Lessons to any Blogger after 3 years of Blogging

2008 was the year I entered the blog-o-sphere; primarily as an avid blog reader. In 2009, I created my first blogs in which I used to write occasionally – Of course, it was private. In 2010, I shared my blogs with my inner network of friends and family; and received very encouraging feedback. After this initial response, my blogs went public in 2010 and so started my blogging journey.

Its 2013 now – Almost 3 years since I embarked on my blogging journey. During this journey, I have published 1000+ posts [Average of 1 post / day] on my own blogs (public, restricted and private), and have published several guest posts in site of global repute on a diverse set of topics.

So after 3 years of blogging – Am I any wiser?

Well, I’m sharing some of the most important lessons of my blogging journey in this post.

(1) If you’re wondering why should blog. Here are the AEIOU reasons

• Blogging increase your AWARENESS
• Blogging enhances your own EXPRESSIONS
• Blogging compels you to INTROSPECT
• Blogging makes you OBSERVE
• Blogging enables you to UNDERSTAND

For full details, refer my post on AEIOU reasons for you to blog

(2) Writing on a blog helps you learn and discover more about yourself – Let me just say, you re-discover yourself and re-connect with yourself in ways which you could never have imagined

(3) Regularly writing on your blog is a great way to express yourself, your thoughts, your creativity, your views, your perspective, your ideas, your opinions, your experiences – if nothing else, it does wonders for your overall state of well-being (emotional and intellectual)

(4) Blogging is a “creative process”. Take the time to understand the process. It is worthwhile in the long run

(5) Blogging helps you to create new relationships and there is beauty in blogging relationships

(6) Guest Blogging is a great way to challenge yourself and extend the reach of your writings. The learning’s and connections you make in the process is invaluable. Here’s a summary of what Guest Blogging taught me

(7) Blogging has the potential to open new doors and possibilities – More than you can dream, think or imagine. Here’s a post I wrote on “OK You Write a Blog – So what Next?”

(8) Regular Blogging helps build and enhance your own self-discipline. And self-discipline is a great virtue to build in today’s day and age.

(9) Starting a blog is easy, but continuing to blog for years is a challenge for many. One of the key reasons is because every blogger runs out of ideas to blog. And for this, it is important to read continuously, and to wear the 6 Thinking Hats on your blog and to Focus on Diversity on your blog ; constantly challenge yourself to do new things on your blog. Be creative and sky is the limit to how long you can blog! For e.g.: Do reviews, interviews, curate great content, share interesting quotes, etc.

(9) Blogging can help you share your thoughts and views through interviews and alternate mediums for a larger reach. Check one of my first interviews focused around Blogging

(10) Every blog has a Hype Cycle. Be aware of it and spend time in understand this hype cycle

(11) There are only 3 Types of Blogs which a reader will really remember. If you want to make a mark in the blogging world, ask yourself if you’re doing any of these?

• Blogs from which YOU LEARN
• Blogs which make YOU THINK
• Blogs which TOUCH YOUR HEART

(12) Practice the 65:20:15 Mantra for every blog post.

• 65% of your time should go towards Blog Content
• 20% of your time should go towards Blog Marketing
• 15% of your time should go towards Blog Reader Engagement (after the post is published)

(13) Having an Editorial Calendar helps any blogger to be regular and disciplined about blogging efforts

(14)  Blogging is a journey; Not a destination. Enjoy the journey

(15)  To Keep at Blogging, here’s what you need

• New Life experiences
• Passion for writing
• Creativity
• Self-Discipline
• Self-Motivation

And all the above are vital in the journey of life as well. So why not consciously invest in these by starting your blogging journey today?

On that note, Happy Blogging! Give Blogging a chance today..

Who knows how it will change your life!

Feeling Low – 4 Ways Social Media Can Lift your spirits!

We all go through phases when we feel low. Sometimes we know why, sometimes we can’t put a finger on it…

And yet the one thing we all know is that the sooner we beat the blues, the better for us.

And from personal experience, I can say that Social Media can help lift your spirits.. Here are a list of ways that Social Media has helped me

1) Read a blog that makes you laugh or inspires or makes you forget the blues. For e.g.: I check this blog Worth a Read, and always find something which is an instant mood lifter

2) Login to FaceBook and look at the photos of friends and family. Most people tend to upload only the good pictures, fun moments or interesting events. So you get to see the “good slice of others life”; and it usually changes your mood

3) Pinterest – You will always find something to laugh about or something which will amuse or interest you on Pinterest. Click here for one example

4) Twitter – Go through the tweets of random people or someone your know or someone really funny, and your mood will instantly change. For e.g.: Check this list of 25 Twitter Accounts to Make you Laugh. And at least one of them will cheer your spirits

Has Social Media helped you beat the blues? If yes, leave a comment to let me know HOW?

