This is something I’ve been pondering far too long about and need to get it out of my thoughts so I can move on and focus on other ideas. So, sorry in advance if this comes off as “brain vomit”. I’m sure someone has shared something with you that you found disturbing, inappropriate, destroys your peace of mind, ruined your mood or your day. To alleviate this, setting some clear boundaries when it comes to what is and isn’t appropriate to share. Boundaries such as follows. Do not share…
- Anything showing people dying, getting hurt, vomiting, or anything disturbing that you can’t unsee.
- Anything News related. That includes politics, breaking news, celebrity gossip, deaths, natural disasters…
- Anything making fun of others based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation…etc.
It’s an active effort to protect whatever mood and peace of mind you’re in. It doesn’t work 100% of the time but well enough so you can much easily let it go and move on with your day without too much of an emotional upset. Unfortunately, some people just can’t help themselves; some give absolutely no thought about what it is they’re sharing and don’t care about the consequences of their actions along with how they will affect others…
Moving on to How one can share better? Before you hit send or share something with others, ask yourself the following questions.
- Is this helpful?
- Is this informative and truthful?
- Is this funny? Without being harmful.
- Is this meaningful or necessary?
If the answer is no to any of these questions, maybe you should reconsider sharing it. The fact is you don’t know what frame of mind someone is in, along with what they’re dealing with. And the tiniest amount of consideration goes a hell of a long way. Remember, sharing is caring.
Artwork by:www.edvolvelearning.com
And how we respond is equally important. Sharing is a two-way street. And I feel we tend to take for granted when someone shares something with us. The act of sharing shows us that someone was thinking about us. And if someone shared something with you that you’ve already seen? Remember, they don’t know what you have or haven’t seen. Respond back somehow. With an emoji, “Thanks” or “Thanks for sharing”, not replying can be perceived negatively. It doesn’t have to be immediately, but at least by the end of the day. Most can understand that we all have lives to live. One more thing, try not to share cross platforms. For example, messaging someone a Facebook link on Instagram. People are not likely to leave whatever platform they’re on. Sorry for this being unpolished but I feel the heart of the idea is there and I have more ideas, short stories, and projects I want to work on.
Until next post,
Steven
