Respect and Reciprocity

Fostering Authentic Connection in My Social Media

I have a confession: I barely used social media before starting a business. I much prefer to connect with people in person, one-on-one. That said, I’ve learned to appreciate how the virtual world can bring us together when things like COVID conspire to keep us physically apart.

Just as in real life, though, our interactions on social media need to be intentional if they’re to be positive. We have to think about who we are and how we want to be in the world before we present ourselves.

In order to keep myself motivated, I’ve concentrated on building relationships with my social media. Reaching out to other practitioners and business owners in the community for my interview series has been one of my greatest pleasures over the past year.

And thinking of ways to create content that will actually help my current and future students has been a delight. It’s something I put my whole heart into. 🧡

So, I love it when some of you write to tell me that you enjoy what I put out in the world - thank you!

And I hate it when I accidentally run across my own carefully crafted words copied and pasted into someone else’s post. It makes me angry. 😠

I’ve tried to talk myself out of my rage, since the conventional wisdom is that people are just going to steal on the internet. But I’m not one to accept things just because “everyone else” does. Otherwise I wouldn’t be building an Anat Baniel Method(R) NeuroMovement(R) practice!

I’m going to do the unconventional thing and use my fury as an act of self-compassion. I value myself enough to feel my anger. And while I understand that those who plagiarize are not necessarily acting out of malice, I don’t have the time or energy to use this opportunity to help them grow.

Instead, I’m going to block the copycats. That’s right - I need firm boundaries to feel safe. I need the freedom to express myself without anxiety. That means that I will block those who:

✅Copy and paste my work without my permission,

✅Repost my work without attribution,

✅Send me unsolicited DM’s not related to my work,

✅Have power over me in any way, no matter how much I love them (conflict of interest, anyone?!).

Whether we’re consumers or creators, we need to center respect and reciprocity in order to relate authentically.

The good news is my anger always forces me to re-examine my own behavior. How am I giving other creators their fair due?

1. I have an acknowledgements page on my website to thank my teachers and most avid supporters;

2. I try to reciprocate when another creator helps me out by sharing their work, highlighting their offerings, and tagging them in my posts whenever possible;

3. I follow and like the posts of those in my NeuroMovement(R) community to lift up our communal presence;

4. I follow creators OUTSIDE of my niche for inspiration. (I, myself, don’t want to inadvertently plagiarize.)

I’d like to continue to do better; so, I’ll be looking for more ways to recognize the people who inspire me (even outside my niche). If you have more ideas for me, please get in touch.

I’ll also be researching how to take some of my material off of platforms like Facebook and Instagram. My hope is to create a safe space where we can have intimate conversations about all things mind and movement.

What would you think if I moved my musings into my low-cost membership? Would you be interested? Let me know! Mention this post, and I’ll even give you a coupon to sign up. 😀

Talk soon,

Ana Maria

Categories: Community Rules, My Story