Posted by Career Coach Paula Fitzgerald Boos on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 4:14 PM PST

The new year is a great time to take stock and reflect on where you are professionally, what you have done well in the past year, and how you want to grow or change in the coming year. It is a time to assess and make some proactive plans. To do a thorough audit, I encourage you to consider how you are doing in the three domains that intersect to ensure career success and satisfaction:

• Follow your curiosity (values and growth)
• Do what you love and what you are good at (strengths and contributions)
• Stay connected to the people who you like/respect and who like you (ratios and relationships)

Following are seven tips to consider as you intentionally move into 2019.

1. Get clear on what you want to be moving "toward" and why. This may include asking for a promotion, raise, or a new role in your current organization, or pursuing a change to a new company or track. Begin with the "why" by getting clear on your values and decision drivers and then defining your options. Learn how.
2. Identify and name your growth choices for 2019. This may be adding skills through a new project or promotion in your current company, pursuing education or certification, identifying new behaviors to adapt or influence differently, or making a choice to exit and move to a new company and role.
3. Make the time to create and/or refresh your list of favorite accomplishments and professional outcomes or contributions. Make sure to tune in to what made them your favorites. What were the skills you were using and your strengths that shine? Knowing what you are good at and love to do is essential. It is also important to know the metrics of success and be able to include vivid stories that include both the data and the engaging narrative. Identify your strengths.
4. Update your marketing collateral and content with your most recent accomplishments. This is the perfect time to update your resume and polish your LinkedIn profile. Thoughtful Personal Branding is even more important in our digital world. Learn how to build your personal brand online.
5. Consider your ratios—self, personal, team—for optimal problem solving and creativity. Individuals need to experience 3 to 1 positive to negative emotions. For healthy primary relationships we need 7-10 positive to 1 negative interaction, and for healthy team functioning, we need 3-5 positive to 1 negative.
6. Research continues to confirm the value of focusing on wellness as the most powerful way to avoid sickness--physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Committing to incorporate regular self-care behaviors like exercise, gratitude, meditation/prayer/mindfulness, journaling, laughing, and any others that enhance well-being will make the biggest difference in your year.
7. Update your Relationship Map to identify your key players/partners and make your plan to connect proactively with them. Ensure you are actively cultivating mentors and that you have your version of your personal and professional board of directors. Include those who inspire you and challenge you and most importantly offer you important feedback. Map your plan for consistently engaging with and nourishing your professional network.

Just do it! You know what it is that you most need to do for your professional development and growth. Change can be hard. Forming new habits takes energy—and growth is essential for all of us! Commit to yourself and find an accountability partner who will support you through your change.