What makes a “GOOD SPEECH”?

I have always loved the TED Talks ; They are inspiring, informative, educational and many times open your eyes and mind to possibilities which you never knew existed. In fact, my personal recommendation to anyone would be if you can spend 20 minutes everyday in watching ONE TED talk for ONE month – Your life will change! I can say from experience… Try it!

Why I am writing about TED Talks here is this – After watching several TED videos, I was left wondering with a thought on “WHAT MAKES A GOOD SPEECH”..

Now I know that there is no universal definition of “GOOD”.. So what appeals to one may not appeal to another..
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” is one which is rich in data and analysis
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” means getting all the facts 100% right
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” is one which makes you think
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” is one which inspires you
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” is one which teaches you something new
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” is one which opens you to new worlds and perspectives
for some “a GOOD SPEECH” is one which has some Return on Time Invested (or ROTI as I call it)
for some “a GOOD SPEECH is all of the above

And yet when you look back at history or your own life; you will agree that there are some speeches which left a mark, which you recall with amazing clarity, which made a difference.

So coming back to the question “WHAT MAKES A GOOD SPEECH?”..
Before we start, Let’s just make a few assumptions
(1) The speech lasted for 20 – 30 minutes
(2) There was a decent audience size which was “interested in what you have to say” and “were actually listening when you spoke” (No matter how good a speaker you are, the audience does make a HUGE difference.So from my experience, even the best speakers deliver a different quality of output based on the audience size, interest levels and attentiveness) – And even I can vouch for this from personal experience
(3) There was a specific topic to speak about (It was not an extempore speech)

So what makes a GOOD SPEECH? Here’s my view:
(1) A well-thought STRUCTURE – With 3 basic sections : An Introduction / Beginning, the main body and a Conclusion
(2) A powerful opening – How one starts a speech usually makes all the difference in how interested and attentive an audience is in what you have to say. Starting with humor, a personal real life incident, some less know data / facts and figures are powerful ways to get audience interest and attention
(3) A POINT-OF-VIEW – A good speech should have a view. Either for a topic, against a topic or should present both view or state facts for what they are or explain a concept. And readers should be able to understand this from your rendition
(4) RIGHT Data and Facts – In today’s day and age, it is very easy for an average and interested individual to verify and validate facts on Google. So, get the data points right!
(5) Quotes from the WISE – Always quoting a wise / well-known individual to strengthen / emphasize your point is a great way to add some punch to your message. Of course, it have to be relevant and contextual
(6) A “CREATIVE” rendition – Makes so much difference. And by creative, I mean anything – Music, Actions, Videos, Photos, Acting, etc/ – Whatever helps to drive home the point
(7) The “RIGHT” pace - Too fast, and no one gets you. Too slow, and you lose the audience. It has to be just RIGHT for the average listener
(8) Humor – A dash of humor does a long way in making your speech memorable and impactful. Of course, you have to be cautious about this and not say something which you may regret later.
(9) A touch of EMOTION - Add a touch of the right emotion, and if your words touch an emotional chord with the average listener, the speech is likely to be a winner
(10) Personal anecdotes – Stating personal anecdotes from your own personal experience helps in making a co-relation, and also strengthens your credibility as you speak from personal experience

Last but not least, the SPEAKER profile does make all the difference – in terms of his / her brand image, position, authority, power, public sentiment for / against him / her, integrity & strength of character. So if the same speech is given by a politician / professor / business professional / social-worker / motivational speaker – It would have a different effect and impact!

What’s your view? Leave a comment to let me know….

