How to Measure the Effectiveness of Social Media Platforms

Is it possible to measure the effectiveness of social media? Social media and its effectiveness is something that may not be easy to measure, but the possibility of measuring it, does exist. 

When we use the term social media and discuss the possibility of its measurement, we are talking about the usage of Internet or mobile technological advances, like a Blackberry or an i-phone, that make it possible to have interactive dialogue between individuals. It also includes specific interactive web sites, like Facebook and Twitter.

People have always been social beings seeking to interact with other people and always will be. Social media platforms on the Internet and on smart phones make this more possible than in any previous era. At this time, social media platforms are growing in leaps and bounds, revealing a high level of communication effectiveness on a global basis. 

How to measure the effectiveness of social media is of interest to those who are attempting to construct a social media platform. 

“Social media strategy 101: 7 tools you need to get started", offers some suggestions.

One of the most accurate measurements for the effectiveness of any social media platform becomes evident in how people respond to using it. It is measurable in terms of their degree of happiness or contentment with the social media platform under scrutiny. They can depict their happiness or unhappiness in various ways. At times, how they respond to using it may be positive or negative in terms of their verbal or graphic expression in relation to it.

Perhaps measurement of the effectiveness of social media in a more abstract manner, lies in the philosophical interpretation of the meaning of human happiness or contentment. When people are happy with respect to a particular type of social media, they will use it. When they are not content, its usage drops off.

Satisfaction or dissatisfaction is evident in terms of verbal or other messages to the owner of the social media website or to others who are interacting on it. It is possible for the owners of social media platforms to document, chart or graph levels of satisfaction, positive or negative, as expressed by others. They can alter the social media platform technologically, in accordance to their findings. This may be with respect to particular aspects of the social media platform or the entire platform itself. 

Because the social media platforms are continually changing technologically, nothing is static in terms of its actual measurement of effectiveness.

Social media platforms that require payment will probably never exceed free ones, although they might be easier to measure in terms of actual volume or usage. This may occur in terms of increased regulation or the tracking of global marketing. The effectiveness of smart phones is measurable to some degree in terms of actual sales.

In conclusion, one must suggest that the number of active users on a social media platform on a regular basis, is probably the best measurement and indicator of the effectiveness of any particular social media.     

Christmas: How to Have an Extended Family Holiday Season

Is it possible to have a happy, extended family, holiday season celebration?

“Joy to the world”, one part of the extended family may be singing, while the other mourns for broken or lost relationships of the past, during the holiday season. There is often a combination of joy and sorrow in extended families at Christmas.

“Managing extended family issues” has some excellent suggestions for extended family situations. These are applicable to any holiday season celebration.     

Extended family holiday season celebrations can be wonderful, but at the same time, when marriages break up and re-marriages take place with the birth or acquisition of additional children and grandchildren, the relationships between extended family members can present numerous tensions and unnecessary stress. Tensions in any family can run high and in extended families, may be even worse. Extended families relationships are complex, to say the least. Each family situation will be different and unique.

Consider the following suggestions with respect to an extended family holiday season celebration.

Organization and communication:

Organizing an extended family, holiday season celebration carefully, is important as family members, young and old may have inter-personal relationship issues that could create potential problems. Good organization and effective communication can prevent a lot of stress, as well as avoid anger and frustration among extended family members of all ages.  

Timeliness:

Timeliness can be an important issue in an extended family celebration during the holiday season, as not every extended family member will always be available all of the time. Trying to get everyone together at the same time may be possible, but if not, consider possible alternatives so that everyone is included as part of the holiday season celebration.

Careful planning:

Careful planning for an extended family, holiday season celebration may involve different belief systems, Christian and non-Christian. While it may not be possible to respect everyone’s wishes and desires, at the same time, mutual respect for each family member is vital. With careful planning, each person will know and understand that he or she is a loved and important part of the extended family, regardless of his or her religious beliefs, culture or background.  

Functional versus dysfunctional families:

Every family, including extended families, can have dysfunctional family situations. A holiday season celebration is not the time to attempt to resolve dysfunctional family scenarios in an extended family; nor is it the time to resolve family disputes, although that can happen if there is a mutual attitude of love, joy and peace among everyone. Taking sides and passing judgment on one another will only intensify an adverse extended family situation, while allowing room for peaceful resolution that includes forgiveness at some time in the future, is a good idea.

Understanding one another:

When family members begin to understand each other, many hurts or grievances of the past can be resolved. Sometimes simply talking to one another in terms of concern, caring and compassion can bring healing, health and wholeness to an extended family.

