RE: Happiness isn't getting everything you want - happiness is a skill
I think you're absolutely right that true happiness isn't about getting everything you want. I've seen people who are wealthy and have everything they could ever want or need and they still find a way to be miserable. Some of them want more more more like a child and some just don't know what the heck they want so they're not happy.
I've found the simple things in life make me happy the most--things like hiking, going for a run, practicing yoga with my wife, or just sitting around on a lazy day (which I don't have very often) with my family and enjoying time where we don't have a million different obligations.
I've been through some pretty low lows in my life and I think that has actually helped me to find contentment and happiness in simple, non-material things. Now it's just a matter of keeping that perspective and remembering the truly hard times I've been through when I think I'm having a horrible day. It's all relative.
Even when I'm having what someone might think of as a horrible day, I still don't think of it that way. I just focus on the challenge at hand. Not thinking of my experience as horrible seems to help me get through it. Like Scott Peck said, and to paraphrase, "Once you admit the road is difficult, it becomes less difficult." You seem to reflect that in your comment.
Thank you so much for your feedback, @cryptokeeper.