In a world that’s deeply interconnected through web and social media platforms, our digital engagements have a significant impact on our real-life encounters and emotions — and with good reason. Social media isn’t just a tool to connect us across countless miles, but also a community where our mood, beliefs, and attitudes can be shaped and influenced. Amidst the overflow of news, opinions, or updates that can be less than cheerful, spreading positivity has become an essential counterbalance to making our online sphere warmer and more encouraging.
Here's our list of top 10 tips you can do to spread kindness on social media:
1. Share Inspiring Content
One of the most straightforward yet effective ways to spread positivity through social media is to share content that inspires and uplifts. Whether it’s motivational quotes, articles that are uplifting in nature, success stories, or acts of kindness — pushing this kind of content out to your followers not only brightens, but it can put a little pep in the step of those who happen upon it, creating a ripple effect of positivity.
2. Be Authentic
In a realm where folks are often scrutinized for only displaying the highlights of their life, realness is refreshing. Share your real self — the good and the bad. Being candid about your struggles, as well as your accomplishments, tends to make for a more relatable presence on social media and can be encouraging to others; it says that behind every profile is a real human going through real-life things, which can create a more supportive and sympathetic community.
3. Engage Positively
How you interact with others online has a large effect on the overall mood of what’s out there. Make it a point to leave encouraging comments, congratulate folks on hitting milestones, and offer a listening ear when times are tough. This not only makes those on the receiving end feel good, but it also sets a good example for others, so that a culture of kindness and positivity is perpetuated.
4. Support and Promote Good Causes
Just as it can be a platform for toxic behavior, social media is also a powerful tool for shining a light on various causes and initiatives aimed at doing good in the world. Shouting out causes and actions aimed at conservation, justice, and giving back can at the very least inspire others to do the same (and at best contribute to meaningful change in the world). Spread the love with shout-outs to environmental conservation initiatives, social justice, and community support initiatives and your platform can be the catalyst for some good ol’ fashioned positive action.
5. Create and Share Positive Challenges
Challenges blow up on social media because they’re fun, they’re engaging, and they give people something to rally around. So why not create a challenge or share a challenge that’s actually having a positive impact? A gratitude challenge, where participants share something they’re grateful for each day, or a kindness challenge that encourages participants to perform a good deed every day for a week are just two examples of hashtag trends that can uplift and spread a little bit of joy (and they often make people feel a bit warmer and fuzzier than they might be comfortable admitting).
6. Use Hashtags Wisely
Hashtags can also hone the feed your curating with your good vibes. You’re probably already using them to boost the reach of your posts, so why not use or create something that shouts positively to the heavens? Whether it’s #choosekindness, #gratitude, or any other personalized iteration, finding or creating hashtags that tie into your the things that are filling your heart with joy will help spread your message and also connect you with like minded individuals and communities.
7. Offer Words of Encouragement
Got friends or followers that are feeling a little defeated, or that just need a little extra push? Reach out and offer that bit of extra nudge they might need. Maybe you know someone’s having a tough week, or maybe you see that someone is battling towards a goal and you believe that they can absolutely attain it. Drop them a line and let them know how wonderful and amazing they are, and see how great you both feel at the end of the conversation.
8. Share Your Skills and Knowledge
If you have a skill, knowledge, or expertise that can benefit others, don’t hold back. Share it. This can be in the form of a clever life hack, a DIY tutorial, or a professional tip. Sharing your insight could benefit others in so many ways. It’s not only spreading positivity, but also empowering others to learn and grow.
9. Highlight the Good
With doom and gloom dominating our news feeds, make an active effort to highlight good news and positive developments from around the world. Sharing stories of advancement, of kindness, and of humanity can help to balance the scales and remind us of the good around us.
10. Practice Digital Wellness
How you engage with social media is just as important as what you engage with. Practice digital wellness by being mindful of your time spent online, curating your feed to feature nothing but positive, uplifting content, and taking breaks when you need to. A healthy relationship with social media allows you to bring positivity to both online and offline.
Conclusion
In the end, social media is a powerful tool and, when used consciously, can be a catalyst of spreading a lot of love and positivity. Share with purpose, practice kindness, support good causes, and practice digital wellness to help spread a little bit of sunshine on the digital landscape.
With every post, every comment and every share, is an opportunity to make someone’s day a little brighter. Let’s use this power to create a community out there that is positive, supportive and all heart!