How do we get there from here?

#Detail<br><br>I've been reading in the existential camp for a while (not a philosophy grad student) and I'm curious about the happy, contented, people I meet. They have spent years getting to their current place in life. It may have been intolerable to experience the process of getting there "in the moment", but now that they have arrived, they have a sense of contentment.<br><br>From a philosophical point of view, I don't understand how they got there. What philosophical structure do they use in their daily lives?<br><br>#Example<br><br>I live in Norway where society is more socialist than in the US. I've worked for 45 years and spent years in school accumulating debt. My wife passed away 2 years ago after a 6 year fight with cancer leaving 2 teenage boys. <br><br>In spite of the horror of these circumstances, I still love my life. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day ahead of me.<br><br>#Question<br><br>What philosophical structure am I using that gets me to this place in life? I'm positive, optimistic, and loving. What is the engine that drives me forward? How do I get happy? This is the question I would like to ask here.<br><br>I've entered some tags below of philosophical structures that I think might apply, but I'm not sure they are the correct ones. How do I use philosophy to achieve that kind of happiness?