Gratitude Tuesday: The Positive Side of Social Media

These days, we hear a lot of negative press when it comes to social media.  Whether it's bullying, unrealistic expectations caused my media messages constantly bombarding us, or just plain ole spending too much time behind a screen rather than outside, it seems everyone has something bad to say.  While these concerns are definitely founded, I'd like to take a moment to highlight a side of social media that I've found to be incredibly helpful.  

I don't get out much.  I'm the mom to a very energetic toddler, so I'm limited when it comes to venturing out.  Making friends isn't a priority right now.  When it comes to leaving the house, my requirements are that Charlotte must be welcome, and I have to be home before bedtime.  That isn't exactly conducive to parties and social gatherings. As a vegan and a raw chef, I love making my own food and knowing what's on my plate.  This, however, complicates social gatherings.  I am pretty good at finding vegan options in non-vegan restaurants, but sometimes it's very difficult.  Being one who doesn't like to make things too complicated, I just try to stick to places I know are veg-friendly, but some folks aren't too keen on my choices.  I've been amazed, though, at the outpouring of support for vegans and raw foodies online. It's been wonderful to see the number of people eager to offer recipes or answers to questions.  The sense of community is so uplifting.  I can ask a question in the comment section of a favorite blog, and within minutes, there are ten people all offering help.  Without the online community, I wouldn't even know another vegan.  With Meetup.com, I've found many other raw vegans in my area with whom I'm able to share meals and experiences.  These folks seem to be some of the most upbeat and positive people I've ever known, too.  Since connecting with them on Facebook, my news feed is filled with positive messages and beautiful photos.  It's truly inspirational!  

Thanks to Instagram, I'm building my own little group of healthy eaters, as well as finding and sharing delicious recipes.  I've even had "likes" from some of my favorite bloggers, a few who are following my little ole page.  Finding others who share your interests is so much easier this day in age.  I'm currently doing a 9-day Raw Celebration with the community at More With Dara, a forum set up by Dara Dubinet (check out YouTube.com/daradubinet for info) to connect her fans.  The group is absolutely amazing!  These people are so supportive and just sweet, loving souls.  During this celebration, we are all consuming 100% raw vegan foods and sharing our experiences.  It's such a blessing to log in and see everyone's colorful meals and their health improvements.  I get ideas and inspiration daily from connecting with these other health-conscious people.  And I know, if at any point in my journey, I start to doubt whether I can do this, or even if I just have a tough day, they'll be there to offer wisdom and cheer me up.  

Personally, I've made a choice to use my Facebook and Instagram, as well as this blog page, as a force for good.  I try to post positive messages or something to make people smile every single day.  It's important to me that I'm contributing something happy to a sometimes sad and scary world.  My hope is that it will inspire others to do the same.

Maybe, instead of cursing social media, we use it as a source to do good and connect with others doing good in the world.  There's a plethora of nastiness on the internet, but we can choose what we see and do with it.  And of course, we can always just turn it off when things get too negative.  So, this week, I'm grateful for online communities who make the world a less lonely place for this hippy mom.