The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
In recent years, social media has been the cause of much negativity and declining mental health. In fact, consistent usage of social media has been shown to increase and worsen anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. These concerning trends have put social media in a negative light.
Furthermore, many platforms have developed an overall pessimistic tone, which can easily zap all hope and energy from its users. All the negativity and vitriol that spreads quickly throughout social media can ache even the happiest of minds.
However, there is a way to use social media while maintaining healthy optimism and a positive mindset. By creating healthy boundaries and developing a more optimistic perspective, you can create a relationship with social media that is more positive. Read on to learn how.
What Is Healthy Optimism?
Before examining how you can use social media in a more positive manner, it is essential to clarify the definition of healthy optimism. Optimism is the perspective that life is generally good. Optimists see the advantages of every situation and don’t let challenges drag them down. They see the good in people and believe that positive changes are possible.
However, this article is not advocating for blind optimism. Social media has been an incredible tool in shaping positive societal change. However, this often means exploring and discussing depressing or negative topics on these platforms. This article is not encouraging you to avoid those discussions or blindly believe that certain situations will improve without effort or significant change. It is simply a guide to being more optimistic and navigating social media that is unnecessarily negative.
Tips For Maintaining Optimism While Using Social Media
Maintaining optimism while using social media requires you to create boundaries with social media and to develop a more optimistic mindset in general. The below sections will give you tips on how to do this.
Create Boundaries With Social Media
In order to be more optimistic online, you will need to create boundaries with your social media usage. This means using it as a positive force rather than to spread more negativity. You will also need to filter out the negative content on these platforms and limit your usage altogether. Some tips on how to do all of this include:
- Limit your social media usage to certain times of the day.
- Block specific platforms that are highly negative or harmful to your mental health.
- Avoid or block anyone who harasses or threatens you.
- Post positive messages, photos, and videos.
- Only connect with friends, family, and people who inspire you.
- Take a break from all of your screens.
Develop A More Optimistic Mindset
If you have a predisposition to being pessimistic, it will be hard to remain optimistic while using social media. There is much temptation to be negative, so you need to strengthen your optimism muscles.
Here are a few ways you can learn to be more optimistic in general:
- Don’t compare yourself to others.
- View yourself and others in a more positive light.
- Look for the good in every situation.
- Focus on potential positive outcomes during challenges and obstacles.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle through a good diet, exercise, sleep, and hygiene.
- Spend time with people who are happy, energetic, and positive.
- Avoid negative news, television, and other media sources.
- Keep a journal to become more mindful of your thoughts.
- Use positive affirmations.
For more tips on becoming more optimistic, head on over to BetterHelp.
Bottom Line
Though social media can be very negative, it doesn’t mean that you have to be. With some mindfulness, boundaries, and an overall positive mindset, you can use social media in a positive way and remain optimistic and happy.
