Questioning Happiness

Authentic questions I have about being happy:

1) Is happiness a decision?  If so, how can a person make that decision?

2) What's optimism and what's just covering up sadness?

3) When people are really sad, for instance, they might commit suicide.  What does somebody overcome with happiness do?

4) How much of happiness is related to people around us and how much is material possessions?

5) For me, giving a gift is makes me happier than receiving one.  Of course, I love getting presents -- it's more fun and exciting -- but what is it that makes me happy to give away things?  

6) Sometimes it seems like happiness and negative emotions (not necessarily sadness) go hand in hand.  It's as if the sadder you are and you work through that sadness, the happier you are.  That might not make much sense, but I think that the happiest people also feel the most sadness, too.  Why are emotions that way?

7) What is the effect of nature on happiness?

8) How can animals help us feel happier?

9) Why is it that unusually happy people tend to bug typical people?  

10) Biologically, what is the difference between tears of happiness and tears of sadness?  They're still the same salty water, but they feel so different.  Are all emotions just interconnected?
11) What's the difference between childhood happiness and adulthood happiness?  Is ignorance really bliss?
12) Why can a person feel happy one day and then depressed another?  Why can somebody be labeled a "happy" person when emotions are different every day?