There are loads of books, websites and even scientific papers on happiness – what it is exactly, how to achieve it or lose it, what activities promote it, and so on. Only today, coincidentally, the i newspaper lists the ‘real joys of summer’; 1. Going on holiday. 2. Going to the beach. 3. Eating ice cream. 4. Having a barbecue with friends and family. 5. Watching the sunset. 6. Wearing summer clothes. 7.Walking in the park. 8. Smelling freshly cut grass. 9. Reading books in the sun. 10. Laying in the sun.

This is the start of my new book which I’m currently working on and, after a review of research on ‘happiness’, goes on to tell stories of my own experiences with happiness or otherwise. However, it occurred to me this evening that the greatest cause of unhappiness (it’s always helpful to start by examining the negative) is simply a mismatch between expectation and reality. A kid brought up to expect success, wealth, ease and comfort, etc, will find life does not always conform to his/her wishes. Result; anger, frustration and disappointment. That’s not to say you should expect failure, but you should be prepared for difficulty and set-backs. Happiness comes when you can reconcile expectations versus reality, not simply when you get what you want.