I’m not what you’d call a “sky-is-falling” type of person. I stopped watching the news when I committed to being part of the solution, by bringing Reach Your Stars empowerment seminars to kids and teachers around 20 years ago. When you’re part of the solution, you’re too busy contributing to bother with repeat-fear-mongering. You’re doing something about the problems that others are busy shouting about.
So when this video about the negative effects of social media came through my youtube stream and it was posted by Richard Grannon (whose opinion I respect), I was delightfully surprised to see that my response to social media has really been quite a healthy one, influenced by the choice I made years ago – to actively contribute positive messages.
It was also kind of magical to see that the JBL poster “About Us” which I had just posted prior Grannon’s video – the poster unintentionally (but directly) addresses the problems of social media because at JBL we wholeheartedly and actively stand for CONNECTION. (You can scroll down to see the poster.)
Here is my social media philosophy in bullet-point style, feel free to take what you like 🙂
- Use social media to contribute positive messages that lead to feelings of hope and joy and positive transformation.
- Don’t use social media to compare yourself with others, unless you are attempting to learn from them or grow in that direction. You can tell the difference by how you feel. When you see the person, does your inner critic come out to hound you afterward, or do you feel uplifted?
- Use social media to learn and grow.
- Use social media to inspire others to learn and grow.
- Use social media to connect with people who don’t live near you.
- For those who do live near you (or if you’re traveling), use social media to schedule real eye-ball face-to-face visits with each other. Don’t use it for lengthy conversations.
- Use social media to hold yourself accountable to larger goals and dreams. When I wanted to grow as an artist, and to combat “winter blues” in 2011, I committed to post a painting every day at Facebook from 11-11-11 to 12-12-12. That’s 398 paintings. I didn’t get winter blues that year because I was surrounded by gorgeous colors every day. My art improved. I fell in love with Golden fluid paints. I learned about photography. I got invited to do a couple of one-woman art shows. I sold a few paintings. AND I learned to manage my Facebook experience in a way that felt empowering to me. Here’s the final painting I posted on 12-12-12. I still love it!
- Use social media to celebrate others in large and small ways, and to support them in their goals and dreams!!!
- Don’t use social media as a replacement for face-to-face time.
- Don’t use social media to compete.
- Don’t use social media to fear-monger or guilt-monger, or to put up with such bologna.
- Don’t use social media to promote divisive topics such as politics or religion. Use it to promote topics that unite. If you’re positive enough, the negative-ninnies will leave.
- If people begin to complain to their friends that “you’re too positive” – WHEN that happens, I want you to let out the loudest warrior’s belly-yell: HELL YEAH!!! I DID THAT!!
We are pioneers navigating this new world, we are amazing beings, thank you for being part of JBL!
Much love,
Happy D!
Connection Part 1 (short video from me)
https://joybasedliving.com/2019/04/25/connection/
Connection Part 2 (“About Us” poster)
https://joybasedliving.com/2019/04/28/connection-part-2/
