The Spiritual Spin on Twitter and other forms of social media ...

When I was first becoming aware of Spirituality, I really connected to the works published by Neale Donald Walsch. I distinctly remember avoiding his books at first - though I didn't realize I was doing that at the time. You see, he had the word God in the title ... and I was not comfortable with that concept or its interpretations in my mind.

As luck would have it though - Conversations with God: Book One would show up in my path a lot. I'd see it in book stores, of course. But then - I'd see or hear about it in unexpected places. Like, there'd be a copy of it lying in the Linens Department at WalMart, or there'd be a book review about it in a magazine I was flipping through - or I'd overhear people discussing it while standing in line at the grocery store. I now know that this is how synchronicity works ~ but I did not know that at the time. As far as I was aware - Synchronicity was the name of the The Police's final album together as a group.

Long story short, I finally borrowed a copy of it from my local library - and then got quite sick, and read the book cover to cover in less than one weekend. I was THAT connected to its message. Honestly, it spoke to me - and it made perfect sense. Not at ALL what I'd expected from a book with the word God on its cover.

This post isn't about how I got from there to here however. I merely desired to preface a concept that I read in one of the Conversation with God books (I believe it was Book 2) where we are told that we are the gift.

It struck me at the time. I wrote it in my Quotes Journal so that I could return to it again and again - and I've shared its premise with people over the years when a perspective shift was needed for a difficult relationship to gain forward momentum again.

In short - relationships serve us best when we enter into them with the knowing that we are the gift, and that we are in relationship with people for what we can offer them -- not what we can take from them. And in an enlightened pairing - they reciprocate in kind.

I don't mean we need to subjugate ourselves in an unhealthy 'people pleasing' way ~ but more in an enlightened 'we have been brought together at this time for a reason, so - what do I know or what can I share to enrich your journey?' kind of way.

This came to mind now as I've spent the last few weeks learning all I can about Social Media and the benefits and purpose of platforms like Facebook and Twitter. There are a myriad of blog posts published on what you should and should not do to successfully create relationships and build business and followers via social media. It can be really confusing - it's no wonder more people don't throw in the towel and even less of a wonder that there are so many different approaches that your head could spin right off your body trying to capture it all.

It took me months to get my head around Twitter. I knew it was cutting edge in many ways, but in my limited reality, I was really struggling to see the point. Without going into great detail - let me just say that if you do not have a clear idea of why you're there or how you'll use it ... it's not yet the place for you. On the surface, in less technological paradigms - it makes little sense. Having said that, it is a very powerful networking and relationship building tool - and if used effectively, it can lift you to heights and connect you with experts and like-minded individuals more efficiently than anything I've experienced to date.

This brings me back to my initial reason for writing. At the end of the day, I always find it helpful to remember that I am the gift. Regardless of the interaction taking place or the reasons for the interaction in the first place - if I'm engaged with another ... I am the gift. I am there to offer whatever I have gained over time to the individual(s) I'm interacting with ... and in-so-doing, I reap the rewards of helping another, which - in turn - lifts me.

There are more people on Twitter (and Facebook if you consider those with Fan pages vs your friends) than you can count who use the platform to promote themselves. And that's basically all they use it for - self promotion. And if and when they do reply to someone else, it's to tell that person how good they are ('they' being the self promoter). Life is littered with people who only see themselves, their own needs, their own accomplishments, etc. Why should Twitter or Facebook be different?

There are also people, though, who genuinely make an effort to establish a relationship of sorts with you. They'll respond to your posts and keep you as the focus - with encouragement, or praise, or support, or whatever. These people are onto something.

You see, when you reach out to another - and you're doing it with a genuine interest in them, their success, their life ... you are giving a gift beyond measure. And in time, that self-less exchange may manifest into something wonderful for both of you - because you've created a space for the both of you to exist. The more people you invite into your light - the brighter you all become.

I guess I just wanted to say, don't get lost in the drama. Ever. It's never just about you. You come alive and relevant when you perform something meaningful and significant for another, from the heart, because you care about them and their success. And you do so because you trust in the knowing that what you desire most comes to you when you gift it to another.

I saw a post on Twitter today that ranked the Top 10 things not to do on Twitter. I made the list - I'm #9. Apparently no one cares about self-improvement and personal growth. I refuse to believe that though - and I'm grateful for having read it ... because it clarified my feelings about things instantly.

I am the gift. YOU are the gift. And if you enter relationships and exchanges believing that at your core ... your time on Twitter and Facebook will never be wasted.

I have met the most incredible people on Twitter and at a social networking community known as www.pnn.com

To all the fabulous people who have enriched my life in so many ways -- Thank YOU.