Remember that the holiday season is a time for the celebration of the birth of the Christ-child, whose role was and still is that of ‘Peacemaker’. Choosing to be a peacemaker exemplifies the love of God and one another in an extended family situation and sets a good example for others. This can make a huge difference in the New Year, as well as in later years, when the family will probably extend even further.        

Christmas: Identifying Anxiety Symptoms During the Holiday Season

Are you or those you love, experiencing exaggerated anxiety symptoms? Even though it seems that the holiday season should be a carefree, happy time as a whole, it is not necessarily easy for everyone.  

Introduction to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) on the medicine.net web site introduces this topic suggesting that there are three factors involved with anxiety including a possible genetic predisposition, brain chemistry and environmental factors.

In simple terms, “Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread.” This state may become worse or intensified during the holiday season. Identifying anxiety symptoms early can help any senior, adult, teenager, child or baby to cope with the anxieties, frustrations and concerns related to the holiday season.

Seniors, anxious about Christmas and New Years, often become grumpy, argumentative and critical of others, as well as everything about the holiday season, instead of going about their lives as they normally would or making preparations for the holidays. Many times, fear is an underlying factor, as they worry about their families, who may not show up for them during the holiday season. Many of them will tend to become ill around that time. Sometimes, this appears to be an attention-getting device directed towards family and friends.

Adults in general, may appear to be anxious and frustrated about the state of the nation, economy and the rising cost of the holiday season for their families. Tempers may flare, as everyone appears to be in a rush with a marked lack of patience for others. No one seems to have time for anyone else. Travel often presents a lot of tensions and additional anxiety.

Teenagers may demonstrate anger and tend toward violent, abusive behavior towards others, because of what they think the holiday season should represent, but does not appear to offer them. Many teenagers have become disillusioned about Christmas and New Years and tend toward abuse of alcohol, nicotine and other substances, at this time.

Children, even small children, can become frightened about the holiday season celebrations and the role that they are required to play. Naughty or nice can imply punishment or presents. Children may become afraid of Santa Claus, as well as other family members and do not see this as a happy time and act out because of it.

Babies often sense the unexpressed or expressed anxiety of their parents and others who are taking care of them. Disruption of routines because of holiday season activities can make them cranky or anxious.

While at times, there are no easy answers, there are positive, constructive things that you and others can do to help alleviate the anxiety of others during the holiday season.

Be aware that dysfunctional families do not necessarily become non-dysfunctional families just because it is Christmas. That would be wonderful and can happen at any time, not just during the holiday season. Focusing on love, joy and peace can resolve many family-related concerns that lead to anxiety. An honest expression of forgiveness can go a long way in terms of relieving the anxiety of others. So can expressions of kindness, caring and compassion.

While perfection is the ideal to strive towards during the holiday season, there is the stark reality of imperfection that is a part of everyone’s life. Learn to laugh at yourself and others regarding imperfections that are not that important to anyone once the holiday season is over. Perhaps these kinds of instances will become humorous stories passed along from generation to generation.

Remember that stress and its associated tensions are highly contagious and that many of the things that occur during the holiday season have to do with people attempting to interact with other people appropriately or trying to get things done in time for Christmas and New Years.

Keeping family, as well as other relationships in a healthy balance is always important. Everyone can participate in a healthy, happy, holiday season celebration. Christmas and New Years are not the time to express old grievances, real or imagined.

Being aware that there are new anxiety symptoms that may surface at this time, alerts seniors, other adults, teenagers and children to the reality that the holiday season can be a stressful time, but it does not have to be. Everyone can be part of making the holiday season one where the true meaning of Christmas becomes foremost in the lives of everyone.

Focusing on the needs of others, rather than on oneself, during the holiday season, can help to eliminate many unspoken anxieties. Everyone can help someone, somewhere. Remember that whatever your needs and desires are for the holiday season, there are many others in areas where there is war, famine and natural disasters, who lack their basic needs.

Being able to celebrate the holiday season is a blessing, as there are those who cannot celebrate Christmas and New Years for various reasons. You can pray for them. Regardless of your plans during the holiday season, remember that there are also those around the world who have no one and many others who are anxious about different things for various reasons. Be there for them regardless of where you are.

Be a peacemaker and speak 'Peace' as that is what the holiday season, particularly Christmas and the message of the Christ-child is all about. Start your New Year with a clean platter, free from needless and unfounded anxiety.

Success is Hard Work Plus Forward Thinking: A Eye To the Future

The statement “success is hard work plus forward thinking” sounds like an equation. “Success = hard work + forward thinking.”

In many ways, this is true because success seldom just appears, if one does not work hard to achieve it. Working hard with an eye to the future is important in terms of achieving any measure of success.

Are you successful? That may depend upon how you interpret the word success.

What is success?  

Success is “the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors” as well as the “the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like”, according to dictionary.com.

