How To Use Social Media In A Positive Way

“I am taking a break from Instagram.”

“I am deleting Facebook from my phone.”

“I am never getting on Social Media again.”

Have you said one of those lines before or something similar to it? Or maybe you have heard a friend or relative say it recently?

The truth is – we compare. We compare our clothes. We compare our bodies. We compare our homes. We compare our hair. We compare our kids. We compare our diets. We even compare our friends.

I read a study recently that was done about Social Media and our attitudes. Just by clicking on your Facebook or Instagram app on your phone, you are entering into a networking world guaranteed to affect you. Whether you see a funny post from a friend that makes you smile or a sad post from an old co-worker that makes you feel bad – your attitude can be highly affected by just a few clicks on your computer, phone or iPad.

Being in the blogging world, I see a lot of what goes on in the Social Media world. I can completely understand why sometimes we need a “break” from Facebook or why we need to delete our Instagram app.

Living in this day and age where it seems like EVERYTHING is on the internet {side note: last night I was told our Junior High kids received iPads on the first day of school, to do their homework and read their textbooks on?! Literally blew my mind! I still haven’t gotten over it it!} it is sometimes hard to have confidence and find happiness in ourselves. It seems like one friend is always dressed perfectly. It seem like one mom has a flawless life living at the park and swimming pools. It seems like one girl has never had a fight with her husband because she is so in love with him every day.

But what we really don’t see is real life. We may think that friend is always dressed perfectly, but really she lives in her pajamas and never shows you. We may think that mom has a flawless life at the park and pools, but really she has had to deal with dirty dishes, stinky diapers and 4 meltdowns just to get to the activity she planned. And it may seem like that girl has a flawless marriage, but lets be honest – there is no such thing as a flawless marriage.

If the study is real and what we see on Social Media can really affect us – maybe together, we can try to use Social Media in a positive way – to help someone feel a little better.

Here are 8 Ways To Use Social Media In A Positive Way:

1. BE POSITIVE: Let’s start with the obvious. If we want to use Social Media in a positive way, the first thing we can do is to BE positive. Post happy things and fun announcements. Share the exciting things in your life and the things that bring you joy! I love the 100 Days of Happy Challenge or my friends blog, Daily Drops of Joy where she shares one thing a day that brings her joy. Focus on the good things and share them with your friends – they will love finding the good things in their lives too… I promise!

2. DON’T JUDGE OTHERS: So often we feel like we need to put others down to build ourselves up. In my fortune cookie last night from Panda Express {I love that place!} my fortune said, “In order to have friends, you must be a friend.”

3. USE THAT “LIKE” BUTTON: If you like it – LIKE it! 🙂 Share the love! Tell your friends that you like what they posted and make them feel good.

4. THINK BEFORE YOU POST: A few questions to ask yourself before posting a thought or picture: “Will this hurt anyone?” “Is this positive?” “Is this necessary?” Think about your intentions on why you are posting it.

5. YOUR WORTH IS NOT BASED ON HOW MANY “LIKES” YOU GET: How many times have you checked how many “likes” you have received on one of your photos? How many times have you compared your “likes” to other peoples? As much as I love “likes” – it doesn’t matter how many we get. It doesn’t make someone “better” if they have more likes than you and it doesn’t make you “better” if you have more likes than them. I love the quote “It’s nice to be important. But it is more important to be nice.”

6. IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL: That leads us in to our next way to be positive on Social Media. They always say, “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.” Sometimes you may have to bite you lip – but if you don’t agree with someone – I like to use the words my one-year-old sings around the house all day: “LET IT GO!”

7. SHARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE: Social Media can be a great place to share your thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Stand for what you believe it and for what you know to be true. You never know who is seeking to find truth and by you sharing what you believe, you never know who you could help.

8. CREATE A BALANCE: Lastly, it is so important to create a balance. Too much Social Media can be dangerous – but I personally believe a little at a time is just fine. There is definitely a time and a place to pull out your phone and cruise – but there is also a time and a place to put it away and focus on what is right in front of you.

I am so grateful to live in a world with Social Media! I am super social – so it totally works out! I love that I can see what all of you are doing every day and that I am able to connect with you! I hope that all of us {I am included in this} can try to focus on being more positive on Social Media and make it a good thing and a good place for us to be.

*I challenge all of you to join me in making EVERY day, the BEST day on Social Media! This week you are invited to the Best Day Photo Challenge! Every day, I want you to post a picture of what made your day the BEST day. Use #TodaysTheBestDay

What would you add to this list to help us all use Social Media in a positive way? I would LOVE to hear from you!

Don’t forget to share this on Social Media to help spread positivity! –

Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day!

September 10, 2014 by Danielle Davis | 5 Comments