For those of you that follow me on social media, you know I often talk at length about the negative impact of social media and the detrimental effect it can have on our emotional and mental health.
I despair at the negative and rarely wax lyrical about the positive so it is only fair that I put my head above the parapet and mention the benefits for once.
My amazing neice is currently embarking on an incredible adventure, leaving behind her hometown of Stoke-on-Trent and has headed to Bali and Thailand to experience the culture and beauty of a far away land but to also help at a school for children with learning difficulties and a home for abandoned dogs. At 21, she is getting to live her best life and enjoy the sights and sounds of places that many can only dream of.
When I was 21, Google, Facebook and social media generally didn't exist. This meant that any form of travel was only relayed to anxious relatives via an occasional phone call. No one knew whether a train, plane or automobile was running late or had been cancelled and many an update was sent via a postcard or in a hastily delivered diatribe, attempting to cram in every last bit of information before the pips went. Upon returning from said adventures, an evening would take place when hundreds of photos would be passed from person to person often accompanied by apologies for blurred panoramic views or an errant thumb obscuring a feature of outstanding natural beauty.
Such days seem so distant, they are viewed through rose tinted glasses but the romanticism can overwhelm the worry that parents and siblings often felt when loved ones were in Lima, London or even Luton. Undoubtedly also, the inital enthusiam of being 'in the moment' were diluted by time and a return to normality.
My in-laws are also on their travels, visiting relatives in Australia and their daily adventures are detailed at length via Whatsapp to friends and family whilst my niece shares every memorable moment across social media platforms. Being able to 'share' in their life fulfilling exploits is a joy and those of us delighted to be receiving their updates feel like we are living in their moment with them. From a practical point of view we are also able to sleep comfortably knowing they have arrived where they should be, their plane took off on time, or the stop over in Singapore went according to plan.
Such things make social media and other associated apps a pleasure and a reassurance. Any doubts dismissed, all delights detailed. There is also the marketing aspect that obviously I have to highlight. Facebook, Instagram et al can be such a powerful tool for all businesses, showcasing their product or selling their services.
However it would be remiss of me not to mention the bad and the downright ugly. An Ofcom report published earlier this year detailed how a third of 5-7 year olds use social media unsupervised and have personal profiles. Elon Musk's behaviour on Twitter/X (or Twix as I heard someone recently call it!) is driving people from the platform (myself included). However it is the 'challenges', particularly on TikTok, that concern me the most. Such ridiculous and downright dangerous trends such as the 'Skullbreaker challenge' frighten me and will surely contribute to the aforementioned platform's ultimate demise.
As mentioned, I have moved away from Musk's platform, only dipping into it occasionally instead of disappearing down a tweet hole for hours on end. I still use a Facebook group but rarely indulge in the open forum. LinkedIn and Instagram remain as my two main forms of both personal and professional promotion. They feel the least toxic but also prove to be the most beneficial for my business. For those of you that have attended my workshops, I always stress the point that business owners really don't need to be on ALL the platforms and should instead concentrate on one or two, those that suit you and your audience the best. Although I will dip into some of the others, I am now practising what I preach.
Thank you to Hattie Digney and Mike Ryalls for the beautiful pictures
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