I've been a therapist for eight years, and I keep seeing clients who are 'successful' by every metric—good jobs, relationships, health—yet they describe feeling empty inside. That makes me wonder: is happiness truly a choice, or are we overstating how much control we have over our mental state? I've tried cognitive reframing myself, and while it helps with daily annoyances, it doesn't touch deeper existential dread. Maybe the self-help industry oversells the power of positive thinking.