There is no question that all people seek as Kabbalah says to be happy and not be in pain (in fact the whole premise of Buhdisim is that suffering is the natural reality – which of occurs is not true ) what we don’t understand though, is what is the destination to happiness? – everything people do exactly is summed up in the desire to either be happy or not be in pain (though there is the “pain” of the ego, namely when I believe your status is superior to mine while mine should be superior to yours”!” as mentioned) so the only path to happiness is a. hope in a messianic world (for hope eliminates sadness and lack of hope – depression) b. if something bad has happened to you instead of letting it drag you down, see the good in it – for when you see the good in the bad, as the Baal Shem Tov teaches, the bad transforms to good so you will be happy (this is really why most adults, and usually the older they get, are so miserable for they have not gotten over pains which lead to fear and oftentimes anger) c. do something meaningful – there is no way around it, as Dr. Seligson the author of Positive Psychology, through actual testing reports, that the only happy people are those who do meaningful activities (for even if you have hope and no anger etc. eventually life simply becomes boring)