Analysis: The secrets of a happy life lie in the past

THE OECD statistic that 79 per cent of Britons believe their lives will be satisfying in five years' time is especially surprising to me. Many of my clients are deeply anxious about the future. Like me, they read the papers and watch the news every day - and the message they get is that our economy is in big trouble, so services and jobs will have to be cut to the bone to dig the nation out of its financial mess.

Even for those with robust mental health, the looming threat of redundancy and/or unemployment ?provokes anxiety. For those with families to support, the potential loss of their livelihood is hard to ignore. And I think when the cuts really start to bite, the results of the OECD's survey will strike a rather false note.

Dig deeper and Britain only ranks 15th out of 34 on the broadest measure of life satisfaction, a long way behind Denmark and Norway. Why? Because, unlike Britain, these countries emphasise wellbeing over wealth. The gap between rich and poor is a fraction of that found here.

It seems to me that what makes people happy is feeling safe and secure, financially and otherwise; knowing their work is meaningful and their lives have purpose, and not buying into the media-driven notion that wealth, celebrity and eternal youth are to be prized above all else.

Our parents and their parents knew this. They valued family, a sensible mix of work and play, and community. We may have more material comfort than our forebears did, but I'm not sure we're any happier.

• Dan Roberts is a therapist and wellbeing coach