My life has had various rounds of happiness and purpose depending on what age and what stage of my life I was in. Socially, in high school, I wasn't really happy or unhappy, probably a little depressed and moody. Then, I started working part time my junior year. That part time job gave me a purpose and I was happy.
Then college...party time...you know 1969-1971, use your imagination.
Then I left college after two years, due to "party time", and worked in a factory. Back to not happy and probably a little depressed.
Then I moved to a bigger town hoping for more opportunities for work. I started very low, on a very low totem pole, but I was happy. I was happy and very poor because I had my freedom to figure out what I wanted and how to get there.
Then there were more jobs, one a little better than the last one. I had my ups and downs during that period. Then, I met my husband and I was mostly happy with my home life/family life and work life. I found purpose from both my family and my work. I've never been much of a social person, but, I did find purpose in my marriage and being a mother plus work, that too, was a very satisfying purpose for me. I finally figured out I was CONTENTED. I was middle of the road,
boringly CONTENDED and that, to me, is being HAPPY.