The Age of Self-Promotion – Connecting through Collaboration
Building genuine connections of collaboration not only helps us but encourage others. It is being mindful we all have gifts to share and all are worthy.
Connecting through Collaboration
by Jennifer Ott
We live in an age of self-promotion. While everyone is trying to be seen and increase followers, caught in the algorithm game, we run the risk of losing connection to others. Building genuine connections of collaboration and support not only helps us but encourage others. It is being mindful we all have gifts to share and all are worthy.
Social media can make anyone and everyone a star. We see it all the time. Someone hits with a YouTube video and becomes famous, or at least has their fifteen minutes of fame. Social media has become more than a means of social connection but self-promotion.
It’s hard to fault people, all of whom just want to share their gifts and their passions with the world. What could be the downside of people sharing with the world? Why is this a bad thing?
The Algorithm Game
Imagine a world where genuine human connection is replaced with computerized sorting. Wow. It sounds like something dreamed up in 1950’s science fiction movie, but then here we are. We live in a world where the people who win this computerized sorting are seen and heard. This speaks nothing of the heart, the mind, and the spirit, but of pragmatic computer logistics. What could this do to the evolution of humanity?
In the realm of social media, this is seen as following people to gain followers and then unfollow people once we have them hooked. Using an algorithm is a good means of selling and gaining visibility for a product or a service, and yet it is an extremely poor way to connect with others, especially in the spiritual community, where human connection is key.
When we play this game, it is a subtle shout out to the universe; we are better than others, in which we disregard others simply for our own personal and profitable gain. While that may not be our intention or even our thoughts, this is the energy we are putting out there. Yes, our goal is to connect with potential contacts and customers, our humanity is lost in such tactics.
Connect with Others
Social media’s main intent is to connect with others, not sell to them. If we become so committed to selling ourselves, we run the risk of disconnecting with others and ultimately limit our own growth in the process.
What this world needs now more than anything is unity and especially unity through human connections. A competition that was once a factor in the 20th Century has now been displaced with cooperation and collaboration. It is great to show off our products and passions, but in a way to encourage others to do likewise and that is in the way of support.
Support Others
Everyone living today has a gift to share, and everyone has a passion. Everyone. There are no exceptions. True human connection is supporting all with a passion. It doesn’t cost us anything to support others. It doesn’t take away from our own ambitions and goals.
To achieve a more unified culture, we may create a network of care for ourselves and it starts by supporting others – encouraging those just starting out, giving praise to those who have gained success and most of all supporting those rising with us, realizing they are not a threat but people to share the experience.
We are all Worthy
Encouraging others, following others, supporting others doesn’t take away from our own skills and success. It isn’t a detriment to our own rise. In fact, it suggests the opposite. Those who easily share, and support others know their value, while those most insecure live in a world of “me.” It is as we have something to prove to the world.
Collaborate, Connect, Create
There is no shortage of talent on social media. We all come across it daily. How great and how unifying would it be that instead of finding people to sell to, we find people to create with. We share our talents and passions with others through collaboration.
This does not only help to promote passions in a unifying way, but we expand beyond our own horizons and even our limitation while learning, working, and collaborating with others.
Unifying through our own Passions.
Those of ancient tribes succeeded through the hard work of others. The ironsmith traded with the weaver of cloths, who traded with the cheesemaker and the farmers. With all the talents in the world, it doesn’t have to feel we are one against it when exchange can be our most valued gifts. This is the lesson we can learn from our ancient ancestors – Relish in each other’s talents.
Imagine a world of artists and tradesmen, artists collaborating with writers, musicians with poets, and the sharing of spiritual wisdom. Imagine how we can empower not just the success of the individual, but the success of the world if we can soften the self-promotion and engage in community promotion.
In today’s world, the human connection seems to be missing. We regard support as also caring.
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About the Author
Jennifer Ott is the author of several fiction and nonfiction titles. Her latest WIP, Arise My Tribe, tells the story of a past life Celtic Healer weaver her tale through the life of a modern-day woman in an existential crisis. Throughout the past twenty years, Jennifer studied various types of meditations and shamanism, from nada yoga, mindfulness meditation, and pagan religious ceremonies. http://www.jenniferott.com
