Two Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Off In Social Media

Lately I have been having all of the feels. The news is so depressing. It seems as if we are bombarded with messages of all the evil in this world on a daily basis. I can't even enjoy social media because every other post is an image of negativity or a response to world events. Last night I was on Facebook and saw people sharing posts about the recent events in Las Vegas and the lack of aid for hurricane survivors in Puerto Rico. With each post, I could feel my heart begin to race and I started to think about how I was going to comment on the posts in an effort to "school" or clapback at some of the ignorance I was reading. I was emotionally reacting to a post because someone I respect had linked to it. I started to question who they were as a person and forgot that they have a right to their own opinion.

I had to tell myself to stop. Just stop. And then log the heck off.

In this age when world news is at our fingertips and it seems as if everyone is an expert, it can be easy to get caught up in the foolishness. If you find yourself getting warped into social media stupidity and one step from going on a rant in someone's comment section, do the following:

Ask yourself:

1. Am I making a statement to have a meaningful conversation?

2. Will my comment/post escalate a situation or provide some insights?

I asked myself those two questions and I found my reasons for posting were not good. I had to check myself because my intention for engaging in conversation online was to satisfy my ego. Also, what good does a social media rant do if it does not evolve to action in the community or meaningful conversations in person? There is so much work to do for ourselves, for those we interact with, and for the world. So the next time you find yourself gearing up for to go off on social media: stop, reflect, check your intentions.