Your Post Is Your Path

By Vance Larson

I was being interviewed on a radio show in Boston last year and the question came up dating and social media. Then just a few minutes ago I was preparing for my nightly meditation and I thought I would check Facebook real quick. I saw a post from a friend of mine thanking everyone for supporting her projects and her life. That got me wondering about the bigger picture. How social media is such a powerful tool that so many take for granted.

While being interviewed I spoke of the power of reach. That with technology comes great responsibility. When we post, we are connecting to the world. Our rants, worries, joys and frustrations are a beacon for a response. It really should come as no surprise that when you post a seductive picture for example, that you will get attention. Some may be positive reinforcement, while others may be downright cruel. That when you post a request for prayers, that you instantly get that support. Or, when you post about a bad day, you often find uplifting words and a feeling that you're not alone. What we post becomes our path.

I have told this story before about a young man who applied for a job and I did his interview. He presented very well. Then he left and I did a quick social media search. I found post after post of him bashing his current employer. I had to wonder what would happen if I hired him and he didn't workout? What would he be saying about my company. I called him in the next day and did not offer him the job. I was honest and told him why, and he said he understood. What I found interesting is from that point on, I would check in on him from time to time and he never posted negative about his employer again. It was a teaching moment and lesson learned.

If you were to ask your social media friends to describe you based off of your post, what would they say? Have you ever had consequences from your post like the gentleman I could not hire? If you were to go back and look at my last 50 post, what would you think you knew about me? Because that is our reality. Yes, we are more than our post. But our post give great insight to who we really are. They also act as an affirmation. If you post over and over again about all that is wrong in your life, you have only magnified your problems. On the other hand when you post about your struggle and how you're not giving up. You are empowering and paving your path.

Social media. Blessing or curse? Or is it a little bit of both? What we type is equally important as the words we speak, and that thoughts we have. Your post become your path. And there will be times when our path becomes dark and uncomfortable. So if you don't like your path, or who is on it. Change your post.