I was born in Texas and have spent most of my life as a resident of this great state. Over the years I have heard the following expression used and seen it on bumperstickers and tee-shirts many times: I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.
Getting Social
I was not born in the age of the internet. I was taught that a social was an occasion for people to be together in the same physical space. While I was not among the first to create a robust online presence or to engage others using social tools, I tried to make up for lost time once I arrived in this new to me virtual space.
- Facebook. Like many people in the ’00s I started with Facebook. Now, a decade later I have helped several congregations and other non-profits get started with Facebook, and have expanded my personal presence to include a public persona page.
- Twitter. Next, I started tweeting in the Fall of 2009. While the time I have spent on Facebook as varied widely from year to year, I have been far more consistent in my use of Twitter (reflections on my first six years). You can find me on Twitter @SoWhatFaith.
- LinkedIn. I established my presence on LinkedIn in the Spring of 2011. I did not, however, do much there until 2015. I have been fairly active since.
- Instagram. Earlier this month – after a milestone birthday last month – I decided it was time to create my account on Instagram.
So What?
You would not be reading this reflection had I not started this blog back in 2009. 11% of my blog posts to date (186 out of 1,693) have touched on social media, social networking, or just being social in virtual rather than physical spaces.
I have had the opportunity to share my social experiences with others as a speaker, coach, and consultant. And, I have benefited greatly from many formal and informal opportunities to learn from a number of subject matter experts.
I invite you to take a few minutes to think about your own social evolution. As a part of the process be sure to say “thank you” to at least a couple of people who helped you find your way, deepen your understanding, or otherwise add value to your social experiences.
- List in order the social networking sites you have joined (include those that no longer exist and/or that you no longer use).
- Share the best piece of social advice anyone has ever given you.
- Bonus: If you are an Instagrammer, kindly give me (and other newbies) a few tips for starting well.