Stoic Quotes On Gratitude

Ancient Wisdom To Make You Feel Grateful For Being Alive

I’m not sure about you all, but it’s a beautiful Saturday morning here and I’m feeling happy to be alive. No obligations, no plans, just a free day to sleep in and work on personal projects (like writing here on Medium 🙂).

One thing I’m grateful for today is ancient philosophy. I feel lucky to have access to quotes and wisdom from such incredible minds, living so long ago. Did you know the Stoics used to have a school in Greece for studying Stoicism way back in 300 BC? It was later very popular in ancient Rome as well. Schools for Stoicim weren’t just theoretical, they taught their students how to live a good life based on their philosophy. I wish we still had schools like that today, but I’m happy we at least have access to their lessons.

A main focus of the stoics was finding strength in internal thoughts, regardless of external circumstances. You can be the richest, luckiest man in the world but still feel unhappy and unappreciative. Conversely, you can be struggling through life but still feel happy and grateful. So much joy can stem from our internal thoughts and perspectives. When asked, “Who is a rich man?” the famous stoic philosopher Epictetus replied, “He who is content.”

Today it is common for us to fall into the trap, “I’ll be happy when I get my next promotion,” “I’ll be happy when I can get a bigger apartment,” or “I’ll be happy when it’s the weekend.” The stoics remind us that we don’t have to wait to be happy. Here are some of my favorite stoic quotes on gratitude. I hope they help brighten your day:

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” ― Epictetus

Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.

— Marcus Aurelius

I feel grateful, not because it profits me, but because it pleases me.”

— Seneca

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

― Epictetus

When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.

— Marcus Aurelius

“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.”

― Seneca

“I laugh at those who think they can damage me. They do not know who I am, they do not know what I think, they cannot even touch the things which are really mine and with which I live.” ― Epictetus

Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours. ― Marcus Aurelius

“See how many are better off than you are, but consider how many are worse.”

— Seneca

“Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” ― Epictetus

“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” ― Marcus Aurelius

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. “

— Seneca

“Don’t seek to have events happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen, and all will be well with you.” ― Epictetus

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ― Marcus Aurelius

“It is easy to praise providence for anything that may happen if you have two qualities: a complete view of what has actually happened in each instance and a sense of gratitude. Without gratitude what is the point of seeing, and without seeing what is the object of gratitude?”

— Epictetus

I hope these quotes brought you as much joy as they brought me. If you want to exercise your gratitude muscles even more, feel free to follow along with this daily gratitude walkthrough:

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