Giving thanks is an essential part of what makes us human.

The big picture: Gratitude was once a survival skill — and the practice, along with its benefits, has endured.

🖼️ Zoom out: Humans' power — and longevity — come from our nature as social animals.

• Some scientists think gratitude is a key element of that, AP reports.
• We survived and thrived by helping each other out — and the feeling of gratitude may have evolved to motivate us to keep exchanging favors.

🔬 Zoom in: We've practiced gratitude for so long that studies have found traces of it in our brains.

• Children as young as 2 years old can demonstrate the feeling, AP notes.

💡 Why it matters: Gratitude is good for us.

• As we've reported, researchers have found that taking time to dwell on what we're grateful for — instead of what we're dissatisfied with — can leave us feeling markedly more optimistic about our lives.
• And penning letters of gratitude to others can even chip away at symptoms of depression.

A few months ago, to balance all the negativity out there, I started writing an ongoing list of the people, past and present, who have made a meaningful difference in my life, Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes.

• I try to read it (and add to it) a few times each week, mainly to remind myself of the goodness and generosity around us.

📬 Try Jim's idea! Send us a list of three people you're grateful for, and tell us a little bit about why. Include your name and hometown, and look out for your gratitude list on Axios. Just hit reply to this email or find us at [email protected].

• Bonus points: If anyone on your list is spending Thanksgiving with you, thank them in person!