Alert: unpopular opinion post ahead (maybe). Can I just say that I love social media?
Yep. You might be hearing a lot to the contrary these days. I know I am guilty of complaining about algorithms, drama, and screen time, and there are certainly healthy guidelines to keep in place (as with anything). There is always another article about how it is ruining society.⠀
⠀
But here’s the deal. Social media gave me a platform to grow community, give a voice to voiceless and has made an irreplaceable contribution to the growth of my brand. I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had through social media and I have gotten answers/ideas for things from parenting to entrepreneurship that have changed the course of my life.⠀
⠀
I know we love to hate it, and we are drowning in headlines that remind us why it gets a bad rap. The day that Instagram and Facebook were down showed us how dependent we can be on those platforms. But you know what else it showed us? Why we love it. Why we miss it when it’s gone.
Social media has made it possible for us to stay connected and involved in each others lives from the states and countries away from each other. It keeps us entertained, educated us, it helps us with problems we are trying to solve, it gives us a window into the minds of inspirational people, and when it went away- it sucked. ⠀
Here are just four BIG reasons I love social media:
1 | Building Community
This can be anything from keeping up with your cousin’s growing family in Singapore, to planning playdates more easily with Facebook events, to finding like minded people to do life with. Social media is the more transparent place to see if someone will jive with you, in my opinion. In the realm of motherhood, virtually linking arms with other mothers and sharing vulnerability is immeasurably beautiful.
2 | Advocacy/Activism
While the power of one person with zero influence is still incredibly valuable, social media has truly elevated the way that I am able to reach people with my truth. I try my best to use my platform for the larger good and it wouldn’t reach nearly as many eyes without social media.
3 | Crowdsourcing
Does anyone else’s child do this? Where is the best place to find affordable organic food? All questions you might ask and quickly get a hundred answers from people you already know/trust. I think something simple like that is taken for granted quite often. As a flailing mom, this has been life saving for me more times than I can count.
4 | Networking
In any industry or job, social media can help you network. It can help you find clients, find a new employer, or even learn more about a job before you take it. When Tyler lost his job in December, I blasted a call for help to all my social media connections and he had interviews lined up (because of that post) within a couple of days. Social media has changed the game for helping us find the right jobs and the right clients.
I could come up with 100 more specific reasons, but let’s just say I’m a Millennial, through and through, and I think it’s ok for us to appreciate social media. I don’t think it necessarily means that we are all zombies who don’t look up and enjoy our lives. I think it just means we are cognizant of the value that it has had in our life, and that’s ok. ⠀
