Be Your Own Best Friend

Yoga, generally speaking, is a great way to de-stress and detox, and remember self compassion. When you're forced to consider your breathing instead of how quickly you can check items off a list, you have an opportunity to relax, maybe bring a sense of purpose to your day. It's a very happiness through doing sort of philosophy.

But the other day, the yoga did little good. I was angry, frustrated and tired. I left the studio in the middle of class. I tried savasana in the hallway. When that didn't work, I tried to sleep a little. I was angrily calling myself names. I was running through every imperfection, every failing.

After class, I got to talking with my yoga instructor at Prana Power Yoga. I told her that I was beating myself and she asked me a question that really put the whole thing into perspective--would you speak to your best friend like that?

When you're in your head, arguing over the details, the what went wrongs, the shortcomings, it's really easy to be mean, to treat yourself with something less than compassion, treat yourself in a way you wouldn't dare treat another person. Why is it so hard to be kind to the person you spend the most time with?

Be your own best friend.

Social Media is Anti-Social

At the last social media breakfast (#smb6), brought to us by Bryan Person and Jeff Pulver (thanks guys), Jeff actually said out loud that social media is anti-social. @beeahna put it another way at the recent PRSSA regional event when she said "social media is neither social or media, discuss."

It sounds absurd at first. Social media is anti-social! But why is it called social media then?

But the truth is, if you're tweeting at the dinner table, you're not conversing with the people in front of you. It's a very removed way to be social and friendly. Social media allow us to be in touch with people around the world, but what does it mean if we can't translate that openness and transparency to the time we spend with people offline?

What's the point of having a million Facebook friends if you're still hunched over a computer on a Friday night alone?


Be honest. When you're sitting at a meeting full of laptops, do you wonder what's up on the other guys screen? Solitarie? Is he listening to you? LA Times reported that some Silicon Valley companies are going "topless" partially for this reason. Clicking away on a laptop, cell phone or any other device doesn't inspire that team feeling, in fact, it partially removes you from your surroundings.


What's my solution? We can't forget in all the social media love fests that there are still humans to interact with in person. Go to dinner with a bunch of folks from Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Pulse, etc. and put a face with the online personality you're used to.