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20 Quotes on the Importance of Thankfulness and Gratitude Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the good in your life, but these words of wisdom will remind you to keep these positive sentiments in mind all year round.

By Matt Mayberry

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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This article originally published Nov. 24, 2015.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share with you 20 quotes that really help put into perspective the power and importance of being thankful more of the time and not just on one particular day out of the year.

Gratitude can transform common days

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." -- William Arthur Ward

Related: Cultivate These 11 Habits to Achieve Meaningful Success

Be thankful for what you have

"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

If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get." -- Frank A. Clark

Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel

4. "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

Cultivate the habit of being grateful

5. "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 is not only the greatest of virtues

6. "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." -- Marcus Tullius Cicero

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The unthankful heart discovers no mercies

7. "The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings." -- Henry Ward Beecher

We must find time to stop

8. "We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives." -- John F. Kennedy

Thank you is the best prayer

9. "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

None is more impoverished

10. "None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy." -- Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

Gratitude always comes into play

"Gratitude always comes into play; research shows that people are happier if they are grateful for the positive things in their lives, rather than worrying about what might be missing." -- Dan Buettner

Related: 8 Tips for Penning a Thank-You Note That Will Be Treasured

The roots of all goodness

12. "The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness." -- Dalai Lama

When I started counting

13. "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around." -- Willie Nelson

Appreciation can change a day

14. "Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary." -- Margaret Cousins

If you are really thankfull

15. "If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share." -- W. Clement Stone

There are only two ways to live your life

16. "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

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Look at everything

17. "Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first or the last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory." -- Betty Smith

Related: Express Gratitude for Where You Are Right Now, and Say It Out Loud

When you give

18. "When you give and carry out acts of kindness, it's as though something inside your body responds and says, 'Yes, this is how I ought to feel." -- Rabbi Harold Kushner

Not what we say about our blessings

19. "Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." -- W.T. Purkiser

All across America

20. "All across America, we gather this week with the people we love to give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives." -- President George W. Bush

Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions that you can practice in your everyday life.

Do you have a favorite quote about gratitude not found above? Share it in the comments section below.

Matt Mayberry

Speaker and Maximum Performance Strategist. CEO of Matt Mayberry Enterprises

A former NFL linebacker for the Chicago Bears, Matt Mayberry is currently a keynote speaker, peak-performance strategist and writer. As the CEO of Matt Mayberry Enterprises, a training and consulting company, he specializes in maximizing the performance of individuals and organizations all over the world. He published his first book, Winning Plays, in 2016. You can contact him and learn more at mattmayberryonline.com.

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