Nischala’s Blog-o-Review : Leo Babauta’s ZenHabits

Blog Name: Zen Habits
Run By: Leo Babauta
Blog Born On: 2007
This has been one of my personal favorite for several years now.. And Leo never ceases to amaze me with his blog and the way he conducts his life…

So the TOP 5 things that I really LIKE about his blog?
1) Amazing Compelling Insightful Content – All through the year! Truly admirable for any blogger!
2) He regularly updates his blog – At least once a week, many times twice or more
3) His writings are real – And usually based on his own life experiences. He cites real life examples and his own personal journey which adds a lot of weight to the points he makes
4) Easy to read and understand the message – Very well written. Simple, Clear and precise
5) The layout – I personally love the font size (Larger than most typical blogs) and the minimal usage of color (Just Black and White)
6) I like his copyright / uncopyright policy

Is there anything I wish he could do DIFFERENTLY?
Honestly, I had to think really hard.. After a lot of thinking this is what I came up with
1) Logical Categorization of the Archives – There’s lot of amazing content, but sometimes its so hard to wade through it to find what I’m looking for. A little grouping and categorization will definitely help. For e.g.: Writing, Exercise, Eating Healthy, Habit Formation, etc.
2) A place to comment – I know Leo has turned off comments on his blog for good reason (And as a blogger, I completely understand where he is coming from)… But sometimes I feel so strongly about something that he has written and would love to express it on his blog.. But am unable to do it! So then I do wish he let me comment..
3) I sometimes wish he’d have some pictures / visual representations on his blogs. Again, even I don’t use any visuals in my blogs, but sometimes just sometimes it’s nice to see some color

Other than that, a PERFECT BLOG.. One of the BEST I have seen in the blog-o-sphere
And I’d give it a 10 / 10, a Golden STAR and Thumbs Up!

Does Twitter have a memory?

“Does Twitter have a memory?” is something I have been mulling about… Going down memory lane to what I studied in High School Computer Science Basics..

Is it comparable to a RAM (Random Access Memory)? – Fast, Anytime Anywhere access, And somewhat random in user tweets, reactions and responses? (akin to human behaviors, which are many times random)

Is it comparable to a ROM (Read Only Memory)? – No option to “edit” a tweet, can only delete a tweet

Is it comparable to a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory)? – Using Twitter tools, you can program your tweets so that you’re Twitter activity is continuous, and not really dependent on your “real presence”!

Is it comparable to an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)? – Yes! You can erase tweets once they are published, and can take tweets away from memory. Even otherwise, with the continuous stream of tweets, I wonder how long people actually remember tweets (their own and others)

Is it comparable to a EEPROM (Extendable Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)? – And you can extend your Twitter connection in Twitter, and beyond Twitter (to other social media platforms) or even to real life

Or is it really a little of all of the above?

Offline Status = Anti Social, Online Status = Super Social???

Human Behavior has always fascinated me a great deal – Both in the real world and in the “virtual” world. And ever since I’ve been active on Social Media for the past few years, I’ve noticed a few behavioral patterns in people I know.. Something which intrigued me, interested me and even puzzled me…

Broadly, I noticed the following categories of behaviors (primarily FaceBook and Twitter)

Category 1 : Offline Status = Super Social, Online Status = Anti Social
These are the kind of people who have a zillion friends in the real world. Everywhere they go, they know someone, or are well known within specific networks. They have an active social life, actively participate in one / many activities of interest to them. What I broadly call “Super Social” as far as the real world is concerned. As for as their online presence in social networks goes, it almost does not exist. In some cases they have a profile on FaceBook or Twitter, but hardly connect with any of their friends neither do they post updates about their active social life. I asked a few such people I personally know about why they were not so active on Social Media (given the whole world is headed there). Several valid responses, the Top ones were “Not interested in connecting virtually when I can do the real thing“, “No time as the real-world keeps me busy enough“, “Don’t still get how you can be social in the virtual world!“

Category 2 : Offline Status = Super Social, Online Status = Super Social
These are the kinds of people who are “Super Social ” in the real world – They have friends everywhere they go, They are well known and popular in the circles / groups / communities they’re a part of. And they carry this side of their personality to the online world as well. So they have a zillion connections on FaceBook, Several thousands of followers on Twitter (& also follow several thousands of people), etc etc. They are active on most of the Social networking sites and every day there are several updates from them. My only thoughts are “Just how do they manage to do it?” and “Don’t they ever sleep?” – However they do it, hats-off to them!

Category 3 : Offline Status = Anti Social, Online Status = Anti Social
This is the kind of people who keep pretty much to themselves : both in the real world and in the virtual world. They have very few social connections in the real world, and keep it this way even in the online world. Many of them don’t even have profiles on FaceBook, and while some of them do, they barely connect with anyone or update their status. Their favorite responses “Not interested” or “I really don’t know what to say ” or “Who’d be interested anyways!“. Hmm. Well as long as they are happy with their status, who can say / do anything?

