A few weeks ago, our #TwitterSmarter team member, Sabrina reminded the rest of us that November is National Gratitude Month. She suggested that we all take some time to reflect and show gratitude of everything in our lives. That’s when we realized that we needed to chat with our community about gratitude. And that’s exactly what we did. Here’s a summary of our community #TwitterSmarter chat.
Topic: Being grateful
Guest: You!
Format: Eight questions. Everyone’s welcome to share.
Really, we knew the answer to that even before we started the chat. Sure enough, almost everyone on our #TwitterSmarter chat was grateful to have social media in their lives. As Pavel pointed out, it’s made communicating with others so much easier.
A1: I am grateful for social media because it has made communication much easier than before. #TwitterSmarter
— Pavel Stepanov (@pavelStepanov77) November 3, 2022
Alyx also mentioned that without social media, most of us wouldn’t have met. Of course, one of the best things about being active on social media is the people you get to engage with and the stuff you learn. It’s such a great way to expand your knowledge and hear from a broad range of perspectives.
A1 I am! Because of social media, I've connected with so many amazingly talented and knowledgeable people I otherwise probably never would have met due to how far apart we are geographically
-Alyx#TwitterSmarter https://t.co/eZwQVZmB16— Charlie & Alyx – Charlie Appel Agency (@ColfaxInsurance) November 3, 2022
Chris put it beautifully: When you come from a place of gratitude, everything around you becomes an opportunity and a gift. That way, you naturally look beyond what you can get from it and consider what everyone around you can get from it. When you’re thankful for what you have, you’ll be far more open to sharing it with others and encouraging them to do the same. That’s how communities are built.
A2 With an attitude of gratitude you tend to look at your place in the world and opportunities as a gift. This allows you to focus your efforts on those around you and not just yourself. You can give more to your community if you are grateful for what you have #TwitterSmarter
— Chris Del Grande (@ValuedMerchants) November 3, 2022
Ron made a similar point—gratitude lifts your mood. You become pleasant to be around with, people will see your community as a safe space. You’ll attract more people who want to engage with you and be part of your community.
A2: Here's the truth-gratitude puts you in a better mindset. You attract a better community that way. If you're disgruntled, upset or venting, you'll attract that kind of community.#twittersmarter
— Ron Oltmanns (@ronoltmanns) November 3, 2022
Nick told us he shows gratitude by paying it forward. If he notices a great post, he’d consciously engage with it to keep the interaction going. This is a good way to signal to others that you’re thankful for the time and effort they put into engaging with you.
A3. I make sure to "pay it forward" with engagements. If I see someone tweeting an interesting point, I'll go reply to it and try to get a conversation going. Being active and engaged within your community (and positive) is a good way to show gratitude #TwitterSmarter
— Nick Martin 🦉 (@AtNickMartin) November 3, 2022
Our friends from VirtuDesk told us about their #FollowFriday list. At the end of every working week, they tweet out a list of people they’re grateful to engage with. That’s another good way to tell people you appreciate their presence and time.
A3: There are so many ways. One of the things we are doing every week is posting a #FollowFriday list of all the people we are grateful to. It is our way of thanking them for making our week meaningful on Twitter. 😊#TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/gb3DQVep3c
— VirtuDesk (@virtudeskcom) November 3, 2022
It makes you feel good, as Madalyn said. Isn’t that why we humans do anything? After all, all we ever want is to feel happy and positive and appreciated. Showing gratitude does that to you.
A4: Showing gratitude makes you feel good! It can create a huge shift in your mood when you take notice of all the amazing things in your life, big or small. #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar Digital Marketing since 1996 (@MadalynSklar) November 3, 2022
As our friends from GiveWP added, showing gratitude reduces stress and makes you a nicer person overall. Making friends and sustaining relationships also become a lot easier when you show how grateful you are to the people around you.
