Gratitude always comes into play; research shows that people are happier if they are grateful for the positive things in their lives, rather than worrying about what might be missing.

Have fun, be active. Ride a bike instead of driving, for example.

You rarely get satisfaction sitting in an easy chair. If you work in a garden on the other hand, and it yields beautiful tomatoes, that's a good feeling.

Having a purpose and knowing exactly what your values are will add additional years to your life.

So learning to play a new instrument, learning a new language - those sorts of things will pay dividends for years or decades to come.

Eat your vegetables, have a positive outlook, be kind to people, and smile.

So setting up automatic savings plans, and buying insurance as opposed to buying a new thing. The newness effect of a new thing wears off in nine months to a year, but financial security can last a lifetime.