Key points
- Polish your portfolio through refreshing your resume, highlighting current areas of proficiency.
- Shower your loved ones with authentic positive attention.
- Create chemistry and credibility through a positive first impression.
The New Year means a new you—updated and improved. An opportunity to showcase how you are not merely getting “older,” but like a fine wine, you are improving with age. It’s not that you couldn’t turn over a new leaf any time on any date, but there is something inspirational about January 1st that motivates people toward positive change, at least for a period of time, every year. And because most people focus their annual renewal efforts on themselves, here are some ideas about how to step up your game both professionally and personally.
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Key points
- Polish your portfolio through refreshing your resume, highlighting current areas of proficiency.
- Shower your loved ones with authentic positive attention.
- Create chemistry and credibility through a positive first impression.
The New Year means a new you—updated and improved. An opportunity to showcase how you are not merely getting “older,” but like a fine wine, you are improving with age. It’s not that you couldn’t turn over a new leaf any time on any date, but there is something inspirational about January 1st that motivates people toward positive change, at least for a period of time, every year. And because most people focus their annual renewal efforts on themselves, here are some ideas about how to step up your game both professionally and personally.
Polish Your Portfolio
In the professional world, competence is credibility. Everyone wants to have confidence in essential services—from medical professionals to political representatives. We believe that people with the appropriate credentials, training, and expertise can deliver the goods and services we need, especially when they look and act the part. Polish your portfolio by refreshing your resume, articulating current areas of proficiency.
Dress for success through updating your wardrobe, which should reflect your job—or your dream job— because appearances influence reality. An industry-appropriate wardrobe is a step toward excelling in your chosen field and allows you to exude a perception of competence while increasing your own confidence.
A Family Affair
The most productive, inspiring employees and community leaders are usually happy at home. Make a New Year’s resolution to create positive new routines within your own family. Karoline J. Trovato and Karen M. O’Brien (2024), in a piece aptly titled “Educate and Empower,”[i] acknowledged the potentially adverse results of inequitable family work distribution in the home, where women contribute a large amount of unpaid labor. Fortunately, they reported on the effectiveness of an online intervention for college women designed to equalize family work distribution that can enhance women’s confidence in communicating with romantic partners, and improve both relational satisfaction and mental health.
The Power of Positivity
Lauren Gazzard Kerr et al. (2020) found that positive first impressions were more strongly linked with romantic interest than accurate ones.[ii] Investigating speed daters, they found that positive impressions of potential paramours were strongly associated with more romantic interest, as opposed to distinctively accurate impressions, which were associated with significantly less romantic interest—especially for people with less romantically appealing personalities who were lower in extraversion.
What are some great ways to make a positive first impression? Here are some ideas.
- **Suddenly smitten: the pleasure of positive attention. **People love attention—especially positive attention. Receiving attention sparks attraction for the attention giver—particularly if they are not used to receiving it. Selective attention is particularly seductive, reminding your significant other you only have eyes for him or her.
- **Be a not-so-secret admirer: the allure of affirmation. **Everyone wants to be accepted, respected, validated, and approved. Affirming people makes us feel good about ourselves, boosts our self-esteem, and gives us the satisfaction of knowing we are important and valuable. Remember that a closed mouth gathers no foot—but also no friends. No one wants a secret admirer, so express appreciation and respect. Let your loved ones know how you feel through authentic attention and affection.
Start the new year by breathing new life into established relationships, both at work and at home. You may be embarking on the best year of your life.
References
[i] Trovato, Karoline J., and Karen M. O’Brien. 2024. “Educate and Empower: An Online Intervention to Improve College Women’s Knowledge and Confidence When Communicating in a Romantic Relationship.” Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, June.
[ii] Gazzard Kerr, Lauren, Hasagani Tissera, M. Joy McClure, John E. Lydon, Mitja D. Back, and Lauren J. Human. 2020. “Blind at First Sight: The Role of Distinctively Accurate and Positive First Impressions in Romantic Interest.” Psychological Science 31 (6): 715–728.
About the Author
More from Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., M.Div., Ph.D.
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More from Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., M.Div., Ph.D.
More from Psychology Today