Category 4 : Offline Status = Selectively Social, Online Status = Selectively Social
This is the category that most people I know usually fall into. They are selectively social in their associations and connections in the real world (Some past / history, common interests, hobbies, topics of conversation, etc. usually drive engagement), and exhibit similar behavior in the virtual world. They typically connect with people they know or want to know better for a specific reason, are restrictive about their privacy settings, and guarded about what they share on Social Media.

Category 5 : Offline Status = Anti Social, Online Status = Super Social
This last category of individuals intrigues me the post. They are “Anti Social” in the real world – No smile, No greeting, No Hello (even if they know you), barely have an active social network or social life in the real world. And when you see their online status (read FaceBook, Twitter, etc.) you will be pleasantly surprised (in some instances almost shocked) to see their activities, connections, how frequently they share content, how much they disclose about themselves.. They are completely “transformed” individuals – Almost like a “dual” or “split personality”.

I wonder often what triggers such a drastic change.
Is it because they don’t have a real world social life they try to compensate in the online world?
Is it because they can start afresh & build new connections with people across the world?
Is it because they enjoy the freedom & choices they can make in social media?
Is it because they are more comfortable to connect, engage and interact “virtually” – without Face-2-Face interactions

On one hand it’s good. As Aristotle said “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god.” . So better to build social connections – even if it is in the “virtual world” than have none at all!

On the other hand, I wonder how one can have such contrasting sides to their personality?

NOTE: By pure logic, I am sure that several other combinations of status are possible. However, I have listed above the one’s I have pre-dominantly observed.

ADDENDUM – For ease of understanding, I have depicted this in a Matrix.. Refer below

What’s your view? What categories of behaviors have you seen? Leave a comment to let me know…

Nischala’s Blog-o-Review : Blog – ARKarthick.com

Blog Name: ARKarthick.com – Awesomeness
Started in : Mar 2010
Run By : A R Karthick (Entrepreneur, Blogger, Photography/Designing/Social Media – Enthusiast. Humorous, Creative & Positive Thinker. Love to be a Friend & Seek/Share Awesome Things!)

What I personally like about the site?
1) Awesome Content – In the blog-o-sphere, content is definitely KING, and Karthick’s blog is a winner all along. While he writes many posts himself, his choice of Guest Posts is also excellent!

2) Wide range of topics – What I like about Karthick’s blog is that he posts about a wide range of topics – from Social Media, to Blogging, to Life, to Entrepreneurship, etc. So anytime of the day, and any kid of mood you’re in, you will find something that you will like

3) Guest Posting on the blog – Personally, I have published guest posts on several sites across the globe. And by far, the most pleasant experience has been with Karthick [ No wonder I posted so many guest posts on his blog ]. He is open on the topics to blog about, reasonable about expectations from you, gives great feedback / comments & suggestions and more importantly, he ensures he communicates with you on important aspects of the post (Its not like you are in for a big surprise when you finally see your post! OR You don’t know when your post has gone live!)

4) The Blog Readers – Any blog has 2 important sides – One is the content creator (or those who publish content) and Two is the content consumer (or the blog readers, i.e., You and Me). And Karthick has a fantastic reader base – truly diverse, truly global and truly nice people. People who encourage you based on what you write, people who comment on your blogs, people who connect and engage about a specific topic and people who generously share on Social Media networks

5) He posts regularly – At least once a week, and mostly on Tuesdays between 3 to 4 PM.

6) User experience is good – Easy to navigate, Easy to share on social media, Easy to find content on specific categories, Easy to search for content & Easy to leave a comment

What I wish could be DIFFERENT?

Hmmm… I had to think real hard to come up with anything here.. but as a blog reader, well

(1) More Content I guess – I mean who does not like to read amazing content more often? We all do! So would be great if there are 2 posts every week (Though as a blogger, I know that 1 post a week for 3 – 5 years is itself a great achievement) especially when you have a full-time job as well!. But then, one can never really have enough of good things right?

On that note, here’s wishing A R Karthick many many many more years of successful blogging

No, it’s NOT OK to Steal other’s CONTENT!

Ever since I started blogging and writing, I have experienced others generously stealing my published content (be it blogs / papers, etc.) and passing it off as their own, without as much as a reference, link or acknowledgement to the author or the published source.

