I’ve had social media for more than a decade. I was on Facebook before I entered high school, Twitter before I could drive, and Instagram before I could vote. Don’t get me wrong, I remember a time when social media didn’t exist, when I had to call my friends on their home phone (and I would pray their dad didn’t answer hahaha), and if I wanted to connect with my friends online, I went to Webkinz or Club Penguin LOL. But even though I remember the days before social media, I don’t remember what it felt like to be free from feeling the need to scroll, post, and like. Because social media has been such an integral part of my life for so long, I’ve had to learn how to use it intentionally. Through my 10+ years of using social media, I’ve come up with 5 questions I ask myself before I post, to make sure it’s intentional.
1. Does it glorify God?
- I try to ask myself this question first before anything else, because it’s the most important one for me. I’ve dedicated my life to Christ, and I want my social media to reflect that. If I’m trying to live my “real” life in a way that glorifies God, my “reel” life should be used in the same way.
2. What is the intention behind the post?
- Am I posting with the sole purpose of getting likes? Probably shouldn’t post. Am I posting because I want other people to think of my life in a certain way? Probably shouldn’t post. Am I posting because I’m feeling bad about myself or my situation and want to be validated by others? Probably shouldn’t post.
- If I’m posting to connect with others in a genuine way, give hope and solidarity to those who might be going through the same struggles I am, or just simply bring some joy and laughter, post away!
3) Is it authentic and genuine to who I am as an individual?
- If I’m posting to look more like someone other than myself, or to fit into someone else’s world, I shouldn’t be posting. It’s my hope that my posts reflect who I am as a unique individual. I want the person you know in real life to be the person you see on social media.
- The people that I love to follow the most are the ones who aren’t afraid to show up as themselves. When we show up in a genuine way, it’s easier to connect to one another, which is the main purpose of social media.
- Three quotes come to mind when I think about posting authentically:
- “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” – Psalm 139:14. (God designed me the way I am for a purpose, so why would I try to be anything other than who He intentionally made me to be?)
- “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to change you is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (AMEN!!)
- “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” – Oscar Wilde (Cheesy? yeah. True? Also yeah!
4) Does it bring joy, laughter, fun, or encouragement to my audience?
- I feel like social media can be a dark place without even meaning to be. We are constantly seeing the best parts of everyone’s life (which I love seeing!), but too much of someone’s highlight reel can make me feel like my life is subpar. So when I think about my posts, I try to make sure it’ll bring joy, laughter, fun, or encouragement to other people’s lives.
5) Does it bring joy, laughter or fun to ME?
- If I’m not having fun in this creative space then I don’t want it!! I never want to feel pressure to post, and I don’t want it to feel like a chore or a burden. If it brings ME joy and laughter, and I have fun in the process of creating the post, then it goes on my feed!
Quickly running through these five questions has been really helpful for me as I navigate what to post on social media. While sometimes I wish we could go back to the days of home phone calls and Webkinz, when social media didn’t play a big role in our lives, I do believe that we have an opportunity to make social media a positive and fun place if we are intentional.
I’d LOVE to hear how you go about deciding what to post! Just scroll ALL the way down – past the annoying ads (Sorry, I don’t pay for my website, so they punish me with random ads in the middle of my posts lol), and tell me if you have different ways of determining what goes on your feed and what doesn’t!
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