So you’re just bopping along, posting on social media , growing your following, selling and enjoying life. Making people laugh, informing and educating and building your brand. And then it happens. The negative comment. You know the one. It comes from someone who does not typically engage with your content and it cuts. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, maybe the delivery just stings. However you slice it, these moments can make you feel like absolute garbage. In the words of Kelsey Breisinger “you have to have thick skin to do this job”. However…some days you just don’t. Now what? Time to set some social media boundaries.

Take a look at your why

Some questions to ask yourself before you have a complete mental breakdown.

1. What was the negative comment? Was it mean spirited, well intentioned, informative? If the comment made you stop and think about the work that you are putting out there, then feel free to take a breath and let it inspire you to make changes.
2. Why did this experience bother you so much? Are you looking for external validation on the internet? Why? (I am an enneagram 3…so hi, it me).

 

Take a Break – Set Social Media Boundaries

Did you take your WHY and realize that you are letting something that is truly not that big of a deal effect your mental health? Time to step back and set social media boundaries. Whether it is a few hours, days or even weeks, remember that you will not lose legitimately engaged followers if you just step back and take a breather.

 

 

Take a Breath – YOU ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE

You are not dessert, you are not for everyone. You are a living, breathing human being, and as long as you approach your social with good intentions, rest easy knowing that most of the time our interactions on social media are rooted in someone else’s experiences or feelings. When we set emotional social media boundaries, these comments hurt but they won’t send us into a tailspin. It absolutely sucks when you deal with hate mail, trolls, or just generally snarky people, especially when you are fighting your own battles on the other side of that little screen.

At the end of the day we are all fighting our own battles, and when we approach mean comments with empathy, we release ourselves from the need to seek external validation and the pressure to be be perfect.

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