Yesterday was my birthday. The day started and ended with messages from friends near and far wishing me a Happy Birthday on my Facebook page. Now THIS is where Facebook excels. I heard from people I see every day, as well as from people I haven’t seen in weeks, months, or years.
The comments were brief, sincere, and appreciated. Of course I realize that Facebook sent notices to my FB friends letting them know it was my birthday. (How good is that? FB reminding you once a year to check in with your friends.) I scrolled through my Facebook feed with a smile on my face because social media was being used to share good news, spread some love, and make people smile. It gets no better than that!
It’s easy to hop on a social media soapbox to shout our frustration, spew hatred, or shame others for their actions. That is not, however, where social media shines. Social media is a powerful tool. Social media gets that power from its users.
Let’s make that power a positive experience. How about if we think about how our words are going to land with other people before posting? Yes, I know — life life isn’t all puppy dogs and unicorns. Yet, if we send a simple birthday greeting to our friends, life will be a little brighter for all of us. And MAYBE, just MAYBE, the heat on the posts will relax a little. And you know what else? We just might find that our positive social media experience will have a positive impact on our health. Sounds like another win to me.
Let’s keep birthday season going every day of the year!
