Great foundations for
everyday Happiness /2

An in-depth look at the DREAM component of the GREAT DREAM model

By Angela Civitella

Edited December 13, 2025

In this follow-up to the first part, we look at the DREAM part of Vanessa King’s GREAT DREAM model. It’s a simple but powerful message: with focus, a bit of effort, and the desire to live fully, we can find everything we need right inside ourselves.

D: Direction

Happiness comes, in part, from finding the things that are important to you. So, setting personal goals aligned with your core values will help you replace drift with direction. Working to achieve those goals can be enjoyable, engaging and rewarding.

Happiness comes, in part, from finding the things that are important to you.

Equally, workplace goals that motivate and challenge you, but which remain achievable, can provide a roadmap to a fulfilling career.

R: Resilience

You can’t always dictate what happens to you in life, but you can choose how you respond. The way that you react to setbacks, such as failure, loss and illness, can significantly impact your happiness.

The good news is that resilience is not just about how naturally tough you are: it’s a skill that you can learn. The key is to change your mindset to see setbacks as temporary challenges, rather than permanent disasters.

‘Resilience is not just about how naturally tough you are: it’s a skill that you can learn.’

E: Emotions

Few of us get through life without “ups and downs”, but focusing on the times when you feel emotions such as joy and inspiration can help you to build a positive outlook.

Consider keeping a journal to record the times when you experience strong positive emotions – when a presentation goes really well, for example, or when your boss congratulates you on a job well done—reflecting on the pride or even the elation that you feel will help you to keep negative emotions in check through the tough times.

The ability to regulate your emotions, known as “Emotional Intelligence”, is also a highly prized leadership skill, so learning to recognize and control your feelings in this way can benefit your career too.

‘Focusing on the times when you feel emotions such as joy and inspiration can help you to build a positive outlook.’

A: Acceptance

Being compassionate with yourself and accepting your strengths and weaknesses promotes happiness and a sense of “peace”. No one is perfect, and challenging negative self-talk can prevent you from dwelling on your flaws.

M: Meaning

Research shows that people feel happier when they perceive their lives as meaningful. “Meaning” can cover a wide range of life experiences, from religious faith to a belief that the organization you work for fulfils a noble purpose.

‘Try to foster a stronger sense of purpose, by searching for connections between what you do and the bigger picture.’

“Meaning” usually has three main components:

• Feeling that what you do makes a difference
• Understanding how the different facets of your life connect
• Having a purpose from which you can develop goals

So, try to foster a stronger sense of purpose by searching for connections between what you do and the “bigger picture” – your community or the wider world, for example.

Work to understand your organization’s mission beyond the bottom line and its approach to corporate citizenship. Look too for opportunities to participate in charitable or educational projects to find a higher purpose in what you do.

From Giving and Relating to Direction, Resilience, Emotions, Acceptance and Meaning, each element offers a practical way to care for our well-being, strengthen our relationships, and bring more purpose into how we live and work. By focusing on what truly matters to us, learning to bounce back from setbacks, and connecting our actions to something bigger than ourselves, we discover that a more satisfying life is not out of reach; the raw material for “happier living” is already within us.

Image: Bruce Mars from Pexels

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