Happy World Gratitude Day! We’re grateful for these 10 empowering gratitude quotes from women throughout history. Their inspiring words encourage us to keep a positive mindset, find joy in everyday moments, and appreciate the journey, even when the road is bumpy.
Gratitude has the potential to transform how we experience the world. When we pause, reflect, and recognize what we’re thankful for, we notice more beauty, build stronger connections, and approach situations with greater empathy. Entering spaces with a grateful heart also allows us to be more open to personal growth and accepting of challenges. On World Gratitude Day, we’re reminded of the wellness benefits of embracing gratitude and the importance of making it a larger part of our routine
Do you have a favorite saying you refer to during difficult times or share when your friends need a pep talk? Such quotes can serve as small but powerful reminders to stay present, nurture relationships, and celebrate the joys of life. Below, we’ve gathered 10 empowering gratitude quotes from women whose wisdom encourages us to be grateful every day of the year.
“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
Maya Angelou, Poet and Civil Rights Activist
Why it matters: Gratitude creates a ripple effect. Giving and receiving with open hearts helps entire communities thrive.
“The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one’s appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship.”
Amelia Earhart, Aviation Pioneer
Why it matters: Gratitude deepens with experience, reminding us to value the simple, essential parts of what makes us human.
“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, Author, Television Host, and Philanthropist
Why it matters: Gratitude shifts our focus toward abundance and helps us recognize the good already in our lives.
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”
Helen Keller, Author and Disability Rights Advocate
Why it matters: Gratitude gives us the courage to face challenges with hope and choose light over darkness.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
Melody Beattie, Author
Why it matters: Gratitude transforms the ordinary into something meaningful, reminding us that joy, connection, and comfort often come from appreciating what we already have.
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths, or the turning of our face to the sunshine.”
Etty Hillesum, Writer and Holocaust Diarist
Why it matters: Gratitude helps us notice and embrace the small, sometimes discarded moments that bring peace and perspective.
“Gratitude is accepting the full breadth of life, even the parts that are hard.”
Roxane Gay, Author and Cultural Critic
Why it matters: True gratitude embraces life’s joys and struggles and the resilience we build throughout the journey.
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
Dolly Parton, Singer-Songwriter, Philanthropist, and Actress
Why it matters: Gratitude helps us see today’s challenges as necessary stepping-stones to brighter tomorrows.
“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”
Margaret Cousins, Educator and Suffragist
Why it matters: Small acts of appreciation can have lasting impacts.
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”
Brené Brown, Author, Researcher & Professor
Why it matters: Gratitude helps us slow down, pay attention, and recognize the beauty of simple, everyday life.
Are you interested in getting involved in a program that inspires? Learn more about our afterschool running program for girls and how to join our movement.
Looking for a fun way to bring these gratitude quotes to life at home? Check out this gratitude activity!
