I appreciate everybody's comments here, I think everyone answered this in their own way and indeed the answers are great. Does this mean our happiness depends on how we feel about other things? does happiness in a relationship depend on mutuality in the relationship?

According to the Beatles, happiness is a warm gun.

Dog

Totally subjective. (IMHO)

This is just the way I think of happiness, but everyone has their own definition: Happiness to me is a temporary state of joy, the sort of feeling that comes with a big event or a change of pace, like getting a promotion or acing final exams or going on a long-awaited vacation. After a time, that wears off. Contentment, however, seems to me to be the long-term, attainable goal of being satisfied with the general quality of one's life in various respects. I strive mostly for what I think of as contentment.

I think there's that which makes you happy (whatever triggers the release of neurotransmitters) and happiness (the feeling you get from the action of them in the synapse).

This is also why you can't choose how you feel about things...

Happiness is the natural default position. When I got rid of all my superstitions I was happy. Didn't have to do anything specific to make myself happy. It was just there.

Not being married to my ex.

a suspension of confusion and suffering. plus some other stuff.

Happiness starts with YOU.
We are responsible for our own JOYS in life.
Wake up Happy !!!

This has come up before and I think I said contentment with the status quo at a certain moment.