Happiness … would it be a state of permanent well-being, where everything would go well in the best of all worlds?
But we can not prevent certain events of life, change people, avoid all breakdowns, illness of our relatives, war, death etc. Happiness is not like the top of a mountain that one could reach (would you stay there anyway?!)
For the simple reason that ALL in this world is impermanent, transient, transitory. It is in Buddhism the concept of the impermanence of all things.
And if everything is passing, Happiness can only be so as well. Therefore, wanting to be happy all the time can only be a source of frustration and disappointment.
To be happy, one would have to accept not to be happy all the time! It is the concept of contentment, SANTOSHA for the yogis, the mere satisfaction of what is there.
Moreover, when we are happy, our brain is less alert to dangers, more confident towards others. So we could reasonably be constantly happy only in a safe world AND where everyone is happy …
Happiness should thus rather be seen as a succession of little happiness, resulting from simple things of the moment ; Cultivating positive states is a kind of workout for happiness,
However, practice makes perfect !
Just a moment, right now, to make a mental list of what makes you happy right now?
