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POWER OF WORDS AND SOCIAL MEDIA | Cathryn Fowler

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POWER OF WORDS AND SOCIAL MEDIA | Cathryn Fowler

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Words. So powerful. Power to paint a picture of beauty, or power to destroy that which is beautiful.

In the age of social media, where comparison + competition can run rampant, intertwined with everybody's personal history of past hurts and feelings of inadequacy and doubt, the tongue and a swipe of the finger is an all too convenient way to vent out personal frustrations, that often times have nothing to do with the "targeted" individual.

On the other end of the spectrum, seeds of inspiration and motivation can populate media as well.

It's a sliding scale that rests on the delicate balance of people's individual choices every single day. What's your choice today?

Social media can either be a tool of positive enhancement or a defensive weapon of destructive judgement. And of course, this applies in all relationships, in all aspects of life, not just social media.

But, if you first realize the tremendous value and beauty of yourself, and from that place of acceptance and joy view others through a complete picture of their tremendous value and beauty, then it's a lot easier to, in the words of Dr. Wayne Dyer:

"See the light in others and treat them as if that's all you see."

We are all imperfect seeking to connect, to truly connect, in a real way, to find our tribe and feel understood, like we belong. We are all seeking to be heard, loved, and accepted for who we really are.

So, I believe we need to not just see people for who they appear to be on the surface, but rather see the potential of what they could become, if accepted, if granted the freedom to be vulnerable and shown love.

It's all too easy to make accusatory rash judgments based on brief perceptions of somebody, perhaps caught on their "off" day. I believe everyone deserves to be seen for the potential of who they could be, of who they are deep inside, past all the struggles and personal hurts, past all the "acting out" and insecurities. This is not condoning someone's actions, but rather operating out of grace.

It's easy to think that one small negative or positive comment cannot make a difference in the big picture, but I urge you to rethink that when looking at the science of what that comment is actually doing to your neural pathways. With each thought and comment, you are programming your brain to think a certain way, either more towards the positive spectrum or further from. (Yes, you can train your brain to think a certain way!)

We are all on a journey, we are all growing, we are all trying to heal, and we all have bad days. Let's look past that and on a deeper level realize the potential of each other's souls. Everyone has such a uniquely orchestrated gift within them, and sometimes that gift needs a little encouragement to shine fully. Let's be that encouragement for each other.

We can choose to be anything we want in this world, so I encourage us all to choose to be kind, to be love, to be uplifting.

"If you see something beautiful in someone, speak it." - Ruthie Lindsey
Call to Action:
On that note, I encourage a call to action to use social media and everyday as an opportunity to speak beauty. If you see the beauty in someone on instagram, if you want, tag #speakbeautytoday and tag @cathryn_fowler_, and I can periodically share such comments through videos and my instastories. Let's celebrate and encourage each other. Because sometimes, all it takes is a simple comment of support to turn someone's day around, to make them feel not so alone. It's happened to me before, and I am so so grateful for those people. I hope that I can do that for others, every single day.

Because personally, I like the potential of what the world could be if everybody spoke true beauty over each other. What would that look like to you? What would it mean for you...for our future?

And a last little message from me to you:

"You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you." - Song of Solomon 4:7

*Special gratitude to Cameo Pierce, Maria Lopez, Jenn Csaky, Iris Suurland, Michelle Hoover, and Diane Teall Evans for allowing me to use their words in the video. I had asked if they could say one comment to someone specifically or anybody generally on social media, what would it be? What would their message be to everybody or to someone who has stood out to them personally as an encouraging, inspiring soul. And gratitude to those encouraging, inspiring souls that did stand out for their uplifting impact on that individual, Katie Smith, Katie Merritt, and Anne Marie. This is evidence of words being powerful. Thank you all!

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Words. So powerful. Power to paint a picture of beauty, or power to destroy that which is beautiful. In the age of social media, where comparison + competition can run rampant, intertwined with everybody's personal history of past hurts and feelings of inadequacy and doubt, the tongue and a swipe of the finger is an all too convenient way to vent out personal frustrations, that often times have nothing to do with the "targeted" individual.

