Social media is such a wonderful thing and the creation of it has started many jobs and allowed others to excel in ways they could not have without it. It is a great tool for public relations, advertisement or just keeping in touch with people around the world, but with all this access and real time gratification that comes with social media there comes some problems too. The use of social media has put relationships at risk because of misuse and overuse. Below are three tips to help you get the most out of social media while still maintaining healthy relationships.

1. Keep your personal qualms about someone off the Internet.

I can not express how important this point is! We all love drama and seeing it unfold on social media is both gratifying and amusing but it is not the right way to tell someone you have an issue with them. The Internet is forever, whether you delete it or not, meaning that rude thing you said about your friend or that nasty thing you said about your boyfriend while you where on break is still there. It does not go away. You can not take something back once it is sent, anyone and everyone will see it, including those it is about and even future employers or law enforcement. In the heat of the moment you can turn into your worst self, it is human nature, it is just better for you if it stays off of social media. It is better for your personal image, relationships, and better for your mind too. The best way to deal with a problem you have with someone is not to tag them in a nasty Facebook post or give them a rude Tweet, but to just deal with the problem face to face or over the phone if you have too.

Your social media presence is something of importance now more than it ever was, keeping drama and inappropriate comments off any social media sites can help you majorly in the long run with job opportunities and even save a few relationships along the way. Social media is such an amazing tool it would be such a shame to waste it on pointless drama and hate, so do your part and handle all your problems away from the prying eyes of the world.

2. Have appropriate pictures worthy of the amazing person you are.

Something I see so much with both men and women is the amount of completely inappropriate pictures they have littered all over their social media sites. It amazes me the amount of half naked humans I see on a regular basis, or the amount of illegal drugs and underage drinking images. You may not think it matters and that it is your page you can post whatever you want and whatever other excuse you can come up with to share these things with the whole world but bottom line is this stuff does matter. Things you post can affect your future relationships big time. Your significant others, parents, friends, family, and even employers do not want to see you half naked in all your glory. They want to see your smiling beautiful face instead. Leave those picture for yourself and private eyes only because again the world is watching on social media and everything is forever once you click that send button.

Picture containing illegal drugs and alcohol is another huge this that I see all over social media and quite frankly it is alarming the amount of people that don't know that one picture of you getting "high" with your buddies, or that one picture of you holding a beer clearly inebriated can have lasting consequences. Often employers will look at all social media sites you have, whether they are private or not, and will often judge you based on the content and how you present yourself on social media. If you have pictures such as these that employer will move on causing you to lose and opportunity of a lifetime. Also aw enforcement can look into social media to see what kind of illegal activities are going on in their community, while they can not arrest you based on a picture that picture may cause them to keep a closer eye on you and all those who associate with you. If cops are always watching the people you hang out with because you have the idea to post what you are doing on social media, chances are you won't have many friends left, not to mention if your family members find out. By leaving these inappropriate pictures off social media you are actually making your life easier and helping to maintain and create relationships you may need in the future.

3. Put the phone down once in a while.

I sound like someone's grandmother when I say you need to put that phone down and enjoy your surroundings but once in awhile you have to. Social media has given us one of the greatest gifts and curses of all, immediate gratification. Everything in our world is instant. With all the quick updates and real time chatting it is hard to remember that we are humans and there is more to life than what is happening on Facebook and Twitter. I promise a little time without your phone everyday will not be that bad. It will do wonders for you mentally, your health may improve a bit, and you will find your relationships with friends, family, and your significant other will flourish more than ever before. So put that phone down and go spend some time with your parents, or better yet your grandparents because life is to short to live online. Go enjoy some time with your friends and leave the phone at home. Life is worth so much more that likes and retweets, you are so much more than likes and retweets. Always remember that because without social media you only have yourself and the relationships you have built, make sure the relationships you build throughout your life are good ones benifit you and help you grow as a human.