A4) Being gracious helps you deal with adversity, build relationships, and experience more positive emotions – which all impact your overall health and wellbeing. #TwitterSmarter
— GiveWP 💚 (@GiveWP) November 3, 2022
Kaz mentioned most of the really good things about Twitter: It serves as an instantaneous news medium, an effective platform to meet new people and build relationships, and a great big pool of memes and fun conversations—all the things worth being grateful for.
A5: the quickness of news tbh, I find them here first usually.
The connections I make with others and seeing them succeed.
The memes and jokes and the fun.#twittersmarter
— Kaz (@EternalKaz_) November 3, 2022
Sabrina told us she’s grateful that Twitter serves as a “window to the world.” Not only do we get to hear from real people behind some of the nations we’ve only heard of in news, but we also get to see their lives, learn their cultures, and share our own.
A5: Twitter is my favorite "window to the world" social media platform, I met wonderful people and learned a lot – personally and professionally #TwitterSmarter
— Sabrina Cadini (@SabrinaCadini) November 3, 2022
Jim suggested giving a shout out to brands and people that have made a positive impact in your life.
A6. Shout out people or brands that have made a positive difference for you.#TwitterSmarter
— Jim Fuhs #DealcastersLive #AgencySummit (@FuhsionMktg) November 3, 2022
George recommended being honest and open about what you’re grateful for and why. If you’re replying to a post, instead of vague, “this is great, thanks!” consider building on the topic and adding value to the conversation. Tell people what about that post was most helpful. It goes both ways, too—if you disagree with someone, do so graciously. Everyone’s got the right to be in this online space and it’s important to respect that.
A6. Specifically name what you are grateful for / appreciate.
Don't be gushy or sycophantic about it.
When you disagree, acknowledge what's good about what they said first.
Treat people with respect for their intent, even if they are clumsy in their execution.#TwitterSmarter— George Silverman | The MindSkills Guy (@GeorgeSilverman) November 3, 2022
Amna‘s advice was simple and straightforward: If you see a post you like, share it with others and tell them why it’s such a good post. Consciously avoid negativity, and spread positivity, instead.
A6
Support others by sharing other work
Don't spread negativity#twittersmarter— Amna Aslam (@amnaaslam20) November 3, 2022
Most people in our chat said the same thing as Howard: They ignore ungrateful people on Twitter. They’re not worth your time or effort.
#TwitterSmarter A7: I ignore them. I can't be bothered to dignify their ungratefulness with a response. https://t.co/yNCvhq1Vmo
— Howard Cheng (@LifeByStills) November 3, 2022
Brenda also said that she’d go a step further to block or mute people who are persistently annoying.
a7 Ignore them usually. Sometimes mute or block them, depending on the severity of my annoyance #TwitterSmarter
— Brenda Patton (@BrendaInDallas) November 3, 2022
It’s hard to tell for sure, but there’s certainly such a think as being so nice that people think you’re being fake, as Benjamin reminded us. It’s an unfortunate situation to be in, sure. If you suspect that people are distancing themselves from you when you’ve only been nice to them, it’s possible that the way you express yourself has made them uncomfortable. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show your gratitude. Instead, try and form some guidelines for yourself.
A8: I think so, but it might be hard to really notice. Some already said it, but it may come across in how you engage with others as inauthentic and fake. That then makes it detrimental to everyone because others will pick up on it and avoid engaging with you.#TwitterSmarter
— Benjamin Katz (@BKatz301) November 3, 2022
On the flip side, though, a lot of our community members also said that there’s no such thing as being overly grateful. Just goes to show that there are all kinds of people on Twitter, with various preferences. It’s just a matter of finding your tribe.
Well folks, that’s all from me this week. Thanks for reading through and for more great insights from our community chat, have a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana put together for us. If you like this summary, you’ll love the real-time chat. Join us next Thursday at 1 pm ET for #TwitterSmarter. We also have an after-chat on Twitter Spaces at 5 pm ET. See you there!
About me, Narmadhaa:
I write all the things—marketing stuff to pay the bills; haiku and short stories so I feel wholesome. A social media enthusiast, I hang out with the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and am always happy to take on writing gigs.
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