I agree re focussing on the negative too much being distracting.. this is exactly why I just tap that stuff out — then it's permanently gone & I can get on with my life :)

Of course, there's also a meta-level — if you believe (as I have for years) that suffering leads to understanding which leads to enlightenment.. then you will draw suffering to you — whether it's actually necessary for your path or not.

Ahh, the traps for young players!

I'm going to try to create an anti-not-happy habit where I ask myself those questions every time I feel like I can't allow myself to be happy in the present. Seems like eventually, if you ask yourself those questions each time, it will at least lead you to positive action, versus stagnating in the unhappiness. Sometimes negative motions are a good way of alerting you of areas of your life that are not working/unbalanced, but focusing on them for too long is when they become a problem.