The 3 Best Things to Do with Your Phone this Thanksgiving

The season of turkeys, stuffing, pumpkin pie is upon us… oh, and gratitude. Because Thanksgiving comes to us as a mix of specific fall foods… and the commemorated effort to gin up appropriate thankfulness for our blessings. This is of course incredibly worthwhile, even vital… but it doesn’t always come easy. This year that might feel even more true (ahem, 2020, I’m looking at you).

I’d love to help. I’m the girl who asks the question, “how can we make our phone use support our soul health?”, and at Thanksgiving, I’ve got ideas for you.

The most effective way you could use your phone to boost your thankfulness quotient would be, quite simply, to t u r n i t O F F. Or at least, stash it in a back-room drawer for large chunks of time. Many studies show that those who use their phone the most are the least happy… which likely also means they experience the least feelings of thankfulness for their life. This article is a good one to glance at. If you aren’t going to put your phone away, at least put set app limits this week for social media use to ensure you don’t spend your time scrolling, comparing, and feeling sad.

If you actually have your phone in your hand this week, however, might I suggest the following exercises:

1. Identify 1 to 3 people for whom you are particularly thankful and place an actual phone call to tell them this - no text or messaging!. A real-time, voice-to-voice conversation yields emotional benefits that a text does not, and people value them more highly (even if they shirk them more often because of “convenience”). Even if you have to leave an actual voice mail, do this instead of resorting to a text.

2. Scroll through your phone’s photos and identify 1 to 3 photos that reveal moments for which you are particularly thankful. Do not share them on social media! Instead, take a moment to quietly thank God for the goodness represented in that moment of life - and be as specific as possible. If you then feel prompted, perhaps share the photo with only the person or the people directly involved in the photo. (This is also a great time to cull out some photos on your phone, if you’re so inclined. Do you also have 837 saved on your phone?)

3. Use the Grateful app to track daily blessings, or just make a list on the “notes” app of your phone. Be deliberate in adding to this daily. Again, do not share your simply, daily items of gratitude on social media but keep them quiet - between your heart and God.

What ways do you use your phone to boost gratitude?

Here’s to a great Thanksgiving! 🦃 🦃  May yours be filled with gratitude to God, in all the realest and most fully-felt ways.

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