I'm a realist... But I'm hopeful one! I like to think I'll win the lottery but I'm aware my chances are slim to middling at best and I prefer to deal with things in a practical and sensible way. I don't like to ask 'what if' as I find it pointless and I try not to bother with things I can not control or have have no direct bearing on me and mine. I like to believe that in a situation that requires a hero then i would step up but I'm a coward and I hate violence so it's damned unlikely! I don't believe in God, ghosts, ghouls, fairies, unicorns, magic spells etc... But I like the idea of fairies and unicorns at least... I think everything has an explanation, we just might not know what those are yet.
Yes, I do think it's a good thing, I have hopes, dreams, love fiction and escapism etc but I can keep it all in perspective and not pine for any kind of life I might have or those horrid 'what if's' which I think can make a lot of people feel quite miserable if dwelled on too much.