For those of you who are not familiar with the Tinker Bell story, all you need to know to understand tonight’s editorial is that the fairy dust Tinker Bell could sprinkle on you would only make you fly if were thinking happy thoughts.

Let me add to this idea about thinking happy thoughts, one of the “true” facts (as opposed to false facts) about life is that there is only so much time in the world. And, one of “time’s” major failings (as a product) is that it only moves forward.

In keeping with my usual theme that “wishing will make it so,” let me make a few suggestions for all of you who are looking for new “work opportunities” in the days and months ahead.

First and foremost, there is no money in fretting about the past. If you have been unemployed or employed but unhappy, it is “water under the bridge.” The only thing you can affect is the future.

Unhappy events from the past can easily come to preoccupy your mind. Not only will these unhappy thoughts keep you from flying despite the “fairy dust” I am trying to spread, but they are a waste of the only thing you can’t make more of – time.

Let me ask all of you to dedicate yourselves to the only three things I know that actually work and they are networking, networking and more networking.

We’ve talked about the key power tools you need to perfect for your search - your resume, your 90-second announcement, your cover letters, but the most important item is your networking list. It is never long enough.

The entire 34,000+ membership database of The FENG is available to you through our Member Directory Search feature. If you don’t know how to use it, ask someone. If you call 10 other members, one of them will have used it and can get you started. I have often wished that I had two heads, because as you know, two heads are better than one. Absent growing another head (which would make buying shirts difficult), get another member on the phone and struggle through it together. (Who knows, it might even strengthen your bonds of friendship.)

No one ever has enough friends. Unless you work at building your inner circle of friends, you will not as easily be able to think happy thoughts, and we all know what effect that has.

Set a goal of identifying 5 members of The FENG with whom you have something in common EVERY week. Surely in 8 hours you can find at least one person from our vast collection of friends of friends.

Someone once told me: smile, things could be worse. So, I smiled and sure enough things got worse. (But at least I felt better about it.)

Now if I could just get that fairy dust out of my hair.

Regards, Matt