Happiness comes from filling your time on earth with enough hobby's or work to distract you from how terrible many things are. In the end happiness is almost purely subjective.

Happiness is a comparative condition, brought about by brain chemistry in response to internal and external stimuli.
You cannot be happy all the time, and would be considered insane or have some problem with your brain chemistry if you were.

Rereading this thread, which i found fascinating, and learned from, may i clarify that i firnmly believe that depression is a thing, a bad thing, and i in no way wanted to imply that everyone suffering from it can pull themselves up by their bootstraps? Having someone tell you to get over it, when you would give your teeth to be not depressed must be Awful! Sorry?

Yes it really does comes from within and the only wa you can reach it is through meditation and believe.

Silvereyes:

1. that's ATTITUDE, thankyuvurrymuch! Lol!
2. No, I have moments of pure, all-encompassing Joy every day surrounded by feeling deep contentment other times. I do this by remembering the bad times and how incredibly lucky & tough I have been to be here now! Just wonderful!

Silvereyes: No, I mean daily moments of pure unbounded joy, interspersed with moments of contentment. I remember what I have been through, how I could easily be dead, (especially with first hubby), and am flooded with happiness that I am here, now, warm, safe, and dammit, Happy!

Silvereyes: that's "attitude" with a capital "A", thankyuvurrymuch!

Happy as a pig in shit, pretty well defines happiness, the environment or circumstances have little or nothing to do with how you feel about things. Like all emotions they exist internally despite external expression.

We are social animals, so we do need family, friends, and/or acquaintances to reinforce what should be on the inside, self-love. I think self-love should be present first. This aids the inner drive to reach out to others, show our vulnerabilities, and build deeply meaningful relationships with others. A strong sense of our self-worth is necessary when we are "attacked" by someone who does not have the positive self-image that we should have. In short, it is a beneficial self-perpetuating cycle of inside initiating the outward search which reinforces the inside well-being.

The only true happiness comes from within, as life is full of crap. Our responses to the inevitable crap is the difference between being happy or being depressed, angry, homicidal/suicidal, miserable, or other undesirable states, that are Not "happy".
The old sayings about "Look for the silver lining" and "make lemonade when life gives you lemons" are 100% true, it is your attitude that makes all the difference.

I am of the opinion that it is a combination of both.

Being unhappy is a driving force that can motivate someone to improve their circumstances. Negative emotions serve a very real, biological purpose, just as all emotions do. Not to say you can't put in effort to try to make yourself feel happy in spite of negative stimuli - many people do all that time - but that more often than not, will not get rid of negative emotions, but merely reduce them or cover them up.

Talk therapy can help some people conquer various emotions, but talk therapy often also requires that physical changes be made to the things that you do or your surroundings in order to achieve this goal. Secondly, emotions are chemicals, and some people's brains are not capable of producing enough dopamine or serotonin for sustained happiness, sometimes even requiring medication.

I tend to be highly sceptical the "you can make your own happiness" people, just as I am all mental health philosophers, because scientifically, we know precious little about human psychology because the brain itself is such a mysterious organ, but what we do have is the lengthy trial and error process of professional psychologists and psychiatrists as well various case studies

Various Mystics have long taught that happiness comes from within. Basically they say that in order to achieve perpetual happiness you must begin by viewing outside events dispassionately. This they refer to as overcoming your physical circumstances. In other words, try to view negative events from a safe analytical distance as much as possible.

Yes: Within a bottle of vodka. Within a tub of Ben and Jerry's. Within a box of pizza.

Daily moments of pure joy: i look around at the life (actually a simple one) i have now, remember how awful most of it was, and am flooded with gratitude & happiness. To the point that sometimes i skip, or burst into song (my dogs are very forebearing, lol!).
Since i do not believe i got here by any means other than my perserverance, & some dumb luck, my joy is doubled, or perhaps tripled!
My one regret is, none of this simple wonderfulness started until i was 64...but, better late than never. I will just live another 30 or more years........
And may all of you do likewise!