Mindful Social Media
Have you all heard the fable of "How to boil a frog"? The story told is about someone trying to cook a live frog. You can not put a live frog in boiling water because it will just jump out. However, if you put him in tepid water and turn the heat up slowly, then by the time it realizes the water is too hot it is too late. A sad story indeed for the frog, but one we can learn from.
The frog just keeps adjusting to it's surroundings, but doesn't really notice what is going on in the big picture. I believe this is happening in our world on many levels, but one that seems to stand out for all ages is our growing use of social media. Social media can be an amazing tool: allowing greater customer reach for businesses, keeping people connected that are far apart, creating communities and discussion around common issues, and staying connected to breaking news and information. However, it has also been accused of: causing people to have lower self-esteem, waisting our time both at home and work, creating a space for cyber-bullying, creating feelings of jealousy or envy, and in some situations cause loneliness as people withdraw from person-to-person interactions and spend more time on cyber interactions.
Currently approximately 2.5 billion people in the world use some form of social media. One thing we know for sure is that social media has changed and evolved so quickly that it is hard to know exactly how it is effecting us as a whole, both in the present moment and the lasting effects. So in order for us to avoid becoming the "frog" from the story above, let's try a mindful approach to using social media.
Mindful-to be conscious or aware of something
To be mindful in the use of Social Media, Ask yourself:
What (are you looking for?)
News?
Photos of friends?
Inspiration?
Education?
Other?
How
How and what do you want to share about yourself? With who? Why?
How might my posts effect others?
How are you feeling as you log onto social media?
How do you feel as you spend time using it?
How do you feel after you use social media?
Observe
When are you choosing to use social media?
How much time do you spend on it?
Are you starting with a purpose in mind when you use it?
Is it helping you or hurting you?
We are all experiencing life a little bit differently, so our experiences with social media will differ as well. The most important thing to remember is that it is a tool for you to use as you choose. You have the power to notice how it effects you and make choices that align with how you want this tool to serve you. When you take the time to notice what you need and how you need it, you become a "frog" that has control of the temperature...you can make it as warm or as cool as you like. It's your choice!
-Cheers to the One Amazing You
