The Many Selves on Social Media

 The other day in class we talked about the different selves we can put on social media. Personally, I feel as though I have shown several of my selves on social media. I project a happy Eileen at times, while also projecting sad, angry, motivated and doubtful Eileen. I can't speak for everyone but I sometimes only post a certain side of myself because I'm worried about who will view it. If I'm having a depressive episode and I don't seem to have any motivation to do anything, I'll post a quote about how great life is or share a pretty photo that I took. My focus both online and in person are always to make other's happy, no matter how I'm feeling. During the times when I feel lost or unloved I may share things about myself that tend to be a little personal, but I do it so others might see it and be encouraged to share their stories, reach out, seek help or whatever it is they're having trouble doing. 

Something we should all always keep in mind when posting on any social media page, is that there are people of all different ages, races, backgrounds etc. Before I post something on my TikTok account, I have to remember that I have a lot of young girls who watch my videos so I have to make sure I'm producing content that's acceptable for kids that age. Sometimes we don't think about this before we post which can lead to some hurtful comments and overall damaging our self-confidence. So the next time your friend tells you a rude joke, before you post that on your Facebook, think about how your friends and family will react to it. Would you really want your parents or grandparents reading a rude or insensitive joke that you posted?

Social media is one of the most public of places and deciding who we want to be online should not betaken lightly. Consider your audience and always try to keep your content positive. There are so many dark places on the internet and so much negativity in our world. Make your profiles positive, fun, entertaining and appropriate:)