How to Use Social Media Positively

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by Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

Social media often gets a bad rap, and with good reason. When used incorrectly, social media can promote negative behaviours such as body dysmorphia, eating disorders, selfishness, low self esteem, peer pressure and unrealistic views on life, appearance and identity. However, when used correctly, social media can be a good thing. Social media keeps us in touch with friends and family. Social media can serve as entertainment; I know I look forward to the memes shared daily among my friends and I. Social media can keep us abreast of current events, and teach us new things. Above all, social media can assist with personal branding and networking. I’ve met dozens of lovely people on social media– several of whom have become good friends!

Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?
View all responses

There was once a time when I used social media negatively too. I compared myself to people who didn’t even look like their pictures in real life, ha! Over the years, I have taken several social media breaks when I found my internal voice being negatively affected by the content I was seeing. However, for at least one or two years, my social media use– while a bit excessive– has become nearly 100% positive. I’ve silently unfollowed accounts of people who don’t add value to my day, or any content that seemed too far-fetched, unrealistic or was affecting me negatively in any way. I even limit my intake of the news too.

Instead, I follow only uplifting content– pages which share positive quotes, inspiring material, funny memes and of course, travel bloggers who can teach me about new places to go and things to try. With that said, while I do spend up to 3 hours a day on social media (not consecutively), at least I feel uplifted in the process. I’ve also used it to expand my creativity and grow my Adventures from Elle community. I’m happy about my small but thriving account and engaged community, and my confidence has also grown in leaps and bounds during the process.

With that said, here are 5 quick tips to use social media more positively.

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How to Use Social Media Positively

  1. Unfollow, mute, restrict or even block accounts which negatively affect you in any way. It’s your feed. You’re allowed to control and filter what shows up on it.
  2. Avoid posting personal life details such as the inner workings of your relationship, job frustrations and a blow-by-blow account of your itinerary and whereabouts for your safety.
  3. Don’t use social media while out with friends and family. Living in the moment increases your happiness.
  4. Ensure that the content you put out there aligns with you, your personal brand and the image you want to represent you. Your social media accounts are viewed by your coworkers, employer and even embassies!
  5. Last but not least, always remember that your social media engagement does not define your worth or talent in any way. 🙂 Work on your self perception and happiness so that even if a post gets zero likes, you’re still satisfied with the content you put out.
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Wrap Up

Here’s to being more consistent with these daily prompts. I quite enjoy doing them but I don’t do them often because I don’t want to scare away subscribers who follow expecting only one kind of content (travel). Anyway, if you’ve ever wanted to practice a daily writing habit, now is the time to join WordPress.com! These 365 prompts a year will make an expert writer out of you in no time.

With that said, find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Amazon.

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‘Til next time.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

Adventures from Elle is a travel blog for locals & visitors who want to experience the best of Jamaica, one adventure at a time. The blog is curated by Dr. Rochelle Knight, an internal medicine specialist and published author. She began the blog in 2016 as a medical student & wants to see the world, starting with her home country. Purchase her book 'SIGHTSEE JAMAICA' on Amazon and join her in Jamaica!

81 thoughts on “How to Use Social Media Positively”

  5. Wise words, Elle! I admit, I use a bit too much social media and I could do with using it less, to pause and to enjoy what’s happening in the moment, instead of feeling the need to document everything for a virtual audience, which guiltily, is a big issue in my particular niche, i.e. travel. But I’ve definitely gotten better over the years, and I’ve especially learned the importance of not over-posting in regards to location and safety. Social media can be cripplingly addictive and seemingly a crutch in terms of enjoying life, it can also be an incredibly-enriching platform to connect with others in your community, learn and discover places/opinions/skills you’ve never heard of, and be inspired– all of course, finding the balance between sharing and living your life.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I agree, Rebecca. It has become so easy to use social media as a crutch to enjoying life. We’ve become addicted to the dopamine rush and FOMO which leads us to spend way too much time there. But, as with all other aspects of life, balance is key. 🙂 I’m glad you have made strides which controlling your social media use as well. Cheers to using social media as a positive tool and controlling it, instead of having it control us

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I loved this post because it’s not about how awful social media is, which many posts are like. Instead, you rightly point out that social media can be a good thing if used positively. Great tips, I already practice most of them.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. My relationship with social media is iffy. I used to be trying to manage posting on our hiking pages while also posting on my personal page and I was like that is too much work, so now I just focus on the hiking pages on tik tok and ig. I think social media works best for me when I use it as an impersonal tool to grow a business. I agree with you to keep your personal business off of social media and also take breaks. I think influencers and persons who have their entire life and relationships online honestly have a certain type of strength because that is constant scrutiny from the outside world and I think life is hard enough. But to each their own.

    With regards to your social media thou, I love it and you really exemplify how to use it positively and effectively.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Agreed! I have no idea how influencers who share their entire life and relationship on social media handle the scrutiny. That would get nauseating for me very quickly. Using Instagram as a tool is the best way to use it. I’ve mastered how to post a lot yet say very little about myself and I love that 🙂 thanks for reading, Celeste!

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Social Media is truly a double-edged sword. I’ve also made some wonderful connections online that translated into real-life friendships and seen how it’s changed some people’s lives for the better. Although I’ve seen how things have turned around for the worst for people as well. For now, I also take sporadic breaks and feel no pressure to post (or announce breaks and comebacks) or make a business out of it. I take it on surface level, access happenings in the world and when it all becomes overwhelming, I simply log off with no remorse.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Ha! Well, it’s good to hear that not everyone has been pulled into the social media web, even if it can be quite entertaining and sometimes informative. My mom actually only uses Whatsapp. No Facebook, Twitter etc. and zero intent on changing that. You may have more company than you think 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  10. I love your attitude! I feel like everyone goes through a phase where we use social media destructively, but most of us get past it. Although, sometimes we think someone we follow is a positive person, but then we are proved wrong. It’s not always clear who is positive and a force for good

    Liked by 3 people

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