‘My Idea Of Happiness Has Changed'

These days, happiness is a subject for research as well as a state of mind. Veronica Henry shares her sources of contentment over the years

When I was a little girl, my idea of happiness was books and baking. A day spent making a cake followed by curling up with Louisa May Alcott or Laura Ingalls Wilder was perfection. I was quiet and shy, not particularly physical or adventurous, so I liked to stay in my comfort zone.

As I grew up I became more outgoing and daring. In my twenties and early thirties, I strove for career success, a big house, the latest clothes, a flashy car. I was working in television as a script editor, I had drive and ambition, and it did make me happy to achieve and acquire. I’m not ashamed of it. It was the 80s after all!

Because I was working long, unsociable hours I took up riding – another childhood passion – to relieve the stress. One afternoon I discovered that my favourite riding school horse was for sale. On impulse, I bought him! Marmalade brought me hours of contentment, grooming him and polishing his tack, and trotting around the lanes – time to think, time to be myself. It was the perfect contrast to the demands of scripts and actors and producers.

And maybe looking after Marmalade was preparation for becoming a mother. I was on a fast-track career path with lots of opportunities, but I knew I wanted to start a family too, so I took a big risk and left my job to become a scriptwriter. If I hadn’t left then I would have gone up another rung on the career ladder and it would have been more difficult to make the switch. I trusted my gut because I knew deep down babies were more important than Baftas. It took courage but I knew I had to be true to myself.