Over the past year, I’ve written a lot here at Mind Matters about the anxiety and loneliness epidemic in America, largely connected to the rise of the “phone-based” life, as author Jonathan Haidt calls it. Solutions to the crisis include severely limiting screen use in the home and in the classroom. Children need the chance to play outside unsupervised, and to socialize with other kids without the hindrance of the screen

More practically, though, and for the millions of grown adults who find themselves anxiously tethered to the screen, what can be done to push back against anxiety and live a more holistic life?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it’s a good time to call special attention to gratitude. Gratitude is the recognition that I am a limited human being, that everything I have is ultimately a gift, and that I am dependent on so many other people to survive. From my mother who conceived and bore me, to the chef who made my pizza three nights ago, each of us depends on the benevolence of others to live.

The cultural message is often different. We’re told to be independent, to make ourselves in our own images, and act as if we created ourselves, or at least have the power to if only we’d sufficiently tap into it. While there is much to be commended with a healthy sense of independence and being “self-made,” perhaps the obsession with autonomy is part of the reason we find ourselves so anxious and feeling so alone in the modern world.

Studies show that practicing a grateful disposition can combat anxiety. Gratitude, simply put, is the recipe for contentment.

Listing several studies and articles on gratitude, Dr. Anthony Bradley sums up the combined findings and writes,

Gratitude is not just a virtue; it is a transformative force that builds resilience, fosters emotional intelligence, strengthens relationships, and deepens spiritual well-being. This rich body of research underscores the profound impact gratitude has on individuals, families, and communities.

Gratitude is key to understanding ourselves rightly and helps us stay grounded during times of adversity. Being thankful always points our eyes outward towards others and the world around us.

In an AI-driven society, where machines are made to act like humans and humans are understood as little more than machines, cultivating gratitude is one of the most redemptive practices we can take on. It reminds us that we are not automatons living in a purely material world, but are social beings who live in an interdependent web of relationships.

As G.K. Chesterton, an oft-quoted apologist of gratitude, writes, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”