I'm with you but psychologists say happiness is a fleeting feeling rather than a state;happiness will will happen to just about everyone, but so will sadness. it's possibly impossible to be happy all the time.

I agree that happiness is a good goal in and of itself, but what I have found is that my happiest moments are when I have achieved some sort of specific goal...which means that goals/dreams are a requirement of happiness. They don't need to be big goals or dreams (for example, last summer my goal was to hike as many mountains as possible), but the existence of them, in part, leads to happiness. Happiness can't be forced, but I also think that sitting around and waiting for it (or chasing temporary fixes of happiness) is not the best way to achieve it.

i love this. Happiness is my dream for myself too.

Are you saying that happiness is a goal for you because you are not happy right now? If so, consider happiness as a choice in this very moment rather than some far reaching goal. From that point of view you might achieve your goal a lot quicker.

I'm fully aware that I cannot be in a state of happiness permanently. That's impossible and it would be boring. I guess what I should have said is that having or the idea of having big life goals - like having a family or owning my own business or in one commenter's case, climbing as many mountains as possible - doesn't make me happy. It stresses me out. (And as an aside, I'd argue that climbing as many mountains in one summer is also a "temporary fix" given that you can't continue to do it for the rest of your life to maintain your happiness). All I meant was that people have their vision boards and their life plans, and I don't have one. I don't have dreams that I want to achieve or a trajectory for my life. I live my life, every day, in whatever way makes me happy. So if one day, I decide I want to sit and read all day (on the weekend, of course), then I do. And if on the next free day, I decide to hop in my car and see how far I can drive before the sun sets, I do that. It doesn't make me happy to plan my life out in advance. Sure, it doesn't give me anything concrete to work towards, but if I'm living everyday in my own sense of fullness, at the end of the day, I'm happy. But I don't have big dreams. And if I admit that to people in general conversation, they look at me like I'm wandering aimlessly still, at 35. Anyway, Just thought I'd clarify. And to The Truth - thanks for the support. I hope you find your happiness!

John Lennon quote:
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.

@interesting You have to hike the Skyline Trail at Manning Park - simply breathtaking. So far my best hike to date!