Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.

Ralph Marston’s quotation frames gratitude as a deliberate practice rather than a spontaneous feeling. By urging thanks “without the expectation of anything in return,” it distinguishes appreciation from social bargaining and presents it as a moral discipline. The second half proposes a reciprocal dynamic: people are drawn to those who notice and value them, so sincere appreciation tends to strengthen relationships and widen one’s community. The final line extends the idea beyond social life into existential outlook—attending to what is good in life heightens one’s sense of abundance and engagement, making life feel “more” vivid and worth living.