At every single instance that has come to my attention, I have always left a comment / written to the concerned person; and in most instances they apologize and remove the content from their blog. The fact is that “Every single piece of writing that I have authored has a part of my mind, heart, soul, sweat and blood; and I am PROUD of it. And YES! I am EMOTIONALLY connected to my writings! So I really don’t appreciate anyone stealing my writings – especially since they are of value to me!“

But the most surprising and shocking discovery came a few days back when a senior business leader of global repute from a 100Bn$ enterprise published a blog post in his name which was picked up “verbatim” from one of my writings – Something which took me almost a year to conceptualize, write, edit and publish! Something which was truly novel and demonstrated “industry thought leadership”. My first reaction was of shock! I mean, “How could he do it?” – Someone of his stature, I am sure he knew the significance and implications of his act !

Fortunately for me, he had posted it on a community blog which was owned and moderated by an independent third party entity, so I wrote to the owner of the blog. I also left a comment to his post, to which the author promptly responded stating that he had authored it way back in 2010; & he also very EXPLICITLY mentioned his professional designation as an indication of his power and authority! I mean first you STEAL content, then you claim OWNERSHIP for something that is NOT YOURS, and lastly, LIE about it in PUBLIC! – All under the purview of the fact that because you are a senior and powerful business leader in a large multi-billion dollar enterprise, you can GET AWAY with it!

This was PLAGIARISM!

ACCORDING TO THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER ONLINE DICTIONARY, TO “PLAGIARIZE” MEANS
to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own
to use (another’s production) without crediting the source
to commit literary theft
to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else’s work and lying about it afterward.”

Moving on, fortunately for me – The blog owner did a detailed analysis, and was in agreement that the post was indeed copied from one of my original writings, and hence deleted the post. Thank God for that!

During this entire episode, I was also surprised to see the reactions of friends and colleagues. Most of them failed to understand “Why I was so upset about it?”. Some said “Forget it. Not worth your time!“.. Some said “Ignore it. He is too powerful, so let it be“. And some even laughed and said “You should feel happy that a senior business leader is passing off your writings as his own. It means that you’re writing good stuff!”. Honestly, I did not know what to say or how to react.

Also, I did some research on the issue, it appears that stealing content is a common challenge which plagues several blogs / bloggers. Most bloggers have accepted this reality of the blog-o-sphere; and have found ways to deal with it – Ignore it. OR Leave a comment. And a rare few actually get on to head-on legal battles. For most, it’s just NOT WORTH IT! They’d rather invest their time in creating new content. And rightly SO!

Ending with LESSONS LEARNED
(1) No, it’s NOT OK to Steal others CONTENT! If you must use it, acknowledge and give a reference to the original source / author. It hurts the author / writer, and if found it can be a serious “black mark” to your public brand image / character
(2) Value is personal and subjective. What is invaluable to you, may have no value to someone else. To Each his / her own ; and that’s OK
(3) Be GOOD on Social Media. As it is there is so much BAD and NEGATIVITY in the real world, Do you really want to carry that to Social Media as well? Here is a post on Social Media Etiquette 101 : The Basics that could help!
(4) And if you are in POWER, you can’t get away with EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME! At some point, one has to pay for his / her KARMA!

Recommended Readings / References
Just because it’s not illegal, does not mean it’s RIGHT
What to do when your online content is copied?
Know your digital rights – Blog Etiquette
plagiarism.org
How to file a DMCA take-down notice?
Copyright FAQ’s

So, have you experienced anyone stealing your online content? How did you handle it? Do you have a view on the issue? Leave a comment to let me know!

Blog Make-Over Services – Any Takers?

In life, I’ve seen several types of make-overs
Make-overs of houses
Make-overs of wardrobes – clothes, footwear, accessories
Make-overs of physical appearance, i.e, the face (usually a hair cut, hair style, make-up, etc. and sometimes permanent solutions like surgery too)
Make-overs of weight (usually unimaginable weight loss in a short duration)
Make-overs in relationships…

Given that I am so entrenched into blogging, I can’t help but draw a parallel of everything to blogging. As I mulled over this, I wonder if anyone could offer Blog Make-Over Services (Both for individual bloggers and corporate blogs)?
Aimed at transforming your blog at 2 levels
(1) A new and improved layout : New colors, images, template, fonts, etc etc etc – which appeals to general masses. In many cases, this change will probably be welcome by both the blog owners and the blog readers too!
(2) Content make-over : To help you create and publish compelling content in a continuous and consistent fashion; and also maintain the content for decades to come

I don’t know if anyone provides blog make-overs, but I sure do think that there could be a market out there for such services?

