In 2002 I downloaded the Wisdom application. The Wisdom application to me is like none other. There isn't any long post you have to write or pictures that you have to upload, filters, or anything of that kind; it is a social audio platform. It allows you to answer, ask questions, and even go live and have conversations. And while I had been going live on the application here and there, I determined that I would go live every day in February on the Wisdom app.
Starting January 27th, I started going live every day, and I've been going live since on the Wisdom app. On Wisdom, I have been able to share strategies, mindset, and personal growth information, and those conversations have become part of the Strategy Rewind podcast.
There have been moments when individuals reached out to me via private message on the app to say how much they've impacted by the message or how it spoke to their situation. There have even been moments when individuals joined the conversation while I was live on the platform. But when I embarked on this journey, it was to expand my network and create further awareness of this idea and hypothesis that we can use strategy and do - every day.
Being able to communicate that consistently has been beneficial not only for me but to those connected. And it shows that if you submerge yourself in something you love, it'll actually allow others to grow as well.
As I am inching closer to the end of February, I know that this particular goal of going live daily on the Wisdom app is ending. However, the community built on the application shows that social media isn't the issue; it's how we manage the social platforms we are on.
Several years ago, I disconnected from social media entirely. And after months and months of being disconnected, I decided to come back to social media. My relationship with social media has changed over time, and this year, I considered disconnecting from social media again. But instead of doing that, I did something different than I had not done before.
Going into my phone's settings, I set a timer for Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. I only allow myself 2 hours maximum a day on those applications. What happens when I reach that time? My phone automatically kicks me out of the application.
This is much more beneficial as opposed to disconnecting entirely. For me, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube were the big three that caused a distraction. But they are also tools that I use to communicate with many individuals. Therefore, getting rid of them would only sometimes be beneficial; after all, it's become this generation's plaza and place for major communication. It's where everybody gathers regardless of age, gender, creed, etc.
So I put a timer on these social media applications. About 10 minutes before I reach the mark, my phone notifies me. About 2 minutes before, my phone goes entirely gray on that application. And when I have reached the mark, it shuts me out of the application for the remainder of the day.
The Wisdom application is the only platform I allow myself space to engage with. And what makes the Wisdom application so different is that there isn't this endless scrolling. Their system understands what conversations or topics you are into based on several questionnaires they've presented. And when you select those topics, the system generates discussions that may be taking place live on the platform or questions related to those particular topics. Therefore, it is not as distracting as the others. Nevertheless, a timer for that application is also coming.
Our relationship with social media will differ, but it's a matter of taking control of those platforms and not the other way around. Having gone live for nearly 28 days on the Wisdom application, I've seen the powerful possibilities that exist when you're willing to communicate and create a community despite the distance, and that's what social media provides.