Success is a rather abstract concept, something measurable in accordance with a sense of achievement, an understanding of worth or a distinct set of values. One’s perception plays a large role in evaluating success or failure.

Success and rewards go hand in hand. That is only common sense, as there is no reason to reward failure.

It does not really matter what one attempts to do, but putting forth proactive, positive and constructive effort consistently, usually brings about some degree of success. Most of what one attempts to do in life is success oriented, whether one realizes it or not. A person usually works at achieving success, even though failure is a possibility. How hard one works helps to determine the degree of success achieved. Not working leads to failure.

Forward thinking demonstrates positive leadership, as that kind of a thought process leads others forward into the future. Not everyone is a natural born leader, nor has to be, as there must be followers for there to be leaders. Many people do not have foresight into the future. Some have only limited foresight. They may be locked into the past or the present and they seldom, if ever succeed, because they cannot get past that time frame in their thought processes.

There always seems to be an element of mystery in success, especially when it comes to seeing who succeeds in life or life’s tasks and who fails. Those who are successful are consistently successful and those who fail tend to leave a trail of failures behind them. With failure, there can be discouragement and thus, they have no incentive to try to succeed.

Success is its own best reward, in other words knowing, realizing or recognizing the reality of one’s success. Success also offers further incentive, encouraging one to continue onward and succeed again.      

Where does one start in order to become successful?

Depending upon a person’s interests it is always wise to start at the beginning. In other words, success is invariably rooted and grounded in something, for example, a set or moral codes, ethical values, as well as an understanding of correctness in terms of what is right or legal.

Steps leading towards one’s success, achieved one at a time, are much like building blocks set upon a solid foundation.

Knowledge is often the key to success. Coupled with hard work, for example, the accumulation of more knowledge reveals imminent success on the horizon. Seeing the possibility of success in the future is a trigger that leads one to work even harder.

Is success hard work? Definitely, as without working towards success, there is no goal orientation. Goal orientation entails looking towards the future and then actualizing it.

Dynamics of Short Story Writing: Four Critical Elements in a Short Story

Short story writing is a literary art that many freelance writers struggle to master. Not every writer succeeds in mastering the dynamics of short story writing, but it is possible.

“The Crafty Writer’s Creative Writing Course” offers suggestions that may help you to “release your creativity” in short story writing.

There are a number of secrets to short story writing that include how to get and keep the reader’s attention. 

Consider first, the four basic, critical elements in a short story, which include the title, introduction, body and conclusion. Each one serves its own purpose. 

The title:

An intriguing, dynamic title should attract a reader’s interest, immediately. Does it entice the potential reader? It should awaken, excite or challenge him or her to read beyond the title. It should also be appropriate for the proposed short story content.

The introduction:

The introduction to a short story is important, as it is what captures the attention of its reader with thoughts, words and visual imagery. If it does not accomplish that in the first couple of lines, as it should, the rest of the short story may be lost forever. If the introduction to the short story veers off in an unexpected direction, the potential reader may not be able to follow its story line. Its readership may be lost immediately. Proactive dialogue is often a good way to introduce a short story, as it brings characters to life and instill reality in the picture.

The body:

The content in the body of the short story has a number of different elements that include things like clarity of thought, sequence of events, timeliness, excitement, drama and adventure. If what you write does not have clarity of thought, your reader may not be able to comprehend it. Be aware that few readers will continue to read something that is not clear to them.

The sequence of events is vital in the body of your short story. Without a correct sequence of events, the story line will likely become confusing to the reader. Is it chronologically correct, in such a way that the events are clear?

Timeliness can be everything. The era or timing of a short story is a major factor with respect to its success. Is it pertinent for its era? Will others be able to relate to its time frame? Does it need to taken further? Is it appropriate for the designated reader?

The element of excitement in a story line entices the reader further and causes him or her to become and to stay interested. You should be able to sense the heart of the reader beating faster and faster, as he or she reads on.

Adventure in a story appears difficult to write at times, but it brings life into the short story. This kind of writing genre does not allow many words, or much time to elaborate details. It does challenge the reader and holds his or her interest.

Drama intrigues the reader’s imagination, as it brings the short story to life. At times, the drama in a short story can cause the reader to relate to it on a more personal level, as it is full of emotion.

The conclusion:

Perhaps it is the conclusion or ending of the story that makes a short story worth reading. Ask yourself whether your reader will remember your short story and why.  

Does the conclusion contain an element of mystery or surprise? Does it tie all of the loose ends together, or did you leave that task for your reader? Is he or she refreshed, astounded, amazed, excited and thus, enthused about reading more of your other short stories?

How you write your short story determines a great deal of its success. Writing short stories is an art, one that you can master with practice.

