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Protect Yourself

Do you get threats on social media? Unfortunately, many people do. Even those just doing their job as social workers, nurses, politicians, or police officers. Apparently, some individuals find it hard to handle the improved access to communication that the internet provides. It used to be rare that a customer or citizen berated an employee, but it is an unsettling reality for far too many nowadays.

Even if you haven’t experienced anything unpleasant yet, it’s a good idea to check your social media settings. Maybe your Instagram profile should be private, and you might not want everyone to be able to find your Facebook profile. If you are not tech-savvy, ask a friend, colleague, or one of your children to help you strengthen your privacy protection.

Fight Bullying with Your Mind

Social media has made bullying worse. The tone online is much harsher, and people will make horrible comments to complete strangers. That makes it hard for bullying victims and other victims of trauma to participate in open online communities.

It has not been a priority for Facebook, Twitter and others to crack down. Fortunately, politicians and regulators are starting to demand they do more than ban a single bully here and there.

Twitter just rolled out a new feature that looks at a tweet before it is sent. If the software thinks the message is bullying, the user gets a prompt to review the message before it is sent. That’s a good idea and something all social media platforms should implement.

However, your mind is much more powerful than technology. If you work on past trauma and build up your self-esteem, mean comments will not have any power over you. Contact me for free to learn more about how I can help.

Find a Positive Feed

When we have some time to spare, or just need a distraction, we tend to mindlessly scroll down the news feed on our phones. This year, that has not been a positive experience.

Unless you take control, your device is going to serve you the content that most people have reacted to, and this year that has been coronavirus, fake news, wildfires, and disasters.

Instead of passively scrolling down your feed, actively choose a positive information source. You might look at an inspiring Instagram account, a Pinterest board, or surf Airbnb imagining where your next trip will go once the pandemic lockdowns are over. It’s your choice. Feed your brain something positive.

Today is a Good Day for a Break

Nothing is decided yet, and regular and social media will be breathlessly commenting on every comment all day. Commentators will be commenting on other commentators without any content. Today is a good day to limit your phone and computer use. Take a long walk, breathe fresh air, enjoy the autumn colors.