Social Media - Love it or Hate it?

Growing up in today's day and age, social media is just the way of the world.  Check your screen time...it'll make you sick to your stomach.  There are pros and cons to everything, especially social media.  I'm going to share my thoughts about this millennial phenomenon and give my opinion on using social media the right way.

I'm a creative.  I love expressing my feelings and style through visual art and writing.  Photography is one of my passions, so naturally I love Instagram.  It is a free platform that has turned into it's own industry.  Influencers and small business owners can generate thousands of dollars by simply marketing themselves correctly on this free social platform.  The opportunities are endless, and that's why I am so fascinated when it comes to social media.

However, there's a down to every up.  Social media can influence everything, even the way we think about ourselves and our relationships.  Comparison kills, and it kills 5x faster when everyone is flaunting their best life right in our faces.  The reality is-- nobody has a perfect life, and social media makes it seem that way.

Don't get me wrong, I am a social media guru.  I run four different business accounts across platforms, and one personal account.  A huge portion of my day consists of scrolling, liking, sharing, tweeting...the list goes on and on.  The struggle of comparison is very real, especially when YouTubers and Instagram influencers are as popular as they are.  I'm going to drop below a couple things that I keep in mind to prevent this comparison culture from taking control of my mind.

• Focus on the strategy - When using social media from a business standpoint, the strategy is incredibly intriguing.  My favorite part of social is the thought that goes behind each post, and figuring out how to best reach each demographic of people.  If you are looking at social platforms from a strategic standpoint, it is easier to focus on your own platform rather than being distracted by what Jenny with 1.3 million followers did on her vacation to Greece.
• Use your platform for good - Whether you have 50 of 50,000 followers, you have a platform.  You can impact people in ways you don't even know!  Not everyone has to be an "influencer" to influence their followers.  As a Christian, I try to share different verses and other encouragement on my platforms.  Even if it encourages one person, I've made an impact.
• Limit screen time - As a professional in the social media industry, it is hard to separate work from personal time.  I was in the habit of checking all my social media accounts all of the time, and essentially working 16 hours a day from my phone.  Recently, I've started to check my business socials only during business hours (9 - 5).  This includes emails from clients, DMs of questions, and logging onto the business accounts.  I then try to only go on my personal accounts for a total of an hour.

Social media is fun.  I'm a huge fan, but you have got to use it mindfully.  I hope my experience can shed light on the struggles of comparison when it comes to social media, and help some of you who are in the industry.  Comment below your favorite platform and convince me why it's better than Instagram (my all time favorite...it'll be hard to convince me).

Love,

Sami