As is hopefully quite well explained by an introduction to Philosophy teacher; there are two uses for the word Philosophy. I have heard them referred to as the weak use and the strong use.
First the weak use; which tends to muck things up when it comes to the strong use. You go through your life on a certain collection of principles you believe to be correct, and can confront more or less any situation with them. This is a philosophy. These can be held in a Dogmatic, Philosophical, or Subjective way and, depending on how you hold them, you may do some rash things because you hold the philosophy.
Second the strong use. Your walking along the street one day and suddenly you get the bright idea to wonder about all of those things you hold to be true. You think, "gee I seem to have made a lot of assumptions without seeing what kinds of logical problems they create." Now you have started on the path of doing Philosophy. If you were to buy into a philosophy in the weak sense like oh say a religion, you would likely hold all their views dogmatically. However, at some time you may have a Hindu friend who talks about his religion. So now you decide that you should really look at what you believe and why you believe it. You get lost on a thought trip; find yourself in Germany; begin really thinking about how you know what you know and why you can know it; and finally come to weird conclusions like cogito ergo sum. After questioning assumptions you try to build a logical foundation on fact (not opinion, which is a common misconception about Philosophy), and once you work out the kinks dialectically you come to have a good philosophy (yes in the weak since).
There are as was noted 5 branches of study in philosophy
I hope this either clears up the difference, or confuses you just enough to make you read more about philosophy.