Merry Christmas! I hope you are reading this only after you have enjoyed the laughter of family and friends, unwrapped a special gift or two, eaten a few cookies or consumed a great feast.

In other words, I hope you have celebrated Christmas happily and found in some hidden moment a reason to count your blessings.

Christmas is one of my favorite days of the year, not because I'm eager to receive but because I have so much fun picking out gifts to give.

Would it surprise you to learn that I have been thinking for weeks about what to give you? Of course, I wish I could give you the job of your dreams. If only it were that simple! But since I can't, you'll have to settle for some of my favorite advice from the past year, both from this column and from some of my favorite sources of inspiration.

The gift of hope (from "The power of a little help — and hope", published July 31, 2011).

The Encarta® World English Dictionary defines hope as:

1. to want or expect something: to have a wish to get or do something

2. a confident desire: a feeling that something desirable is likely to happen

3. the likelihood of success: a chance that something desirable will happen or be possible

But you know what hope really is? It's knowing that when we work together we accomplish more than when we work apart. Especially in a job search, you need the support of your colleagues, family and friends. Sometimes you even need the advice and connections of strangers like me. I hope this year, I have offered you some help and hope.

In "The power of a little help — and hope", Rose Jonas, Ph.D., The Job Doctor (www.jobdoctoronline.com), offered this advice:

"Opportunities are waiting out there. It is a numbers game. It is absolutely a numbers game. The more stuff you do, not clicks on the internet, but stuff you do — the more people you talk to, the quicker you'll get through this process. We're all pretty shy about that, but that's the truth."

So, in 2012, don't be shy. Seek out the help of others and have hope — opportunities are out there.

The gift of wisdom (from "The seven secrets of success", published Sept. 4, 2011).

My husband, Michael, picked up a box of CDs off the dining room table, looked at them carefully and then turned his attention to me.

"So, you're listening to Andy," he said, referring to inspirational author Andy Andrews. "Isn't it amazing how every time you listen to him you learn something new?"

I cringed. "Actually, I've been arguing with Andy more than learning from him this week," I admitted. "I think I need an attitude adjustment."

Michael laughed. "That's funny! You should write about that. You know something's wrong when you start arguing with your self-help tape."

Since Michael suggested it, I wrote the column, which is paraphrased below.

In his book, "The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success," Andy Andrews tells the story of David Ponder, a 46-year-old, unemployed, former executive who travels back in time to retrieve 'seven secrets" from historical figures.

Here are three of my favorite secrets.

1. I will take responsibility. It's tempting to say, "I can't find a job because there are no jobs available." But that's not exactly true. There are jobs that need to be filled, they're just not as plentiful as they once were and securing one takes more effort and determination than ever before.

2. I have a decided heart. I know what you're thinking. "What the heck is that?" I'll tell you. People who have a decided heart are people who never let anyone step on their dreams. They achieve success because they go after it with both their heart and mind, and they do everything possible to move the mountains in their path.

3. I will persist without exception. Andrews says this is the decision upon which success depends. He's right, of course. None of the other secrets are things you do just once. To succeed, you have to persist in doing them. Life will knock you down — you know that — but success is determined by what you do after you fall. Truly successful people get knocked down, get up again and go back at it, and they keeping going at it until they succeed. Successful people persist until all seven secrets are simply part of who they are.

The gift of resiliency (from "Sometimes you just have to start over", published Feb. 27, 2011).

You have to love resilient people. They have a knack for rolling with the punches. I liken them to ducks. When the water is rough, they ride the waves. When the water is calm, they appreciate the view. And when the lake dries up, they fly away and find another lake. I try to be a duck. Truth is, it doesn't always work. But here's the good news. Resilience can be learned.

Here are four of my favorite traits of resilient people:

1. They take control of their lives

2. They bounce back after hardship

3. They have close, dependable relationships

4. They don't give up

Last week, I got a very nice note from a resilient reader who, in June, had asked me to review his resume. At the time his wife was seriously ill, and I had promised to keep her in my prayers. When he wrote last week it was to tell me that he had found a new job and his wife was doing well.

"Things sometimes just seem to fall into place," he wrote, "but you have to have faith and believe."

He ended by saying, "I have so much to be thankful for this year and I pray for those who are going through a tough time right now."

This Christmas, I wanted you to know that I am praying for you, too.