The 88th Edition

Social media has changed my life in ways I never expected.

But not all of them are simple.

Something to Think About

The same tool that can motivate and inspire you, can destroy your perspective from the inside. 🧠

Something to Ask Yourself

Are you using social media intentionally, or is it using you?

Personal Lesson

When I first started posting on social media 5 yrs ago, I didn’t think much about what it meant to be on the other side of the screen, I was just sharing and hoping I could reach people. I wasn’t deeply engaged in social media before that. I scrolled like everyone else, but I didn’t understand the mechanics of it, or what it feels like to consistently put yourself out there.

I also just didn’t like Social Media as a whole. I just generally thought, and probably still think, it’s a net negative thing for society. (I’m working through that…)

But what surprised me most when I started making content wasn’t the obvious trolling. That exists, of course, and I actually get excited about comically mean or hateful comments. They’re rare, and fun.

No, it’s the more subtle stuff that I think is the most draining. The unsolicited advice. The nitpicking. The “I like you, but…” messages. The strangers telling me how I should speak, train, dress, run my business.

Most of it isn’t malicious or even unkind. But sometimes it feels like juggling a lot of opinions when you engage in public discourse. Which is sort of what social media is.

I get it, it can get tiresome constantly seeing creators talk about the “challenges of being s creator”. But I’ve decided I think people with a good amount of reach should be warning people against overuse of social media and we should talk openly about how it affects us.

Whether you create or just consume, we are all at risk of letting social media get in our head.

As a creator, and many of you will also be creators, there’s the strange reality that some people who consume your content actively look for faults. They want to discredit you. Twist something you’ve said. Create a version of you that fits a narrative they prefer.

That’s a strange thing to come to terms with when your intention has always been simple: share your passion, be honest, and help where you can.

Some will say, “it’s only social media”, or “shrug it off”, but there are people taking real life positions on how they feel about you. This is as real as it gets.

I believe it’s stopped now, as I confronted him about it months ago and we had a pleasant back and forth, but there was once someone relatively influential within the space spreading unfair narratives about my character to others. To other influential people, to elites and sub elites, to random people in comments sections…

This is all to say, social media is crazy. It feels all disconnected from real life and just fun, but as a consumer and a creator, I want to stress the importance of not letting it run you.

Running – Life’s Metaphor

Social media is like leaning forward on a descent. Exhilarating, fast, full of momentum, but if you don’t control it, it controls you.

Final Thoughts

Social media is a tool. It amplifies whatever you bring to it. It can amplify connection, generosity, learning, growth. It can also amplify cynicism and insecurity.

Engage in things that a positive. Ignore and DO NOT engage in things that polarise or look to tear others down.

It’s important, if you are scrolling on social media, THAT you engage with the positive things. How you engage dictates what the algorithm feeds to you on your very next scroll.

I’ll also say something that most creators won’t: if you are creating consistently on your own – filming, editing, posting – you are ADDICTED to your phone. This is not good for your mind.

That’s the tension. Social media can inspire and educate, but it isn’t particularly good for the state of your mind in large doses.

For me, the connections outweigh the criticism. The opportunity to make even a small impact on someone’s journey makes it worth it. But as someone who both creates and consumes, I genuinely believe we should all limit our time on it.

It is both NOT real life, and also VERY REAL.

It is an escape but can invade. There are real people on the other side, and not everyone has the best intentions.

Engage. Learn. Enjoy it.

Then log off and go live your life.

That’s the bit that actually matters.