> happiness is probably the wrong word...maybe contentedness is better, tho maybe not

Eudaimonia is the word you're looking for.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudaimonia

There are a lot of arguments against it. I think there are good points in these counter arguments, but come down on the side of Eudaimonia, personally.

Counter arguments:

https://bigthink.com/the-moral-sciences-club/eudaimonism-is-...

https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/646/is-virtue...

https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004395794/BP000003.xm...