Jesus says to deny ourselves. Then, is the goal of Christianity to strip away our identity?

Should we even be pursuing happiness or are we chasing the wrong goal entirely?

Why did God bother creating humanity in the first place, especially when He created us with the ability to sin?

My life seems fine overall, and Christians' lives don't look noticeably better. Why should I seek Jesus?

If God defines our identity, how should I approach all the other things — family, culture, trauma — that shape who we are?