According to recent happiness surveys, America’s young people are not very happy. The World Happiness Report, a decagonal report that polls the happiness of nations across the globe, found America sitting at 62nd in the world on happiness levels.

Even more concerning is that America’s youth are less happy than the older generations. Whatever happened to the bliss and optimism of youth, where the world is one’s oyster? Why are young Americans so depressed?

Well, the report concludes that spending too much time on electronic devices is the primary culprit. It notes that the amount of time people spend on the Internet has increased significantly since 2006. Meanwhile, in that same span, the time people spend sleeping and interacting in person has diminished drastically, and there’s a corresponding downward trend in personal happiness.

Is this merely a correlation or causation? It might be a bit of a chicken-or-egg question, but the kids are clearly unhappy, and time spent online only seems to exacerbate it.

Interestingly, the survey found that young people of a leftist political persuasion expressed the most unhappiness. It’s also intriguing that young people in Israel came in second on the happiness report, just behind Lithuania. It would seem that the Internet, which is every bit as accessible in these two countries as in the U.S., is not having the same negative impact on young people.

Furthermore, Israel is in the midst of a war and has endured attacks from its neighbors for decades. Why are Israeli young people so much happier than Americans?

There are likely many factors here, one of which has to do with facing the reality of the world at a young age. Is it possible that American children have grown up too sheltered and coddled and that when reality doesn’t bend to their expectations, they find themselves unhappy?

Could it be that America’s youth have been raised to believe that truth is relative rather than absolute and that when the truth doesn’t comport with their whims, they experience a sort of existential crisis, fearful and anxious about the future?

These factors likely contribute to the unhappiness of young Americans. But there is another factor tied directly to contentment and happiness. This factor seems simple, yet so many seem to overlook it: thankfulness.

If you find a thankful person, you will see a happy person. Or maybe “happy” is too flippant. Thankful people are joyful people. They may have struggled through life, be it with their health, their job, the loss of a loved one, and more, but rather than being embittered by these difficulties, they express thankfulness.

As Americans, we should be the most thankful people on the planet. Who has it better than us? Not only are we living in the freest, wealthiest, and most opportunity-rich nation in the world, but we also enjoy the freedom to worship the God who has so graciously blessed us.

The pilgrims didn’t despair despite suffering so much death and hardship 400 years ago. Instead, they thanked God for sustaining and providing for them. They didn’t let the reality of the world’s difficulties lead them to anxiousness and hopelessness. Instead, they embraced hope founded on God’s goodness and providence.

This is what so many young Americans seem to be missing. They’re focused on their own desires and their own “truths” rather than rejoicing and being thankful for the abundance all around them.

Take time to be thankful, even for the seemingly little things. If you do, a sense of contentment and happiness will follow.