This Christian mindfulness exercise is good for any communications, especially for posts on social media.
The exercise involves stopping to think (always good for Twitter!) and asking yourself three questions:
- Is this true?
- Is this kind?
- Is this necessary?
The first two questions are pretty easy. The last is difficult. After all, is any social media post necessary?
But in today’s world, it’s good to shine a light in the darkness you can find on social media. We just need to be intentional and even prayerful about it.
It’s good to have a purpose for your social media accounts. The purposes for mine are:
- Facebook: I use Facebook to connect with family, friends and former colleagues. The pictures from the account feed into a Chatbook series that I use as a family photo album. I also use Facebook to talk about caregiving, helping people with mental illness, being a long distance grandma and practicing Christian mindfulness. Finally, I use it to make people laugh.
- Twitter and LinkedIn: I use both to promote mental health advocacy, Christian mindfulness and laughter.
- Instagram: I post my best photographs on Instagram.
So for me, asking if a post is necessary means it must meet these criteria. There’s no room for unsubstantiated or iffy information, political fights, vulgarity or hate speech on my social media. That is, when I do it right.
Try creating your own purposes for social media. It’s what the pros … which I used to be … do. I would love to know how it works for you.