Social Media - Adding Value.

All humans are consumers.‌ But some humans add value to others. 

They contribute.

Consider this. 

Why are you on social media?

What do you gain?‌

Do you browse posts and like those that pop out at you, or make you envious?

Do you peruse the highlight reels of your closest 850 friends simply to pass the time?‌ Do you utilize it as a distraction or to get a quick fix of dopamine? A‌ friend of mine recently took a sabbatical from Instagram and Facebook. She confided that it was so much more difficult than she had imagined it to be.

Social media is not inherently harmful. 

Just as a screwdriver is not inherently a murder weapon.

But it has the potential to be.

There is certainly a benefit to it. Keeping up with friends, connecting with people you haven't spoken to in ages. 

Drawing inspiration for an upcoming holiday or finding a new fitness routine. You gain value from other people's niche knowledge. But what about your own expertise?

Think about the niche pockets of knowledge that you as as a unique snowflake of an individual have accrued over the years. 

There are skills that you have and things that you know, useless as it may seem to you, that could massively benefit someone else looking for the experience you have gleaned from years of study or struggle.

It could be a deep understanding of nutrition, a working knowledge of photography, the intricacies of archery or even an arsenal of incredible recipes. 

It could also be a less tangible experience that you've overcome. 

Heart break, personal loss, betrayal of a close friend, exclusion, depression.

All of these could add value to any of the hundreds or thousands of people who search for or experience these things on a daily basis. 

The nature of humanity is such that we seek solace in the company of others. We try to learn from those who are familiar with the footpath that we find ourselves on. 

Walk in the footsteps of those brave people who have been where you want to go.

Humans respond emotionally and psychologically to people they can relate to. 

You have influence with people that you have met, and those that have an emotional connection to you. 

Underdog or overcome stories have massive potential to make an impact because humans respond powerfully to emotion. 

Eduction with emotion facilitates deep retention. It causes people to make decisions. Those decisions will manifest actions. 

Those actions will change the course of someone's life.

Because of the nature of life, with all of its gritty realism, chances are that you’ve already overcome huge adversity in your own life.

There are people out there who have yet to experience what you’ve survived. There are those who are just beginning their journey.

You have answers to questions that people don't even know that they have yet.

The potential to change the direction of a life lies with you. Sharing a story of personal struggle could encourage that human to reach out to you. 

It could start a conversation that could save a life.

Awareness is always the first step to change.

Be authentic. Be vulnerable. 

Share your story.