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The Positive Power of Social Media - Visionary

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The Positive Power of Social Media - Visionary

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Published by: Belle Du Chene

If you've looked at your Facebook feed lately, it's possible you've seen an ugly side of social media.

It's sometimes hard to ignore the divide that can be created when current news stirs up debate among the masses, emotions fly and the only noticeable filters are the ones utilized on Instagram.

But every once in a while, the powers of social media are used for good and the results restore one's faith in humanity.

That's exactly what happened to me two weeks ago when it was discovered someone had entered my car, stolen my handbag and emptied its contents behind a woman's home in Sherman Hill.

Upon discovering my bag, Taelor May Beeck was scared first and foremost for my safety (the handle had been broken and she was terrified of a perceived struggle). With the desire to return the items to the original owner, she looked to the power of social media to track me down using only Facebook and my full name, which she had found on a Nordstrom credit card that had fallen into a side pocket. Here is her original post:

More than 30 of Taelor's good samaritan friends joined the hunt, commenting with advice and tagging people who may know me. Within 25 minutes, Taelor and I were connected through Facebook, the bag was returned to me and we were new #bffs for life.

You may remember Taelor. She's the viral sensation from Zombie Burger + Drink Lab who was left a rude insult in lieu of a tip amount on a check by a guest due to her alleged #notnormal (read: atypically beautiful) appearance. #pinkhairdontcare

But it didn't get her down. And the Web rallied in her defense.

The Des Moines Register quoted her saying she "was presented with a bad situation and the responses from friends and perfect strangers helped me turn it into a good one." She decided to "promote positivity and remind everyone that even though there are toxic people in the world, if we radiate light, light will come back." (Read the story here: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/.../taelor-may-bee.../82113748/.)

A week after returning my bag, KCCI Channel 8's Eric Hanson picked up the story for a news feature. The good news of Taelor's desire to promote positive energy in Greater Des Moines was spreading like wildfire. And it was through the help of social media that a negative and scary situation was turned into one of grace and kindness.

I recently received an email from Blank Children's Hospital requesting me to spread the word on their second annual online Day of Giving, which takes place tomorrow. The premise behind the event is to carry out simple acts of kindness during the month of July to celebrate A.H. Blank, a man who dedicated his life to giving back to Des Moines.

I would like to publicly thank Taelor for her kindness and her unwavering commitment to #BeLikeMrBlank. We could use more individuals like you in our community. Thank you for being a person of substance, character and love. Mr. Blank would have been proud of you!

If you would like to participate in this month-long event, there is more information here: https://www.unitypoint.org/blankchildrens/article.aspx...

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The Positive Power of Social Media - Visionary

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If you've looked at your Facebook feed lately, it's possible you've seen an ugly side of social media. It's sometimes hard to ignore the divide that can be created when current news stirs up debate among the masses, emotions fly and the only noticeable filters are the ones utilized on Instagram.

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(3) How To Change The World (a work in progress) | Kid President - YouTube

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(3) How To Change The World (a work in progress) | Kid President - YouTube

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How To Change The World (a work in progress) | Kid President

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(3) People react to being called beautiful (Wellington High School) - YouTube

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(3) People react to being called beautiful (Wellington High School) - YouTube

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People react to being called beautiful (Wellington High School)

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(3) Online vs. Offline Self: Who is the Real You? | New Age Creators - YouTube

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(3) Online vs. Offline Self: Who is the Real You? | New Age Creators - YouTube

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Online vs. Offline Self: Who is the Real You? | New Age Creators

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(3) What's in Your Digital Footprint? - YouTube

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(3) What's in Your Digital Footprint? - YouTube

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(3) Can We Auto-Correct Humanity? - YouTube

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(3) Can We Auto-Correct Humanity? - YouTube

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(3) Oversharing: Think Before You Post - YouTube

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(3) Oversharing: Think Before You Post - YouTube

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Common Sense Education provides educators and students with the resources they need to harness the power of technology for learning and life. Find a free K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum, reviews of popular EdTech apps, and resources for protecting student privacy.