Just Shine On

Social media can be a tricky part of our lives.

In our need to ‘share’ everything, sometimes we become a little mindless…and the fact that we are hiding behind screens sure doesn’t help! So here is my list of  basic Do’s and Don’ts of social media:

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DO: Be Positive and Affirming-  Like, favorite, and retweet things people post. (Of course, this is only if you personally approve of the message.) Leaving a comment every once in a while, too, shows people you care about what they are expressing, and find them worthy of your time and are willing to respond.

DON’T: Say Anything That Makes Others Feel Small- This is just common courtesy in real life, but it should be applied to the internet as well! Even if you’re ‘just kidding’, your playful tone can be hard to convey that over the internet, and they may take your teasing personally. (Ultimately causing hurt feelings.)

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DO: Share Pictures- Whether the pictures are personal, motivational/inspirational, or just funny, go ahead and share them! They make your wall/timeline interesting and tell a story, that lets other people know a little more about you.

DON’T: Repost *Those* Pictures- You know which ones I’m talking about; the ones that go on and on about how Jesus died for you, and 800% of the people who see this picture won’t repost it, and then end by asking you to share it, like it, and tag 10 friends…all before explaining in explicit detail what the devil will do to you/your mother if you don’t. Yeah. There is no need for those pictures and others like it to be on the internet, so just ignore them. God doesn’t play those games anyway.

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DO: Share Stories- If you found yourself in a funny situation, or learned a life lesson, then share it! People love to find good stories, or find something encouraging to ponder on, on their social media.

DON’T: Forget To Check For Proper Grammar and Spelling- Please, for the sake of Grammar Nazis like me, check your story (and all posts, for that matter,) for proper grammar and spelling, and PLEASE spell out your words. (U knw wht i meen?) Otherwise, it’s annoying, distracting, and frankly makes you look uneducated.

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DO: Share Videos- Music, informational, funny, or whatever!

DON’T: Post It If You Wouldn’t Want Your Mother To See It- This is kind of self-explanatory. Hell hath no wrath like your mother when she’s upset with you. Or my mother, anyway.  Seriously.

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DO: Keep It Clean- A good way to judge someone’s character is to look at their social media accounts. What does your posts say about you? If a child could learn some new vocabulary words by looking at your posts, you might want to clean it up a little.

DON’T: Send Cryptic Messages Via Statuses/Subtweets- If you want to say something to someone, then make sure THEY know it, by saying it to their face. Saying it while hiding behind a screen makes you look like a coward. (Plus, it makes everyone else paranoid, and they all wonder if you’re talking about them!)

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LASTLY, DO: Use Social Media to Spread God’s Love- Whether it’s by posting Bible verses, or just the way you treat other people online, be sure to spread the message of God’s love, and shine it all over the internet. 🙂

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Follow these tips, and you’ll be in good shape! Feel free to add any others in the comments below. 🙂

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