Happiness is about finding a way that is less painful.
Happiness is about getting the same things we need by taking another route or path.
Maybe you have a set back
Deep breath
Did you learn anything from the set back?
Set backs are there to teach us lessons.
Maybe you learned to be more patient.
Maybe you discovered you are not ready for what you want
Maybe you learned to enjoy what you want another way
Maybe you refocused your goals
What's more important for you?
The destination or the way you get there?
Imagine your life as a trip
Do you prefer to take a bus to cross the town and get quickly home, knowing that it's late at night and there might be danger along the way.
Or do you prefer to work on relationships and make friends who can drive you home?
Is it reaching your home that's important?
Or is it to get there safely?
Is it passing the test that's important
Or learning something from the materials?
When you refocus your life in a way that is beneficial for you, then you reach happiness
Learn from every set back
If you are afraid of rejection, focus not on the person, but on the journey
If you are hurt by someone, focus on what you learned from the encounter. You always learn something. Everything helps you grow. Maybe you learn to control your emotions better, or you learn more patience, or you learn to be more human and more compassionate.
The secret of happiness is learning and growing.