2020 has brought many challenges and opportunities to each of us. We cannot control the things that come our way, but we can control how we react. I have been extremely discouraged by recent social media posts. There has been finger-pointing, name calling, bullying, and on and on.
Our children are watching and listening. You most likely have children who have access to your social media. These youth are the adults of our future. They will model their own behavior from the examples they see – it’s no longer “do as I say, not as I do.” Does the behavior you are modeling reflect the image that you want to portray? Yes, we are disappointed, upset, discouraged, etc. It’s okay to feel these things – essentially every time something changes, you are going through a grieving process. That’s normal, it’s part of life. But, think before you speak or post on social media. Gut reactions are not always the final reaction. Often times, once the initial anger recedes, logic takes over. Remember, once you have posted something on social media, it never goes away.
It’s very easy to be a “keyboard warrior”. Before you hit send on your comment or email, think about whether or not you would say these same things to the person if you were face-to-face. Name calling and bullying are never okay. Before you automatically share things on social media, take the time to fact-check. Just because it’s on the internet, doesn’t mean that it’s true.
Have compassion for those making the tough decisions. Under the circumstances, they are doing the best they can with the information they have. Science changes daily with new discoveries. We know things today that we didn’t know yesterday. And we will learn things tomorrow that we didn’t know today.
In a world where you can be anything, be kind. And, be a positive role model for our adults of the future.
If you read this all the way to the end, thank you. Stay positive, set the good example, and always be kind.