We are never as unhappy as we think, nor as happy has we had hoped

Most people are always doubtful as to whether they are happy or not, cheerful or not. This is the normal state of happiness, as doubt is a most natural thing.

Be happy, but never satisfied.

People exaggerate both happiness and unhappiness; we are never so fortunate nor so unfortunate as people say we are.

On n'est jamais si heureux ni si malheureux qu'on s'imagine.

Indeed there has never been any explanation of the ebb and flow in our veins — of happiness and unhappiness.

We don't know happiness without unhappiness, gaiety without sadness, and happiness can only be felt if you don't set any conditions.

Everyone you meet always asks if you have a career, are married, or own a house as if life was some kind of grocery list. But no one ever asks you if you are happy.

Happiness; we don't know what it means, how to measure it, or how to reach it, but we know extremely well how to avoid unhappiness.

A person is never happy except at the price of some ignorance.

A person who needs to be happy will never be happy.

A person who needs to be at peace will never be at peace.

People not only don't know what's happening to them, they don't even know that they don't know.

They've got no idea what happiness is, they don't know that without this love there is no happiness or unhappiness for us — there is no life.

Your life will never be the same, but happiness again is still possible. Never being happy again is a statement about the future. But no one can predict the future. All they can know for sure is that they are unhappy today. It helps to say, "I'm unhappy today," and leave it at that.