You have said many truths here, and I think the world would be a better place if more people had the same belief.

We have been lied to but we cannot blame those who lied to us, we can only blame ourselves for not questioning the lies not because there is something wrong with us but because by taking responsibility we gift ourselves the power we gave away when we bought into the lies.

Here is the thing about happiness, it is not something that can be pursued. I am not a fan of the notion that you need to spend 40 years or more as a wage slave, accumulating things like fancy cars, clothes, houses and such for the purpose of impressing people who are to concerned with all of the drama in their own live to even notice, all the while saving every last penny so that one day you may finally retire with enough money to finally start living the life you wish to live in the hopes that this will give you happiness. You cannot pursue happiness, it is not something that you can have, it is something that you are.

They say that happiness is a choice, but those same people who give such well meaning but shallow advice do not understand how it is that it is a choice. Happiness is not a choice, but rather is a result of a choice. What you focus on becomes your reality. You cannot be depressed if you do not think about and focus on the things that depress you. You cannot be angry if you do not think about and focus on the things that anger you. You cannot be exited if you do not think about and focus on the things that excite you. You cannot be happy if you do not think about and focus on the things that make you happy

I appreciate that things are not quite as simple as this, nonetheless, you can be a happier person right now by making one small choice, namely to focus on and think about the things that make you happy, and to have gratitude for those things.