This is a tricky question depending on who’s asking it. Happiness is relative; what makes me happy can be totally different from what makes you happy, and like beauty, it’s in the mind (eye) of the beholder.
Ever the optimist, I think, yes, happiness is possible if one truly wants it. As a coach, I would have the person map out different aspects of his or her life: career, family, health, etc. and then rate them. What are they happiest with? What’s more challenging? Drumroll…the big question, WHY?
Like anything that’s worth having: marriage, friendship, career, and happiness, it all takes work. In addition to work, it also requires that you take a long, hard and honest look at you: who you are, what you want, what you don’t want, and then prioritizing your goals in order to achieve them.