Member-only story
Being on social media is stressful. This is because when you share your thoughts on social media, you open yourself up to being criticized, challenged, and ridiculed. The reality of mass communications is: (a) the message is not what I say, but what the recipient understands; (b) there will always be people who will misunderstand my message; and (c) even the best-intentioned message will have its detractors.
When I decided to be more active on social media, I knew what I was getting into. I weighed the pros and the cons, and I decided that social media can be a platform for good and I set aside my fears and started sharing my perspectives on dealing with life’s challenges and civic responsibility. The former because I believe we should ‘stand on the shoulder of giants and learn from each other, and the latter because I believe we all need to take ownership for the society we live in.
Even as my skin has gotten thicker over time, the attacks still sting. What inspires me and keeps me going are the occasional DMs I get thanking me for helping them get through a difficult time in their lives. I am writing this post to encourage my friends to set aside their fears and start using social media for the good that it can do.
It is okay to be vulnerable. You can never please everyone, and you don’t have to. All you need to do is to make a difference in one person’s life and you will have made a difference. I hope you will join me in making this world a better place.