Futuristic Business Thinking: Mental Wellness

Are you a futuristic business thinker who understands the concept of mental wellness? Perhaps you wonder how futuristic business thinking contributes to your state of mental wellness and vice versa. True futuristic business thinkers understand the importance of mental wellness, while those who are not true futuristic business thinkers may not.

Negatively oriented, pseudo-thinkers or non-futuristic thinkers may not be able to comprehend the reality of mental wellness as an important part of business thinking for the future. They may perceive future business thinking only in terms of the past or present, often from a gloom and doom perspective and relegate futuristic thinkers to the realm of the mentally ill, although they are actually in the realm of mental wellness.

What is mental wellness?

Contrast mental illness with a state of mental wellness. Mental illness signifies the instability of one’s mental status, while mental wellness suggests the stability of one’s mental health. Someone who is mentally well is emotionally and psychologically stable.

Mental wellness is “a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life.”

In terms of futuristic business thinking, mental wellness and stability are of the utmost importance with respect to progress into the future.

From a medical perspective, mental wellness is “a branch of medicine that deals with the achievement and maintenance of psychological well-being.”

Contemporary, progressive thought, as well as futuristic thinking in business, always has an element of risk, or the need for risk taking that others might perceive in terms of mental instability. Ongoing progress in business into the future demands risk and risk taking.

While there appears to be a relative degree of safety and security in non-futuristic business thinking, in reality that might be true if there was such a thing as permanency, but nothing is permanent, so that business safety net is gone. This reality appears frightening for those confronted with unexpected non-permanency in business. Everything in business is subject to change and a degree of instability.

Planning in a futuristic business direction is one way to deal with inevitable and constant change in a mentally healthy way, as in a state of mental wellness. Forward, futuristic thinking in business exceeds thought that is restricted to the present or the past.

Business thought, practices and principles continually change, exactly as they should. Either business thinkers are futuristic in terms of their thought processes, or they are doomed to collide with inevitable change that will take place regardless of what or how they think. The crashing of business thought processes often results in instability that depicts mental illness. 

Throughout the centuries, true thinkers have always been ahead of their times. Part of the struggle that futuristic business thinkers have to contend with is the reality that new and progressive, futuristic business thought is often misunderstood.

Futuristic business thinkers are not mentally unstable or mentally ill. In fact, mentally they are more stable than those non-futuristic thinkers who criticize them or their business practices. Futuristic business thinkers often face confrontation, even though they are in a state of mental wellness. How does one explain this? Remember that no one can comprehend what a visionary can see, until it becomes a reality.

Lego Man Travels to Outer Space: Ingenious Teenagers Created This Lego Man

Was there really a Lego man in outer space? Two Toronto teenagers commended for creating a Lego man and sending him to outer space successfully, have set a new milestone in terms of ingenious creativity.

“When Toronto teenagers Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad sent a Lego man into space on a homemade balloon, they made sure to honor a popular Internet maxim: “pics or it didn’t happen.” 

How did they manage to do it?

It appears that these two teenagers could see beyond the imp in impossibility. As positive, constructive and futuristic thinkers, rather than as teenage mischief-makers, they began their seemingly impossible project. Not having a lot of money to work with, they located four cameras on Craigslist. Next, they sewed an imperfect at best, parachute. 

“They stuffed the cameras into a capsule made of Styrofoam, along with a GPS-equipped cell phone that would help them find their creation when it fell back to Earth.”

The teenagers, using their understanding of current day technology, were determined to give recognition to their country and “attached the Lego man carrying a Canadian flag to their capsule” thereby “injecting a sense of personality” into their project.

The helium-filled balloon launched successfully in spite of bad weather, burst in outer space and returned to earth, landing more than 120 km away from its launching pad. Amazingly, the teenagers were able to locate it because of the GPS system.

“The eye-catching images captured from the flight show the Lego man gripping a Canadian flag against a backdrop of a fast-shrinking skyline that gives way to the darkness of space.”

Their photographs reveal proof of their accomplishment.

What does this mean in terms of these two teenagers being role models for other teenagers?

As forward thinkers with a basic understanding of science, technology and outer space, these ingenious teenagers found a way to accomplish what they planned to do in terms of a project. One might ask what they will attempt next.

Outer space is one of the realms open to be explored further by up-and-coming visionaries who are now teenagers or children who can see beyond the realm of the past and present.

What has their project contributed to knowledge?

Apart from the reality of this amazing accomplishment by teenagers, this new horizon of knowledge may still be far beyond their full understanding. They have established a new platform from which to launch other possible projects in their academic future. Of course, any new project contains some element of risk, as did this one, but kudos to the teenagers for their achievement.