5 Actions to Help You Personally and Professionally in the New Year  

Are you trying to avoid the same old goals from the last decade? Eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight are the top three new year resolutions for most individuals. But, instead of singing-up for the same boring resolutions you’ve made the past ten years and never seem to accomplish, consider some resolutions that will have a positive impact on your life and are actually achievable. Focus on lifestyle goals that will enhance your skills and make work and play more enjoyable. Learn to cook, go back to school, safeguard your identity and experience new things.

Invest in Continuing Education
You may have thought you were done with school after your college graduation, but now that you’re a professional, education is even more important. When you’re in High School and College you’re being taught general topics, so you’re a well-rounded and informed student, but as a professional you have the ability to put your training into action. And you don’t have to get a degree to do it. There are an abundance of online courses you can take to strengthen your skillset. Lynda & 360Training.com are great options for professionals looking to enhance their skills. Are you a new leader in an organization and now responsible for overall revenue goals? Consider taking some finance classes to better understand the financial figures and put your learnings to use with your new job. Are you a marketing leader with new responsibilities? Take some online marketing classes. Are you a new manager? Take some leadership and HR classes.

Safeguard Your Identity
Cyber security is a hot topic right now, but not just for governments and corporations. Are you taking steps to help protect your identity? You might think with your busy schedule you don’t have time to protect yourself but did you know that the FTC estimates that it takes an average of six months and 200 hours of work to recover from identity theft? By being proactive and signing up for an identity theft protection service, you can save yourself a lot of hassle if you do ever become a victim.  Services like Identity Guard will monitor your credit, look for different indicators of fraud and alert you. Other advanced features also include address monitoring, lost wallet protection and identity theft victim assistance in case your identity is stolen. Learn how Identity Guard can help.

Become a Master Chef, Remotely
As important as it is to continue educating yourself as a professional, it’s equally important that you continue to educate and push yourself as a person. Lifestyle skills are just as important as professional skills. Do you eat out 5-6 times a week? Or, do you find yourself picking-up food from the ready-to-eat section at the grocery store? Because, you don’t have time or don’t know how to cook? Make this your year to learn. Take some online classes. Start small. Try searching for free tutorials on YouTube or sign-up for courses on Smart Kitchen. Before you know it, you’ll be a master chef and your budget and friends will thank you.

Establish Thought Leadership
Becoming an expert in a field doesn’t happen overnight, neither does establishing yourself as a thought leader. It takes a lot of time and hard work. But the key is to start. Make this your year to promote your professional (and personal) brand. Revamp your profile on LinkedIn and Twitter. Get a new headshot. And reach out to publications that promote topics that you’re a thought leader in. Are you a marketing or advertising wiz? Touch base with AdAge to see if they need guest contributors. Are you a small business owner or successful entrepreneur? Send a note to Inc.com of entrepreneur.com and offer your advice and expertise. Set-up a blog and start contributing on LinkedIn and use a service like Editorr to make sure your posts are error free and flow like a pro.

Experience New Things
All work and no play, not only makes for a boring individual, but it also has a negative impact on you professionally. Spending time on new experiences outside of work increases happiness, but also creativity at the office. Have you lived in the same city for year, but haven’t checked off the top ten “must-do” activities for your city? Do yourself a favor, google top things to do in “Your City”, print it out, and start to check them off the list.  Then, once you’ve completed your list, go on If Only, and take your experiences to a new level. Take a helicopter ride around your city to see if from the air. Have a famous local chef cook dinner for a group of your friends. Get backstage passes to one of your favorite bands.