By Assunta Ng

In this stagnate economy, can we achieve the American Dream? In the old days, owning a house, a car, and having a solid education and well-paid job defined the American Dream. However, today’s high unemployment rate has changed the definition. 

These days, it’s a blessing if you are still employed. It’s a joy when all your relatives have jobs. It’s wonderful to not live paycheck to paycheck.

We small business owners are considered lucky if we are still in business and are able to pay our bills. Perhaps those of us who have noticed a big chunk of our business shrinking need to adjust our expectations.

Instead of three or more goals, I have set only one goal this year. If we can simply publish the newspapers every week, fill the pages with interesting stuff to read, I’ll count my blessings.

Blessings land on us in many forms, I remind myself, and they might not be translated into financial gains. If my business does not soar, at least I can make my personal goals triumph. Research has found that having wealth does not determine happiness.

Oprah’s inspiration was to teach her viewers to think outside of the box. “How come I have not thought of it before?” she wants her viewers to say to themselves.

Write your dreams on a piece of paper and pin it on your wall. Read the list aloud every month and see what you’ve accomplished. You can even add more dreams every month. ♦