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Social media is often stamped with lots of negative effects such as being addictive in nature, triggering mental health issues, and creating a cycle of comparison that leads to diminished self-worth.


But one positive that is often overlooked is how social media can be used as a tool to progress personal and professional goals.

Over time, I've discovered several positive ways to use social media as a part of a bigger picture that helps me manifest my dreams. These ways are discussed below.

Vision Boards

Pinterest is a great platform for creating a virtual vision board that goes everywhere you go. Think through all the things you'd like to manifest and look for visually appealing things that match that manifestation. You can leave the board public as inspiration for others, or adjust your privacy setting so that only you can see it. Either way, it'll be available at the touch of your fingertips whenever you need a reminder to stay focused or a meditation tool.

Networking

My favorite IG feature is the saved tab, but the game-changer is the ability to put these saved photos into collections. The most useful of my current collections is bookmarked as "Women to watch". Every picture in this collection is made up of like-minded women aspiring to similar goals and aspirations as myself, or who have already reached a certain goal I am hoping to achieve. Throughout my week, I check-in on new and exciting things these ladies are achieving through posts and stories on IG.

Maintaining genuine interaction allows me to make connections with people I can learn from while also following their journey. Over time, I've had the opportunity to collaborate and work with incredible girl bosses just by being myself and getting to know them virtually.

Important tip: Treat your social media encounters with the same level of respect that you would treat a new interaction on the street. You generally wouldn't ask prying questions or expect someone to give a major benefit until you know them better. Networking isn't about using people or asking for one-sided value without making deposits. Build genuine relationships and the rest will follow.

Fitness

If you're anything like me, your workout is all over the place unless you properly plan in advance. My solution is to take note of various workouts I see and implement them. Both IG and Pinterest are great for saving workout routines you can test out at the gym. I love that you can use boards from Pinterest and collections in IG to keep the workouts organized. Now, you can get right to the work without being overwhelmed by machines or clueless about what you should do.

Spiritual Guidance & Encouragement

Nothing beats watching positivity that uplifts you – especially after scrolling through draining news reports and other drama that can often bog down your mental space. I enjoy starting my day by filling up on things that jumpstart my spiritual mindset. A particular favorite is Kellie Lane's Live Facebook talks with Warrior Nation each morning. I'm also a major fan of Sarah Jakes Roberts. She always brings an amazing word. And I'd be remiss in my duties if I failed to mention those awesome goalcast videos that make me feel like I can take on the world.

Think about the people who put you in a good spiritual place and encourage you to put your best foot forward. Try starting your day by checking in to see what they've got to say before you start sifting through the parts of your social media that leave you feeling down about life. Also, consider saving encouraging quotes and scriptures to a special board in Pinterest. Go read them when you need a pick-me-up. You'll find that it makes all the difference.

Monetize

They say, "If it don't make money, it don't make sense," so why not make your ongoing use of social media make sense by maximizing it as an opportunity to monetize your brand? Focus your efforts on virtually promoting your business and its services to the proper target audience. There are plenty of platforms that make it easy to put yourself out there. Why not go for it?

Featured image by Getty Images

 

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