Thankfulness is feeling glad about the good done to you. People fantasize about living like a wealthy celebrity. Think about what that really would have been like as recently as a hundred years ago. In the winter you would live in a cold, dark castle with just fireplaces for heat. In the summer it would be hot and humid with no air-conditioning. While today you can switch on your favorite music any time of day or night, back then you would be limited to local musicians in live appearances--or perhaps a relatively new invention, the gramophone.

Meals would be largely limited to local foods; most fresh fruits and vegetables would only be available in the summer. Instead of driving in a heated car in the winter and in an air-conditioned car in the summer, you creep along at five miles per hour in a horse-drawn carriage.

Being thankful can help us stay calm when the going gets rough. People who go into road rage when stuck in traffic let themselves become so upset over such trivial inconveniences. When you're delayed by traffic, remind yourself just how thankful you should be--comfortable sitting in an air-conditioned car with a batch of CDs that makes your car a mobile concert stadium.