The Happiness Myth

I'm currently reading a book by Jennifer Michael Hecht titled The Happiness Myth: Why What We think Is Right Is Wrong. She has looked through history to try and figure out what has actually made humans happy - trying to see past cultural myths and look for patterns.
It's a pretty bold attempt, but done very well in my humble opinion. And I think for me, the best part is just taking such a stark look at the idea of happiness in my life.
She says there are three kinds of happiness - euphoric happiness, a good day (or momentary) happiness, and a good life (or long-term) happiness. And when thought about in these three categories, it does seem true that all of life's decisions are meant to contribute to some sort of happiness. My Christian upbringing makes me feel guilty for uttering that statement. I have this idea of sacrifice and guilt and denying pleasures. But the truth is, even in denying pleasures, there's a calculation of a future happiness. Christians create a paradise in the afterlife and invest energy in that happiness even as they may want to deny "good day happiness."
Which isn't to say that Christians can't have a good time, of course, everyone does. My point is that even denial is motivated by a desire for some kind of happiness. It's a calculation. And some form of happiness seems to be a primary motivation in human experience.
So given that this is true, what does make me happy? In the long term? In the short term? How many "good days" do I want and what might I be giving up in the long term if I invest too much in my daily happiness. And have I experienced euphoric happiness in my life? When? Should I do things to seek it? Maybe for a short time?
She looks at drugs, money, bodies and celebrations and gives interesting historical perspectives on these topics. And she has collected wisdom writing from history and reflects on what wisdom can and cannot offer toward happiness.
As I said, I'm finding it refreshing. It's like a little window to help me get beyond the "shoulds" and "should nots" and instead make me think scientifically about happiness. It may sound rather dry, but I am loving the mental games it leads me through. And it's also making me stop and notice the happiness that I have in my life - some of it a gift of grace and some that I've worked for and invested in. And it's made me enjoy my wine and coffee in a whole new way.
So I recommend it, to those of you who enjoy historical analysis and playing with big ideas.