Nazim Hikmat, the great Turkish Poet once asked his friend Abidin Dino, a Turkish artist and famous painter, to draw a picture of Happiness. He drew pictures of a whole family, cramped up on a broken bed, under a leaky roof in a shabby room, but still with a smile on each member’s face! The painting became very famous. 

Happiness is not the absence of suffering. It comes with acceptance and gratitude for the conditions of life. 
“Happiness is a state of mind. It is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfilment. It can be described as a feeling that involves positive emotions and life satisfaction. It is transient and likely to change due to various pressures both known and unknown exerted on us. We can even measure it and call this measure –

THE HAPPINESS QUOTIENT.

HAPPINESS QUOTIENT = WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED – WHAT WE HAD EXPECTED TO RECEIVE

Therefore, we can say that happiness is not a commodity that can be bought or sold. It is born in your heart and mind when things that you do satisfy you, soothe you and help you to be at peace with yourself. 

Theoretically, yes, we can live without expecting things from others and from ourselves...which may make our lives simpler

By managing our expectations, recalibrating our expectations and learning to deal with our expectations not being met we can maintain a positive H.Q. If we master our own emotions, then we are more likely to actively control our own happiness. 

Dalai Lama has rightly said, “Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.”

That's why changing the way we think can increase our happiness even if we make no changes to our lives .It is not a lifetime investment but a day to day affair .It begins and ends with you and can be found in the most unexpected ways.