What is Social Media etiquette?
Some girls were sent to ‘finishing school’ to learn manners and deportment up to the 1960’s.
This nowadays seems to be mainly a ‘thing of the past’
However all of you (including me the writer) still need to be reminded of manners and etiquette in your lives and this has become hugely apparent on how you interact with yourself and each other offline and online.
How Mindful are you of your use of Social Media??
One of your many flaws as a human is that, very very often you spend far too much of your life ‘online’ .
As humans you all have addictive traits – You tend to judge/measure some addictions more harshly than others.
You can be workaholic, shopaholic, binge on food, drink, sex, travel, people pleasing, exercise, Netflix binger, scrolling for hours online to name but a few.
The root of all of your addictive behaviours is your deep human loneliness and need for connection. So normal right!!
Some of you are lonelier deep inside than others – depending on your life experiences.
Your attraction to becoming addicted to ‘anything’ is your endeavour to fill your emptiness that is deeply embedded within.
Your embedded loneliness may never fully change and as they say in Kerry ‘You are so fine out’ – however slowly (if open) your relationship towards yourself can change- crumb by crumb –
As Ryan Tubridy often says on his radio show – Deep down despite ALL your flaws:
‘You are a good egg’
It is also important to note that – All of these addictions are fine in moderation.
It is when they become ‘chronic’ that the problems arise.
Challenges being…
You could be blogging and growing your business instead of unconsciously scrolling on ‘social media’ .
You could be doing some household chores and being kinder towards your living space.
You could be practicing your guitar.
You could be speaking on the telephone with a lovely friend or reading a book!
So what do you notice?
Maybe you notice that (at times) you are inappropriate online.
You can be ‘mean’ to yourself by oversharing and overgiving – Craving many likes and even ‘love heart emojis’ so that you can feel ‘ok’ and ‘seen’ by others.
This especially tends to happen when you are not feeling v. appreciative of yourself deep within.
Clicking into Twitter/Facebook/Instagram feels like your drug .
I guess its similar for the binge eater or cannabis user who struggles around their vaping, cannabis and binge eating habits.
What you may notice is that lots of your life keeps passing you ‘by’ while you are scrolling on the internet ‘mindlessly’ rather than ‘mindfully’
The internet is absolutely amazing and has changed many of your lives for the better. Banking tends to be more efficient, you can book holidays with ease etc etc.
However like anything the internet brings out the worse in us humans too.
Ryan Tubridy often speaks about this on his chat show in the mornings!
I think he speaks a lot about empathy/compassion through the many people he interviews and how he interacts with them.
You have read comments online that have utterly shocked you to your bones.
Then when you have clicked on the persons ‘profile’ you have seen a Grandad/Granny, Mom or Dad holding beautiful children with profile quotes reading
‘In a world where you can be anything be kind’ Jennifer Dukes Lee.
So lately when you see a comment that ‘disgusts’ you or that you absolutely ‘disagree’ with you can actually keep scrolling and ‘mind your own business’
It is not your mandate or position to ‘show’ any of these people ‘up’ or shame them into ‘behaving’.
Your business every day is to (crumb by crumb) manage the cards that you have been dealt in life.
How have your manners been online today?
Have you taken time to meditate, even 2 minutes of following your breath?
Did you go for a walk with your dogs?
Have you chatted with your partner/flatmate?
Did you do a food shop?
Have you allowed yourself enough sleep?
Have you spent some quality time with your children – that could be even 5 minutes of quality time.
Have you treated yourself with ‘loving kindness’ especially for being human in an aging body.
You will always need the internet and at times it has been (and will continue to be) such a life saver for you.
You may love listening to your favourite artists on Youtube or inspirational teachers like Anita Moorjani.
You might love seeing pics of my friend’s dogs or children or even your friends!
You won’t stop being ‘online’ however you might become more mindful of the quality and quantity of your online use.
Also its perfectly mannerly to keep scrolling or unfollow/snooze any page or person that doesn’t resonate at the moment with you!!!
Kinda’ like you can walk past aisles in the supermarket that may not serve you so well at the moment!!
Of course you must remember ‘everything in moderation’ even what you have read in this article…
Chat Soon and see you even sooner!
and remember in a world where you can be anything…. Be Kind… especially towards yourself
Harriet xoxoxo