Today, I'd like to talk about using Twitter as a healing tool. I've seen this in many forms, and my goal isn't to deeply discuss any one form of healing through Twitter, but to give you a feast of options to consider. If you have others, feel free to leave them in the commentss.
Connection
If you're chronicly ill, you might find that you don't feel well enough to go to parties, maybe even the thought of coffee with a friend is difficult for you. I discovered, however, that isolation breeds a lot of negative thoughts at best and it can contribute to depression and other challenges. Twitter allows me to connect to others in short bursts. I have 140 characters or less, but it's amazing how it is possible to connect in that short of a comment.
Please note that I still don't advocate replacing real voice to voice or face to face interactions with Twitter. It can really only do so much and deep relationships get formed after real interaction, but Twitter can get the ball rolling.
Counting Blessings
Twitter is a great place to count your blessings. When you have a success story, sometimes you just want to share it. The great part is that by sharing it, it can sometimes encourage others. Spreading the joy is extremely important.
Setting Goals
Sometimes it's good to have a goal that others know about. It can create great accountability, but it's also good for keeping goals manageable. Instead of writing some long drawn out goal, I find a short one is easiest to accomplish. And when I achieve it, I have people who are thrilled for me.
Support and Cheer Leading
This goes with the relationship building benefits, but it deserves its own mention. It's possible to find friends on Twitter who share your challenges. This kind of connection reminds us that we're not alone, even in the middle of the night.
A Personal Challenge
Twitter can provide a personal challenge to do something, find something or learn something. My personal challenge is to post a link to something funny (usually from YouTube) each day. That makes me laugh and I feel like I'm spreading the joy.
Tracking Progress
Tracking progress is another great use of Twitter. Even so, it's important to use it in a way which is safe for you and that's different for everyone.
A Few Tips for Getting the Most out of Twitter
First, it's vital that using Twitter is actually helpful, not harmful. Make sure to set boundaries to keep yourself safe. Also figure out how you want to use Twitter to help you, but don't make it too rigid. If you decide to change how you're using the service later, that's okay.
I hope this gives you some ideas on how you might be able to use Twitter to improve your life!
