Social Media: Are you ever a bit obsessed with new shiny objects like me?

I'm about to take a break from exercising my healthy and respectful fascination with Social Networking, media darling that it is. For a day at least! In fact, I realized just how much attention and focus I was giving to soaking up all things social media, reading more and more articles and unearthing new blogs to scan, comment upon and digging deep into new divine web finds (as I call them) bookmarked for later examination. Occasionally I make myself stop and unplug for a day--and it's challenging; voracious reader that I am. All the time spent, soaking up unending content, has been affecting, quite frankly, my productivity. Can you relate? Are you ever a bit obsessed with new shiny objects like me? And in some ways history repeats itself. I overindulged when I first discovered MySpace. I originally established a profile so that I could befriend my musician friends and cheer them on virtually--for all the times I didn't get to attend their shows. Me, the musically inclined, music loving amateur and strong first soprano--who could no longer really play my guitar well: I was simply happy to be linked to my favorite indie musicians and a few worldwide favorites via this new space called MySpace. Never did it occur to me I'd conduct business through this kind of network back then! MySpace was not my first time with social networking and "friending" people I didn't really know well. Ryze.com was on my radar in 2002 when it was a fledgling site. A site before it's time perhaps? It's among the array of social networks used, but being that it was a BUSINESS site first, it was never as sexy as Twitter or warm and fuzzy as Facebook and still only boasts a half million members according to Wikipedia. (BTW, the Wikipedia entry on Social Networking and Web 2.0 is fascinating to me.) But, hey, I got a lot of birthday wishes that year I worked at staying tuned into my friends and their friends and so on. In truth, early Social Networking experiences for me were fruitless ways of passing time in front of a computer. Me, someone who hasn't owned a TV for a long while. Things are distinctly different now while they also are still the same. How can that be you ask? Well, I DO overindulge in Facebook time and reading blogs some days. I am not drawn to Twitter and tweeting but I get that micro-blogging is useful for quickly sharing info and resources (and spreading good vibes). I clearly appreciate reading more, not less. I don't mind long blog posts on content of interest to me. I allow time for it. AND, I am beginning to remember to update my LinkedIn profile--but it's mostly static. AND right under my nose and in my own backyard is our very own Biznik. It too deserves my attention especially since it is the best marriage of online and in-person social networking. My "plan" is to stay active on a few networks with hopes of adding more as it makes sense and monitoring them all well. Am I crazy?Who has time for that every day, says the voice of reason on my right shoulder? When will you be making the calls that must be made? Who now has time to actually talk? I do, I say to myself. I make time! The battery of questions goes on as I try and quiet my mind. It can be a problem when the "to do and be completed today" list is left unattended because I found another great red hot post on some freshly discovered blog. AND I realize that playing in the big and very wide open field that social media is, is a fine way to build personal brand awareness, stay connected to friends and foster great alliances. And I can say that I have met some great new people thanks to Web 2.0 tools both locally and from around the world. So I have authored my own simple recipe for what I call success to keep me motivated! OR at the very least occasionally up late at night! For me being virtually social is about Curiosity, Content, Consistency and Courage. CURIOSITY: It's my curiosity that keeps me up way past hours but it's also what has gained me inspiring knowledge and friendships from home and abroad. And people seem to open up wide and share when we are truly and deeply curious. For me it's the starting point of the best of networking be it in person or in virtual environments. Are you genuinely a curious person who likes to listen?  COURAGE: Be like Nike and Just Do It. Try being vulnerable and share an opinion. Let your thoughts be expressed as they want to be. Inspire a dialogue as best you can. Sure, proofread and edit but post it, post it, post it as soon as you can release it from that grip of perfection. CONTENT: What lights you up or what gets you mad? Something does and you are the one who knows it. Will you though be willing to share it? I find my heart to be a true barometer for identifying topics. You are probably thinking of one right now. Yes. Write about that! Or ask your best friend what they want to see you write about...bet they tell you. Then go write it! CONSISTENCY: You know those people who go to the gym often, or yoga, or run miles and miles in training for a marathon and get fit and have great legs and stamina to do it again, even on an off day? Yes, be like them. Be a devoted follower of your own blog, and be the one who writes and shares and takes risks so people can find you and get involved in a dialogue. I remain committed to both trusting and enjoying the process, above all else. For in being curious and authentic, I am making friends and associates locally and worldwide, even when sometimes it feels like I don't really know what I am doing! And the journey that I call my ongoing fascination with and practical education in authentic marketing continues. What awaits me tomorrow?   2009-10-29T21:10:11Z