The purpose of life?

Rather than seeking continual feelings of pleasure or contentment, life's purpose could be to have a rich, full, and meaningful life.

Christianity

Christianity can contribute to happiness since it teaches we can have a close relationship with the creator of the universe and go to Heaven while being saved from hell. Some Christians have been willing to die painful deaths, such as being torn apart by lions, for their faith.

Happiness in a simulation

In a simulation it is possible for people's minds to one day be altered, to remove boredom, depression, and strong physical pain, etc. Negative memories can also be removed or hidden. So then why do we have strong negative emotions? Some argue that it was necessary in our dangerous hunter-gatherer past.

Strong negative emotions also add to the drama of life.

Feeling "High" and Manic Episodes

This early Ken Keyes book helped teach me how to be happy 100% of the time - until the mania caused me to behave recklessly, leading me to become hospitalized in a mental ward. Based on the book, it seemed that my reduced need for sleep was normal:

"...When you uplevel all your addictions to preferences, you will discover that your body may not need as much sleep as you now require. Plus, you will have much more energy during your waking hours..."

Ken Keyes' Handbook to Higher Consciousness goes into his ideas in further depth, including:

"...As the watcher of the screen, you are perfect. The screen may be projecting a horrendous movie that is showing all kinds of pain and suffering - on the screen. Or the screen may reflect a happy movie that shows a beautiful sunset, a delightful sexual experience, or an enjoyable meal. But the essential you is the pure awareness that just watches the stuff go by on the screen of your life. Behind what you think you are - YOU ARE..."