I've found myself struggling just to get through the work day lately as I'm terribly unhappy with my job due to poor management and huge structural changes in my dept. just six weeks ago I was promoted, got a 6% pay increase, and a $9k bonus and that fixed things for me for all of a week or so. But I'm still not happy. I need more time with my family and less work related stress.
Unfortunately I don't really have a short or mid term solution to this as I'm stuck in this job for a lot of complicated reasons I won't get into. I find happiness in the hour or so that I get to hang out with my wife at the end of the day and relax together. The rest of the day on weekdays consists of work and the many menial tasks that eat up 95% of my waking hours. Death by a thousand cuts.
I'm making long term plans to get out of my current situation but it seems so far off that every day seems like a struggle to even motivate myself to keep up with life. These are all First world problems for sure. I should be thankful for having a home and enough resources to survive. I try and keep it all in perspective but today I'm failing miserably as I have most days recently.
You're right that promotions and money won't fix everything. Money can buy things but it sure can't buy happiness.