What’s your view? Would you like your blog to be given a make-over.. Leave a comment to let me know

Social Media Etiquette 101 : The Basics

Over the past few weeks, Social Media (Blogs, FaceBook, Twitter) has been in the prime-time news. Some of it is good news, but several times its been not-so-good news. And primarily because someone tweeted something which upset / hurt / offended someone else, someone blogged an article without giving credit to whom it was due, a FaceBook update which did not go well with the general public opinion. And what followed was arguments, anger, negativity, criticism

As I reflect on some of these events, I honestly believe several of them could easily be avoided if basic Social Media Etiquette is followed. Probably basic life lessons you learned in KinderGarden, but somehow forgot along the journey to adulthood…

In this post, I am listing the Most Important Lessons of Social Media Etiquette – be it blogs, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.

Lesson 1: Be HONEST, Don’t LIE

Ever heard of “Honesty is the BEST POLICY“. Well it applies to Social Media as well. So be TRUE, Be HONEST and Don’t LIE. If you are not comfortable expressing your true opinion on a specific topic on Social Media, then Don’t Say anything. Be QUIET – which is OK. If you don’t know something, then its again OK to not say anything. But don’t LIE! The thing about lies is you get caught sometime somehow – Trust me on this!

Lesson 2: Give Credit where its DUE, Don’t STEAL

Again ever heard of “Don’t take things that don’t belong to you, and if you have to borrow then at least let the owner know!“. Well it applies to Social Media as well. So don’t STEAL others content on Social Media (blogs, Tweets, views, etc.) . If you do want to use / quote an article published by someone else, give a reference to the original content and acknowledge the author. (I’ve personally experienced cases of people publishing my blogs on their own blogs without any link or reference – And trust me! It feels awful. After all anyone who publishes content has put significant time, thought and effort into it. Just ask yourself how you would feel if someone walked into your house and walked out with your belongings – clothes, accessories, money, etc. Well its the same when you “STEAL” others content on Social Media). So make it a point to give credit where its DUE. Not only does it build your own credibility as someone who reads others content, but also acknowledges their efforts. And you also build your own social media networks by connecting to other authors – Trust me these relationships are worth more than stealing content and trying to pass it off as your own!

Lesson 3: Think before you WRITE

Anyone who wished you well always said “Think before you say or do anything.” Well it applies to Social Media as well. Before you write anything, think about the best way you can articulate your thoughts / views / opinions.  Most of the Social Media errors happen because people don’t think before they write. If you are stressed, emotionally low / high, drunk, angry, upset, depressed… suggest you don’t write on Social Media till you feel more in control of your thoughts / emotions OR just write for yourself and don’t publish. Impulsive writing can sometimes bring out the best creativity in people, but it has to be when your thoughts / emotions are stable and balanced.

Lesson 4: Review before you PUBLISH

When you were in school, your parents and teachers always said “Check you answer sheet once before you turn it in“. Well it applies for Social Media as well. Before you publish anything (on Blog, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.) review it once with a calm mind. The reason being that many times we write things which we don’t really mean, we write things which can be (mis)interpreted in many different ways; and more importantly we are human and hence can possibly make errors. So do a self-review before you publish any content on Social Media.

Lesson 5: Be “GOOD” 

The last point is “Be GOOD” on Social Media – To those you know, to those you don’t know.. To those with whom you agree, to those with whom you don’t agree. The fact is that the real world has its share of “Good and Bad” – Both as a part of our everyday lives, and as a part of the world in general. And there is also more negativity than positivity all around – Death, Terror, Loss, Lies, Infidelity, Anxiety, Fear, Uncertainty, Stress – They are all integral to our lives.

And so for many of us, Social Media is a welcome escape, a mini-dream-land. To connect with people who think like us, To connect with people we know, To connect with people we want to know, To connect with people who inspire us.

And the fact is that we all like to feel “GOOD”, especially on Social Media. And how do you feel GOOD? By reading GOOD stuff – Content which makes you smile, laugh, gives you hope, inspires you, motivates you, helps you learn, makes you happy, helps you grow.. And Do you think that you can achieve any of the above if you read / come across all “negative content” – which is demotivating, depressing, melancholy, continuous criticism, unwarranted judgment, etc. – Absolutely NOT! Again you can share a point of view which is radical / contrary to the popular belief, but you should know how to articulate it so that people appreciate your point-of-view; and it leaves them with food for thought, as opposed to anger or resentment or disbelief which sparks negativity.

And the best way you can share positivity is to be GOOD – in what you write… Be positive in what you write and share, Express Gratitude for the support you receive, and ignore what is better ignoring (It’s easier to ignore on social media)

And Goodness breeds Goodness… And before you know

Goodness is all around.. Thanks to you!