Happiness is a "state" of mind

Last month, I had a conversation with someone who said they believed that life is about struggling, because everyone they know is struggling. 

Since I don't share that belief, I decided to ask the world at large — "If you're happy and you know it, let me know."  Well, unfortunately, I didn't hear from anyone. 

Apparently, someone conducted a national survey, and today, this map was in the news.  Do you think happiness is just a state?