Sometimes it’s easy to get annoyed with social media, and yes, I’m guilty of being irritable with the constant interaction and/or notifications.
But the truth is that if we step back, social media is a blessing in MANY way.
It gives us multiple channels to keep in touch, locate old friends, and hey – it’s full of cute kitties and sweet puppies, which everyone needs more of in life.
Don’t you dare roll your eyes!
There’s plenty who say that social media ruins our life, hurts our relationships, and destroys our self-esteem.
But there’s so many ways that social media makes our lives better, especially during the holiday season, and I want to share them with you.
Why? Because we should focus on the positive effects of social media, and see all the ways it helps us to do things we’ve never done simply by logging onto Facebook or Instagram.
So let’s walk through 5 reasons to be thankful for social media this holiday season.
1. Social media makes it easy to connect with loved ones.
Let’s be honest – how easy is it for grandma to log on and see the latest pictures of her grandchildren? Or talk with your gypsy of a friend living across the world? Or plan holidays events with online invitations – all the while saving trees and being kind to the environment?
Super easy with social media!
I remember the days when I had to be home when someone was going to call me, when staying in touch meant swiping my tongue across lots of stamps (ew!), and when I didn’t know how long it would be before I was able to see family members again.
And yes, I’m showing my age.
But still.. You remember it, too!
And while there are fond things I miss like handwritten notes, letters in the mail, and that concern I won’t be home when someone cute is going to call me. But.
Times have changed, and that is exciting because it offers us more opportunities to connect with loved ones over the holidays, regardless of where they are, what they’re doing, and loveeee all over them.
2. Social media makes it simple to let your fans, followers, and customers know how much they mean to you.
Back in the day, it was pretty tough to let ALL your customers or clients know how important they are to you.
Maybe it was because you didn’t have everyone’s address or weren’t able to pinpoint every person who appreciated your products or service.
But these days, you can share how thankful you are for your customers and online audiences easily and often.
You can put together quote cards, photos or videos, and get as personal as you want.
However, if you only do it once, it will be tough to reach everyone, so use the holidays as an opportunity to be overly thankful and say it as much as possible. And from every angle.
Send out email newsletters, write a blog, tweet it, update your Facebook, share pics on Instagram, videos on Snapchat, or put together a Periscope or Blab that you can share again and again.
It’s a luxury to be able to thank everyone so effortlessly, but we must not take advantage of that.
3. Social media allows us to spread love and positive messages to those who may not get to hear it during the holidays.
If you’ve ever served in a soup kitchen or volunteered on a holiday, you’re more than aware there are thousands of people out there who don’t have anyone to share the holidays with, and it can be a hard time for them.
That’s where you and social media can make a positive impact!
Not only do you want to thank the people who support you online, but take the time to do so because there’s many out there who won’t hear it from other people.
The holidays can be a rough time, so spread as much cheer as you possible can! Go overboard!
Utilize your social networks to share heartwarming content, useful articles, fun videos, and as much ooey-gooey goodness as you can possibly muster.
4. Social media allows us to easily find fun things to do locally.
If you haven’t tapped into the power of social media for finding awesome things to do during the holiday season, then you’re missing out!
Last week, I came across a Facebook update explaining the candle lighting ceremonies in downtown Wilmington (where I recently moved to), so I was able to join in.
In fact, I’ve done nothing but use social media to tap into the local scene since I moved here for restaurants, events, grocery stores, yoga studios, and places to run.
Search your social channels for local listings, events, and be sure to support local businesses as much as you can during the holiday season.
Especially if you’re alone or have recently moved, jumping on social can provide ample opportunities to find events you wouldn’t never found out about.
And the same goes for locals! You never know what you’ll find until you start looking.
5. Social media reminds us that while it’s easy to stay connected, what really matters is in front of us.
And finally, while social media is awesome, and provides us ample channels to communicate easily with loved ones from every walk of life, it’s a reminder that life doesn’t exist online.
The holidays are for family and friends, not being glued to our phones, laptops, or tablets.
It’s the time to put these things aside and enjoy the tender moments, the ones we’ll miss one day or call memories.
So take lots of pictures, but don’t get stuck behind the camera.
Shoot videos of funny or endearing moments, but make sure there’s a purpose behind them.
And don’t feel the need to updated everyone and their Mom about every single little thing that makes your holiday wonderful.
Enjoy it.