The digital words individuals are choosing to share on social media platforms are holding an increasing amount of power and influence in our fully connected world. Traditional news sources are being replaced by a flood of digital information and it is bringing out some of humanity's worst qualities. The following are a few guidelines to keep in mind to help reshape the content of our digital world and to remind us of the power and impact that our digital words hold.

Respect the Differences of Others

Our world has never been as connected as it is now, and the veil of anonymity is making it too easy to share and perpetuate harmful information. You may not always agree with everything that you see and read, but everyone has a personal journey that we can learn from and respect.

Use Inclusive Language

Inclusive language respects and promotes all individuals as valuable members of society. It is the intentional act of selecting language that avoids exclusion, bias, prejudice, stereotyping. It might be worth a quick search to view some examples of what inclusive language could look like.

Challenge Ideas in Constructive Ways

Approach is everything. There are always ways to challenge information in calm, constructive, and productive ways. Successful constructive challenge involves taking the time to explore truths and test the understanding of all individuals involved by asking thought provoking questions with well thought out information.

Contribute to the Well-being of Others

Digital words have the power to contribute to the well-being of others by offering compassion, kindness, and understanding. Why not make a positive impact on the lives of others by choosing to share powerful digital words that help provide encouragement, support, or resources that can help individuals navigate our complex world and enhance individual fulfillment and happiness.

Inspire New Ideas and Innovative Thinking

Imagine the power and impact of our digital words if there were more solutions being offered and less criticism? The more we get creative with our digital words and ideas, the more we can offer new approaches to problems and challenges in our world. We can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results.