Navigating Social Media Negativity

Most of us start the new year doing what we normally would with our busy lives. We check social media, read a few comments, then proceed. We notice the negativity that dominates the conversations, but we no longer react to the visceral attacks, the misinformation and the accusations. They’ve happened for so long that we’ve essentially become numb to the daily assaults.

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has 14.3M Instagram followers and another 5.6M on Twitter, so his days are likely filled with sincere compliments sprinkled in between insults and attacks. Tyson had an interesting take on the attacks many of us face:

“Social media has made people all too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.”

Where has the respect gone? Didn’t we all learn in grade school if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all? We’re subjected to criticism of our work, the consequences of not winning, of not performing at the highest level. Some of it simply comes with the job. But what we’re not accustomed to is the vicious personal attacks made by the nameless. The best advice is simply to ignore it all, but that then keeps you from getting to know some of the good people who want to engage in a positive environment.

Dealing with negativity can be exhausting and discouraging, so let’s remember to take care of ourselves with positive self-talk. If a rude comment affected you, then call a trusted friend to vent and get perspective. You don’t have to let someone else’s issues ruin your day. Be secure in your values, focus on the positives, and let the negatives fade into the background. You cannot punch the disrespectful person in the face, but you can rise above the fray with your ability to handle him/her mentally and not simply accept the negative disrespect.

In 2021, be a positive spreader, not a negative reactor.

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