Hello? Helloooo!!! Can we talk about social media?
How are your #dailyfixes going? If you’ve missed that habit forming a 12 week #dailyfix program, go to my YouTube channel and sign up. It’s. Free! But for today’s #dailyfix I’ve written a long winded version of a little something I’ve been pondering on.
I’ve been trying to decide and feel this social media thing out. In the past couple of years (I mean let’s face it, more than a couple) I’ve been sitting back and experiencing the discussions, blame-game, and praise on everything and anything digital. As I came in to the social media game late, being someone from the best generation EVER (don’t even argue that!) I’ve always felt pretty uncomfortable with the medium. Until I was comfortable, since the desensitization happens fairly quickly.
As a professional I decided that putting out helpful and useful guidelines and thoughts could be my approach to digital media. I would be using it as a tool to teach and help my community. For free! That has been, to me, incentive enough. Ok, I guess I realize now that I’m pretty naive, but not completely wrong about being able to actually reach out. Someone’s gotta read it!!? But I also realize through taking this giant step back and just observing the reactions, conversations and discussions, that the use of, and the hope for impact when it comes to social media are two completely different things.
So why does a tool that can be so useful to us humans, end up being something that silently impacts us in the most detrimental way?
(Disclaimer: I’m not talking about the actually good it has done. That is a given. The social media campaigns that have raised money and awareness are better because of it!)
But back to the damn point! Where is the actual missing link between human, to media, to human? It’s there. It smells really bad. Everyone is talking about it. But is anyone defining it?
It’s. You. And. Me.
Sorry I didn’t mean to call you (or myself) smelly.
We have as humans the unique ability to make conscious choices which affect whatever happens next. Boom, just like that! The choice-making ability has always been a unique privilege. And if you’re reading this, you’re probably more privileged than many. I know I am! I forget on a regular basis how fortunate I am. And IF I catch myself on that day, I humbly bring myself back to gratitude and appreciation. It doesn’t happen all the time. But isn’t it nice when it happens sometimes?
In a society with so many choices, you are the chooser. You CAN choose to live in a balanced way, for the sake of your own physical and mental health and well-being. This ability AND possibility to make choices is AN AMAZING GIFT.
And it’s for sure not only about your nutritional diet choices, but mental, spiritual, and movement based physical. Here is where I think the digital media can actually help instead of having a negative effect. It can in-fact be a free tool for progress and motivation, if you want it to be.
I’ve tried a few things on myself in the past few years, and it has for me personally led to an utmost positive social media experience. It’s making me feel empowered instead of powerless. It puts a smile on my face instead or resentment and fear. Can I share the checklist with you?
Maybe even 1 or 2 of these resonate with you? Try it and tell me how it goes!
shut it down for a week
Take Instagram off your phone for a whole week. Cleanse from the tick feeling of having to check.
put it back on with some boundaries
Choose to check it once a day. If you’re using it for work purposes, maybe twice can be enough to answer questions and make a post.
choose who you follow, I.e what goes into your consciousness wisely.
Is it helpful? Is it funny? Is it motivating? As opposed to: does it make you feel bad, low or NOT motivated? Whatever your goal is with who you follow, make sure it’s worth it! There is TONS of free and good information out there.
don’t take it so seriously.
It’s. Not. The. End. All. Be. All. Take time to identify the things that are in-fact more important to you on an every day basis.
take control
Just that. You’re a person. You decide. You are strong. You’re the One. You choose the way.
You can find my favorite accounts that make me smile, give me motivation, make me happy, get me through the day, make me think, make me feel and make me laugh out loud on my IG profile in the right hand corner where is says “following”.
Check it out and let me know your thoughts!!
Live loud! (Go out and play now!)
