If you're an avid Twitter user like me, you tend to find yourself invoked in scrolling through the constant feed and refreshing it every minute. You can't help it. You just have to know what everyone is doing and saying and what celebrities are posting selfies. It's an endless whirlpool of likes and conversations that don't typically help your mind grow; however, certain platforms and people can leave a mark on you that changes your life for the better.

I've seen the way people have used Twitter as their safe-haven; a place where they feel secure to be who they are, especially when their home-life or personal life isn't so good. They have formed friendships and sustainable relationships that hold them together in so many different ways it's astonishing. Distance isn't an obligation when they are able to feel comfortable while talking over the phone.

The amount of stories, articles, blogs, and posts that are shared every single day - stories of personal issues, politics, self-helpers, etc - are so valuable to so many people, and they actually are able to transform and save people's lives. Social media is able to allow the followers and users to gain new perspectives on issues they don't always see or experience for themselves, and that lets them be more empathic and understanding towards everyone around them.

One of the negative sides of social media is how much we all want those likes on every post. We think that having a lot of followers read what we have to say validates our opinions, but in reality no one cares. At least most of the time. However, I personally try not to care about if I hit 100 likes or not, but I'll find myself refreshing my account to see who else clicked a button. That is me always looking for the applause I should be giving to myself.

I appreciate those who use social media to advocate for organizations or to talk about how they found hope in the simple things. I appreciate those who are constantly lifting others up and challenging others to listen and open their minds. I think we should focus more on deciding whether or not we would actually speak the words we write out loud, or if we are simply hiding behind the screens becoming a different reflection of our true selves.

I think social media is a necessity as a mean for promotion and action, but sometimes we take it a little too far. Promote kindness instead of trying to drag another person down. Use your voice but make sure it's in a positive way.

"Don't use social media to impress people; use it to impact people." -Dave Willis