rider is obliged to guide his horse in the direction in which it itself wants to go.”

~Sigmund Freud, From New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, 1932.

So what does one do, to release the white-knuckled grip of ego? What do you do (in the moment) to be unaffected by words that sting or hurt?   I asked our Facebook friends what they do when the ego gets in the way, and it’s difficult to let go, and forgive hurtful words or actions.

Here are some of their answers.

• “In Tolle’s book, A New Earth, he gave me one of the most amazing tools EVER! He provided this tool for whenever we are faced with ‘EGO’ or ‘Pain-Body’ issues. Become a witness and not a participant. Allow a space in front of you, become a witness in the ego’s unfolding and not a participant, bless it all and surrender it. IT works every time for me.”  ~Iris

• “Take a look at this, it may be of help:  Creating Moments of Joy: A Journal for Caregivers, Fourth Edition, by Jolene Brackey “  ~Hal

• “I listen to Hilary Stagg, Harpist. This Instrumental music allows you to feel the music, the ministry of it. I have found his music soothes and ministers to every person who walks into our shop and especially myself which prepares me to be able to minister to others throughout the day. Please listen to a sample of his music when you get a chance. Also “speak” to the persons spirit. Not at the body that the spirit houses. Just a thought.”  ~Terri

• “I step back and visualize both of us as our “true” selves, sparks of God, when the trappings are taken away I remember that we’re all just sparks trying to find our way home. Takes my ego right out of the picture (a constantly battle btw).” ~Kelly

• With the Emotion Code from Dr. Bradley Nelson, you can help the person release trapped emotional energy that may be stuck in the radiant body of the individual.  ~Evelyn

• “There are a lot of wise words here about peace and detachment. Still, I think one would be wise to be open-minded if chocolate cheesecake is an option.”~Jerry

• “I am remembering a technique I use when life is chaotic. Sometimes I have used this imagination technique where I become a worm or a butterfly or something that is unaffected and not burdened by these kinds of worries and emotions.  Yay!! Time for worm meditations.” ~Jean

• “Chips Ahoy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with a 1/4 inch of Philly Cream Cheese on top. Self indulgent/pure decadence!” ~Mark

Ha,ha! We here at MBHA might not choose to  try your amazing suggestion, Mark, but thanks so much for the smiles! 😉

• “I talk to my angels; they always help when asked.”  ~Ronni

• “I write myself notes reminding myself that I am a beautiful and loving human being. I have found that the person who hurts me the most is myself because I decide to use other people’s words to hurt me. I have the choice to love myself and accept a viewpoint that is beneficial to my well being. Sometimes that means to listen to what others say and realize how I can benefit from their words, clear any obstacles to love, thereby allowing love to flow more freely through me. Love you and thank you so much for asking the question because it is always a great reminder of what true love is capable of!!!”  ~Liana

•  “Yoga helps me.” ~Debbie
  

• “It also helps to write the qualities you’re working on in a note. Write it in the present tense– (e.g,I am happy… I enjoy a fulfilling relationship with… etc, etc). Then CARRY IT IN YOUR POCKET! I just read this tip in the paper the other day. There was a study done and when people carried good things about themselves in their pocket, they felt better and improved their lives. It was also studied to write bad things down and tear them up or throw away… and of course, surrender is key. You can write whatever you aspire to, but then you surrender it to the good of the whole.” ~Bonnie

Thanks to all our friends for their wonderful tips.  We at MBHA invite YOU to share with us what you do to gain control over the ego, release judgment toward others, practice forgiveness and tolerance, and let go of the need to be right. We leave you with Sai Baba’s final word and the quote for today on our beautiful free poster gift to you.

“Give up all bad qualities in you, banish the ego and develop the spirit of surrender. You will then experience Bliss.”
~Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Best wishes to you with gratitude and appreciation,
Your health and wellness friends at MBHA