Just over 10 years ago only a few had a smart device.
Fast forward now, most people will have some form of smart tech; a phone, tablet, laptop - even watches. And with how rapid technology is being introduced, it’s pretty much become an integral part of our lives and modern society.
• You’ll see kids nowadays mastering their crafts and skills on YouTube, only to wish you had done that at their age.
• Shopping online through E-commerce has never been easier for us buyers; we can sit back, run our day to day errands and come back to our delivered goods (and if you ask me, my favorite time of day.)
• You can reach friends and family that are literally halfway across the world, without paying those ridiculous international phone bills. Just by a single message or call on Skype, Facebook, etc.
So in other words, our world has increasingly become digital, and thus, social media-oriented. This will continue to do so.
So if that’s the case, why the concern right?
Despite how intangible it is, social media can very much impact our lives. Just like our physical world, the things we choose (or don’t choose) to surround ourselves with, will play a role in how you go about achieving certain goals in your life.
Depending on how you use it, it can make or break any task you set out to achieve. So, I’ve jotted down 4 ways you can use social media, to your benefit, so that it’s in alignment with your dreams and goals.
1. Filter Your Followings
Say you want to achieve that lean body. You wouldn’t want to be following those food accounts, filled with greasy fries & burgers, overly ridiculous cheesy goods, and those adorable decorated cakes and pastries, as mouthwatering as they look.
Instead, look for fitness trainers, models or ordinary folks that you can see yourself in their shoes in the future. If you’re a single mother that struggles to fit workouts in the nooks and crannies of her day, following the top fitness models you see that are devoting at least an hour every day to the gym won’t do you any justice. If anything, you’ll find yourself having motivation problems later on.
Basically, when it comes to choosing who you follow on social media, you’ve got to tune in to exactly what you want and how you can do it with your current circumstances. This is where Niche Communities come into play.
With the rise of Niche Communities, where communities share their common interests, narrowing your search for inspiration has never been easier. Through hashtags on Facebook, Instagram and search engines, you’re able to skip through hundreds of posts and profiles to find what you need.
So back to the fitness mom example.
If you’re searching through, say, Instagram. Let’s look at the hashtag numbers.
#Fitness (367 million posts)
#FitnessMotivation (74 million posts)
#FitnessLifestyle (11 million posts)
If you’re just typing generic terms in like above, you’ll end up having to skim through a LOT of posts to get what you’re looking for. But, if you’ve reflected back on your goals as a single mom wanting to pursue fitness...
....Why not try something more like the following?
#FitnessMoms (74,000 posts)
#FitnessMomsInspire (4,200 posts)
#SingleMomFitnessJourney (100+ posts)
So instead of skimming through millions, you’re looking at a few thousand (even a hundred!) posts that aren’t just fitness for men, teens, athletes or bodybuilders BUT they are specific to you.
2. Find and Post Positivity
As I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts here, it’s crucial to have something to reflect with. Whether you choose to keep track of your progress by hand, I’ll give an example of how you can use social media in a similar way.
Example: Gratitude Journals & Online Posts
Like gratitude journals, you can express appreciation on a daily basis through online posts. Whether it’s keeping it brief on twitter, or going into detail on Facebook and Instagram, making notes of what you’re thankful for will enable you to be present with your own achievements and spread positivity to those around you too.
And if you’re not entirely comfortable sharing details with your following, that’s cool.
Keep it brief online and detailed in your journal.
3. Say No To Negativity
With the digital world, you’re very much subjected to internet trolls, haters and unwanted posts. It’s how to deal with them that counts!
• Don’t compare yourself to others. What you see online may or may not be true! If you’re constantly comparing yourself to others, you won’t have the belief you need to see changes you want to see. And have you ever heard of achievement without belief?
• Don’t take it personally. When people are interacting with you, they’re actually interacting with the screens device. Which means, the screen doesn’t actually feel or get hurt. It’s so easy nowadays to disconnect from social restraints and say whatever you want (even though you wouldn’t to a real live person.)
• Use it to grow. Sure, you won’t have everyone agreeing with your thoughts sometimes. It’s a rough world out there and we’ll need some form of validation. So with any form of criticism we receive, we feel people are attacking us. It’s important to put your ego aside and think of these criticisms as a non-confrontational opportunity for growth. Distinguish criticism from hate and see if there’s any truth in these comments that could make you and your posts better.
By choosing how you respond to negativity, will sequentially determine whether you remain in one place defined by other people’s opinions OR have you skyrocketing towards the success you deserve.
4. Make Sure You’re Still Being Mindful
At the end of the day, this is the digital world we’re talking about.
Of course, the digital world will still continue to become even more integrated into our lives. But it’s important to be mindful of the things around you.
Choose not to endlessly scroll hours on end out of boredom. Decide to put your phone away when you’re spending time at dinner with friends or family. Give yourself time to relax before bed without staring at the screen.
When you choose how you engage when you log on, you know exactly when it is to give yourself the space you need.
So why not choose to be intentional on and offline?
Because when you’re using social media intentionally, that intention will guide you towards your goals in no time.
So, are you aware of your social media usage?
If you’ve got any additional tips that you use personally towards your goals, please feel free to share them!