Happiness is a complex topic. Why do some people feel happy despite bad circumstances, while others always feel unhappy despite good circumstances?

What role does attitude play in happiness? Let’s take a look at 7 reasons why people don’t always feel happy.

1. They simply choose not to be
   This is a difficult thing to accept, but many people are unhappy because they simply made the decision to be this way. Doesn’t everyone know at least one person who is always upset or angry, and has a negative outlook? Until someone like this changes his mind or attitude, he will never be happy.

2. They have unclear life circumstances that affect their happiness
   Some people choose not to be happy. On the other hand, there are people who, based on appearances, should be happy with their lives, but they are not. This is because they endure internal conflicts that interfere with their happiness. Often times, this is not easily noticed by others.
3. They are in a state of growth or change that challenges their balance
   When people go through periods of growth and change, their worldview changes. The result is a feeling of uncertainty and imbalance that can inhibit feelings of happiness or joy until things return to balance again.
4. They suffer from mental illness
   This is another situation where appearances conflict with reality. If someone has a mental illness, their circumstances may seem as if they should be perfectly happy. In fact, they may not be dealing with any external conflicts at all. Unfortunately, what they are dealing with are internal struggles due to depression or other issues.
5. They did not take the necessary steps to create their own happiness
   Another reason why people are not always happy is that some individuals are often in an in-between state. They didn’t decide to be miserable, but they couldn’t bring themselves to take the steps required to be truly happy.
6. Happiness is not an entitlement
   Some people have the view that happiness is something that is due to them. In this case, it is not simply that they are not working to find happiness, or that they have decided to become passive and sabotage their happiness, these are people who feel pathologically resentful that others are not actively working to make them happy.
7. They have not yet recognized their blessings
   Finally, there are people who are not lazy, ungrateful, or entitled. These are simply people who cannot see all the reasons to be happy. The good news is that if these people can see their blessings and gain some perspective, they can always become happy people overall.

From these reasons why people can’t always be happy, we can see how happiness is impacted by circumstance and attitude. However, what may be most interesting is how eager people are to presume to know whether or not somebody should or should not be happy.