I've been reading this week about William James. In 1890, he published The Principles of Psychology in which he introduced the concept of the mind-body connection. As he investigated the idea that emotions impact behavior and personal harmony results from nurturing the inner person, he began the self-help movement.

James was also a professed member of the philosophical school of thought known as Pragmatism. He suggested that the world already exists when we are born and we must accept it as is. It is our ability to create an inner reality that determines whether we perceive our world as hostile or friendly. To me, this makes happiness a matter of practicality.

One is happy when reality lives up to expectations and unhappy when it does not. So what do we do about those expectations? Should we hold onto them? Be careful here and don't confuse dreams with expectations. They're not the same!

Never give up on dreams. They are the &uot;leaps of faith we make knowing that Spirit (Higher Power) is holding a safety net.&uot; But since expectations are the &uot;emotional investment our egos make in a particular outcome&uot; that same ego will be hurt when reality falls short. A bruised ego is dangerous. It can cause us to give up rather than risk failure. So I think that I shall try to operate more from dreams than from expectations.

I really believe dreams are a more direct avenue to happiness. Ego's demands are highbest sellers, CEO/CFO, Platinum Records, size 6 and there is little compromise. Dreams are more forgiving, and they never tell us to give up.