The results from both studies clearly indicated that in terms of short- and long-term happiness, buying experiences made people feel better than buying products.

In short, when it comes to an instant fix for everyday happiness, certain types of writing have a surprisingly quick and large impact. Expressing gratitude, thinking about a perfect future, and affectionate writing have been scientifically proven to work – and all they require is a pen, a piece of paper, and a few moments of your time.

When trying to write your way to a happier life, expressing gratitude is just the tip of the iceberg.

We do not love people so much for the good they have done us, as for the good we do them.

You know, in this job we really need someone who is responsible.” The man thinks for a moment, then replies, “I am perfect for you. In my last job lots of things went badly wrong, and they always said that I was responsible.

A woman’s flattery may inflate a man’s head a little, but her criticism goes straight to his heart, and contracts it so that it can never again hold quite so much love for her.

The message is clear – those who do not feel in control of their lives are less successful, and less psychologically and physically healthy, than those who do feel in control.

The message from this type of work is simple – if you want to cheer yourself up, behave like a happy person.

The message is that people are more likely to agree with you when they have already said something positive.

Spend just a few nights sleeping for seven hours or less and your brain goes into slow motion. To make matters worse, you will continue to feel fine and so don’t make allowances for your sluggish mind. Within just a couple of days this level of sleep deprivation transforms you into an accident waiting to happen.