How To Keep Yourself Safe and Your Message Clear On Social Media
"Make your Vision so clear, that your fears become irrelevant."
I am not a Social Media Expert. Nor do I pretend to be. I, like a lot of people, use Social Media for fun and business. Meeting new people online can be fun and I do love the great conversations that I have had with many. For me, the positive outweighs the negative. So this past week must have been a full Moon for ding-bats on the internet! The spewing! The verbal attacks! The out and out verifiable untruths that were being bandied about was amazing! The "Thumb-Thuggery" was over the top. Presenting Case #1: The Online Expert...of nothing. You would think that when a person says they are an expert on whatever they say they are an expert of, they would be able to answer questions regarding topics connected to their alleged expertise(say that fast three times!)? Right? Well, I tried posing a question to one of these "Experts" and was called rude. What? Am I rude because I asked a question or rude because you got caught lying? Case #2: The Bully. This person can not take people disagreeing with them. They don't seem to understand that the moment you post anything online, it is up for critique. That's the chance you take using Social Media. They take things personally and become "Thumb Thugs" or "Keyboard Warriors." Name calling, harassment or sliding into your DM's to harass you. How do you deal with them? Block, delete and unfriend them. Have you not read my other Blogs on this?! I had to learn to navigate my way through the Social Media Sea and this past week the "water" has been choppy. Some of it I have to blame myself. I know how to read the tone of someone's post and when it sounds/reads sketchy, it probably is. Keep scrolling! But I didn't. I have also learned to keep my feelings and thoughts about what I am about and what I do, crystal clear. This is particularly important if you are using Social Media for business. Have I crossed the line a few times? Yup! I'm not perfect and this is why I am writing about it. It is a no win situation when this happens. I have been disappointed with myself when I engage in nonsense. "This is not why you are here, Dawn!" is what I yell at myself. Yes, I am a self-talker/screamer! It is so easy to get caught up in whatever topic is trending at the moment or political nonsense that is always going on. And if that is your expertise, have at it. If not, and you know this has nothing to do with the message you are trying to convey...why engage? Don't allow your ego to dismantle and muddle your message and online presence. I don't know everything. But what I know, I know! And I want others to know what I know to make their lives better. This is my message. So I keep it clear, accessible and honest.
"They can only pull the trigger if you hand them the gun."
Let me pass on a bit of advice that I received when I was younger that I amended for the time we live in that still helps me to this day: "Don't let your mouth or your fingers write a check that your butt can't cash!" Here are simple rules and regs to keeping your online persona muck-free:
1. Be Clear & concise as to what your message is
2. See crazy...keep scrolling!
3. Have a BIG ego, WILL turn people off.
4. If a certain topic triggers you, keep scrolling! Do NOT engage.
5. It's called personal business for a reason. Keep your PB to yourself. Don't spread it around(See what I did there? lol)
6. My favorite: Block, delete or unfriend anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable. For whatever reason you are on Social Media, it doesn't have to be unpleasant. And you can choose not to allow others to make it a chore.
I hope that all of you are in a great place in your lives and if you aren't, you soon will be. We all have the power to create the world we want and how we represent ourselves. Wishing you all Love and Peace. But mostly, Peace.
I am not a Social Media Expert. Nor do I pretend to be. I, like a lot of people, use Social Media for fun and business. Meeting new people online can be fun and I do love the great conversations that I have had with many. For me, the positive outweighs the negative. So this past week must have been a full Moon for ding-bats on the internet! The spewing! The verbal attacks! The out and out verifiable untruths that were being bandied about was amazing! The "Thumb-Thuggery" was over the top. Presenting Case #1: The Online Expert...of nothing. You would think that when a person says they are an expert on whatever they say they are an expert of, they would be able to answer questions regarding topics connected to their alleged expertise(say that fast three times!)? Right? Well, I tried posing a question to one of these "Experts" and was called rude. What? Am I rude because I asked a question or rude because you got caught lying? Case #2: The Bully. This person can not take people disagreeing with them. They don't seem to understand that the moment you post anything online, it is up for critique. That's the chance you take using Social Media. They take things personally and become "Thumb Thugs" or "Keyboard Warriors." Name calling, harassment or sliding into your DM's to harass you. How do you deal with them? Block, delete and unfriend them. Have you not read my other Blogs on this?! I had to learn to navigate my way through the Social Media Sea and this past week the "water" has been choppy. Some of it I have to blame myself. I know how to read the tone of someone's post and when it sounds/reads sketchy, it probably is. Keep scrolling! But I didn't. I have also learned to keep my feelings and thoughts about what I am about and what I do, crystal clear. This is particularly important if you are using Social Media for business. Have I crossed the line a few times? Yup! I'm not perfect and this is why I am writing about it. It is a no win situation when this happens. I have been disappointed with myself when I engage in nonsense. "This is not why you are here, Dawn!" is what I yell at myself. Yes, I am a self-talker/screamer! It is so easy to get caught up in whatever topic is trending at the moment or political nonsense that is always going on. And if that is your expertise, have at it. If not, and you know this has nothing to do with the message you are trying to convey...why engage? Don't allow your ego to dismantle and muddle your message and online presence. I don't know everything. But what I know, I know! And I want others to know what I know to make their lives better. This is my message. So I keep it clear, accessible and honest.
"They can only pull the trigger if you hand them the gun."
Let me pass on a bit of advice that I received when I was younger that I amended for the time we live in that still helps me to this day: "Don't let your mouth or your fingers write a check that your butt can't cash!" Here are simple rules and regs to keeping your online persona muck-free:
1. Be Clear & concise as to what your message is
2. See crazy...keep scrolling!
3. Have a BIG ego, WILL turn people off.
4. If a certain topic triggers you, keep scrolling! Do NOT engage.
5. It's called personal business for a reason. Keep your PB to yourself. Don't spread it around(See what I did there? lol)
6. My favorite: Block, delete or unfriend anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable. For whatever reason you are on Social Media, it doesn't have to be unpleasant. And you can choose not to allow others to make it a chore.
I hope that all of you are in a great place in your lives and if you aren't, you soon will be. We all have the power to create the world we want and how we represent ourselves. Wishing you all Love and Peace. But mostly, Peace.
Well said. Thing you want to remember his every time you going to write something on the Internet there are going to be people who are always going to try and prove you wrong and that's fine lenham if they want to do that it's their right they do whatever they want just as what's your right to post this oh whatever you want it's just like the song goes Depeche Mode sings People Are People they're going to do and say what they want to say.
ReplyDeleteI myself am very fine with it and learn not to take things so personal Ford said to say a lot of people do here when all we're doing is offering a little advice take it any way you will as I always say if you don't like it then leave don't read it don't respond but people still do respond and criticized you about it and that's fine. As always done you've done a great post keep on doing what you're doing you're doing awesome
You are right! People are allowed their opinions and it is the chance we all take when we post anything. Thank you for taking the time to comment :)
ReplyDelete