If you’re reading this you probably use social media. It’s no secret that social media has become not only a powerful tool in connecting with your friends and family, but also a huge platform in helping to spread powerful information that has changed our world. After all, how would life be if we weren’t able to connect with everyone through social media?
But with any great tool comes great responsibility. Users must know the do’s and dont’s to avoid running into unnecessary personal challenges.
Of course you can do whatever you like. It’s your page after all. You have complete freedom to do that. The way we use social media can be very destructive and we end up blaming the tools for causing “problems”. There is, however, nothing wrong with technology. It all comes down to how we use it.
Things We “Shouldn’t” Do:
1. Posting Things To Get Approval
This is something we can get caught in quite easily, as we seem to put so much value on the “Like.” When you post something, don’t expect everyone to click on the “like” button or comment on the post, allow it to come from a genuine place and don’t worry about how well it does or what other people are going to say about it. It will often feed self-consciousness as opposed to allowing us to look at it within ourselves.
2. Making It Our Main Form Of Socialization
Too often we do everything on social media and in turn we become socially awkward in real social settings. It’s easy to be behind a computer screen, calculate what we say, and not have to be as “real” with other people. But this won’t allow us to build true genuine connections and there’s something quite powerful about eye to eye contact. Remember to keep real social interactions a part of your life too.
3. Using It As A Place To Lash Out & Be Angry
It seems like we find it really easy to be extremely rude and mean to each other online – so much so that most of what we say online would never be said to that person if we were in front of them. Perhaps it’s a method of trying to get a laugh from other people, or perhaps we are unaware and hurting inside, and thus act unconsciously hostile towards others as a means of expressing that inner pain. Nonetheless, remember that there is a human on the other side of the screen and ask yourself why you want to be so mean or angry in the first place. And don’t talk bad about your employer.
4. Creating A False Version Of Ourselves
On social media it’s easy to tell a story that isn’t true. Because we can pre-meditate and alter anything we like, we can create a version of ourselves that doesn’t even exist simply so we can make ourselves look a certain way for others. Remember to be genuine and if you find yourself wanting to alter your story, ask yourself why. How does this make me feel? What am I trying to get out of this?
5. Stalking A Former Partner
Relationships come and go sometimes and it can be tempting to stalk them or their new partner on social media. Typically we do this out of self-consciousness or feeling like we need to compare ourselves to others, but in the end it can lead to some tough times and it can prolong our journey in getting through a break up. Remember to make your emotions about YOU, not others.