Tip 1: Budget
Regardless of how much money you make, without proper planning, any amount can feel like it’s not enough. That’s where budgeting can save the day. If your eyes roll when you hear the word “budget,” try adding these three fun, important categories into your monthly budget:

Pamper: The “Treat Yourself” fund — massages, manicures, gym memberships — the things that make you feel good.

Party: Think of it as the “Nights and Weekends” fund — social events, dinner with the girls, that writing class you’ve had your eye on, or a new wetsuit.

Plunge: For unexpected expenses (like parking tickets or car repairs) that could put a dent in your savings account.

Tip 2: Know Your Worth
Before you even think about discussing salary — whether it’s for a new job or upcoming promotion — you should have a number in mind of what you expect to earn. Do your homework: Research the average salary for your job type, level, and industry in your region. The most important thing, though, is to not only know your worth, but to truly believe that you deserve it.

Tip 3: Practice Negotiating
Negotiating salary or benefits isn’t easy, and it can be especially difficult for women. In general, women are less likely to ask for more money – but you can be the exception! Do your homework (see Tip 2), and be ready to stick up for yourself. Talk to peers and mentors about successful negotiating strategies they’ve used. Try practicing and fine-tuning your pitch in mock negotiations. And once you get in the room, don’t ask for permission to negotiate; jump right into it!

Tip 1: Get Cozy with Compliments
What happens when someone hits you with a big compliment? If it makes you want to flee the room, you’re not alone. It can be a tricky balance between craving praise and not feeling comfortable accepting it. If you’re unable to accept praise, overtime,you might begin to feel undervalued or underappreciated by those around you. So, to cozy up with compliments, try this: Just say thank you, be quiet, and absorb how it feels (it will get easier as time goes on, and even start to feel good!)

Tip 2: Unleash the Internal Validation
If you ever find yourself angry or annoyed because a colleague or boss didn’t show appreciation for your work, ask yourself: How can I celebrate and acknowledge my efforts? Usually, if we simply acknowledge and compliment our own work, the anger of annoyance will fade.

Tip 3: Start Giving Praise & Recognition
Once we start complimenting, acknowledging, and praising others, it opens the door for them to do the same. Try this: Start each day with three pennies in your right back pocket. Throughout the day, as you give a compliment, move a penny into your left back pocket. The goal is to have all the pennies in your left pocket by the end of the day!

Tip 1: Know Your Top 3 Values
Our values are the things that make us tick. They drive our decisions, whether we’re conscious of them or not. Write down your top 3 values on a piece of paper and keep it close by – stick it on your computer monitor or post it in your daily planner – as a constant reminder of what’s most important. Then, make sure your job and career decisions honor those top 3 values. Discover your values here

Tip 2: Supplement Your Passion
If you don’t find a deep level of meaning in your current job, don’t stress. For the time being, find ways to bring fulfillment and meaning into your life in other ways, whether that’s through volunteering, shadowing, learning new skills, or working on side-projects.

Tip 3: Follow the Bread Crumbs
Most of us want to find our passion and let it be the center of our career, but we’re lost when it comes to knowing what we truly feel passionate about. The first step to finding your passion is to start small and follow the breadcrumbs. Dive into things that light a little spark of excitement. Maybe it’s something that you used to do in high school (like playing soccer or the flute). Or writing, singing, coaching, throwing clay, underwater basket weaving. Carve out time and try it! If you hate it, stop. If you love it, keep going and follow the breadcrumbs. Free yourself from the pressure of having to be amazing at it, remember, you’re in it for the fun!

Tip 1: Seek Authenticity, Not Popularity
Shift from speaking to please or impress others to speaking for yourself and honoring your opinions and ideas. Ask yourself: What is one area where I speak seeking popularity vs. sharing my true thoughts at work? Then, dig in and examine why you hold back in that area. Use that awareness to slowly, one conversation at a time, reveal the real you.

Tip 2: Start an “I’m Seriously Fabulous” Journal
At the end of the day, write down three things that you did during the workday that were awesome. Find a decorative notebook that you love or digitize your journal – use the Notes on your phone or a memo app to record your list. It’s about practice here, not perfection. If one of your awesome things was getting into the office half an hour early, write it down and celebrate it!

Tip 3: Name Your Inner Critic
Often, one of the biggest things that holds us back at work, is our inner critic. You know, that voice that always tells you why you’re not good enough. Or why you can’t do something. One way to separate yourself from the voice (and realize it’s not telling the truth) is to name it. Give it a silly name (not after someone you know) and a face – draw it, paint it, sculpt it – so you can identify it when it pops up. By doing so, you’ll start to separate from those limiting thoughts and honor your true self, who is capable of great things! Ready to work with your inner critic?

Tip 1: Cozy Up to Networking
If you get a knot in your stomach when going to networking events – worried that you’re not interesting, successful, or experienced enough – try this: Take the focus off you. Start conversations with the goal of learning more about the person you’re talking to, rather than trying to impress them. Be curious, ask questions, actively listen. Come up with a funny goal for the event, like talk to three people wearing the color purple. The most important thing to know is that you’re worthy to be in that room!

Tip 2: Get a Mentor, Be a Mentor
Mentorship is a key contributor to your ability to thrive at work and grow in your career. Look for an executive within your own company that you admire and ask them to lunch. Or find someone on LinkedIn that has your dream job and reach out. Pick their brain about their career trajectory and strategies. Talk to them when you need advice about obstacles, negotiating, career moves. You can also learn so much and serve as a valuable resource by being a mentor to someone else!

Tip 3: Really Connect with Colleagues
Get to know your co-workers as people, on a deeper level than small talk or passing chit-chat. When we know and like someone on a personal level, we’re more likely to help them out (and vice versa) in times of need on a professional level. And better 8 relationships will improve collaboration and camaraderie for your whole team!