Like A New Pair of Shoes

Nothing excites me more than embarking on change.

As I work in marketing, an indispensable part of it as you would expect, is the use of social media.

With the emergence of Instagram’s Reel some time ago, I thought it would be fun for me to see how many Reel views I could get from my lifeless Instagram account - which has a fantastic following of 8 followers, hosts 9 posts only, has low engagements, low clicks, low ….You get the drift.

How to win in Social Media

So off I go, la-la-la-la preparing my first Reel.

Music - check. Animation - check. Humorous text - check. Time of post - check. Original content - check. Hashtag - check.

Alright! Here we go, click POST.

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Result?

9 views #cricketschirping #tumbleweed

Including one from my own alternative Instagram account.

A little less exciting.

Fast forward, a year and 3 posts later, on one extreme idle weekend, I undauntedly decide to breathe new life into my Instagram Reels.

This time, with yet another one of my original, just-okay-can-getby-caricature pencil drawings.

Check all the above. No humorous text this time.

Post.

A second later, I click REFRESH! as if within a millisecond my cult followers would mad-rush to my Reels.

Nothing.

A second later, repeat: REFRESH!! Maybe something’s wrong with Instagram’s server today - I told myself. Or my finger didn’t quite tap properly.

(Except that everything else was working fine, and no accounts had any issues reported).

Okay, let me go away and check back at some point in time. 5 minutes later.

Oooooohh my, 3 views!

Ellen dance.

Oooooooooh 50 views!

Small scream. Wide smile on face.

As the days rolled by, the number of views grew. From 200 to 400. (Background audio: angelic Hallelujah chorus).

Every single increase in number, became an even greater burst of encouragement for me to continue to looking up the number of views - sometimes several times a day. From 400 it went up to 600, then 800 and currently over 1145 views as I pen these words.

Why? Why? What's the fascination & addiction? Drama? Over the top? Maybe.

Weird? Maybe. Maybe not.

What is it about social media that draws us

Why is it that certain seemingly senseless, minute things excites or even hooks us? Why do we pine and religiously wait upon reactions on our social accounts?

May I suggest that it is our universal hunger for social interaction.

While we are not able to see or even identify who it is at the other end of the digital space, the fact that there is a reaction to what we’ve said or done, means something to us.

More than something. Someone paid attention. To what I did. It mattered.

It made me feel good. Being.

The Korean movie Castaway on the moon is an entertaining, art-imitating-life portrayal that touches on societal callousness, human strength and hope.

Castaway on the moon : A must-watch for anyone who believes in the power of hope

Head over to your streaming service to watch or click here for the trailer.

Social interactions have profound effects on the cognitive abilities of our brain

Growingly recent studies have stated that seniors who’ve greater social interactions tend to have better memory and well-being.

Channel News Asia has reported that social interactions have profound effects on the cognitive abilities of our brain. A set of thinking abilities throughout our lives we call “cognitive reserved” can be built up by keeping your brain active such as through learning new things.

Cognitive reserve has been shown to improve the course and severity of ageing. For example it can protect against a number of illnesses including dementia and mental health illnesses.

Additionally, physical touch reduces stress in dementia patients. It reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels whilst also raising serotonin (the hormone that makes us feel calm and less anxious).

A simple 5-10 minute hand massage reduces aggressive behaviour and stress in dementia patients. Dementia patients often feel confused and anxious, and touch gives reassurance without having to use words.

In the daily hustles of life, where work and domestic responsibilities consume so much of us, we wind down bingeing on Netflix, or bookmarking the most die-die-must-hit restaurants on the weekends or even driving out of town or trying out the new luxurious spa that a friend recommended.

Yet amidst the noises in life, we sometimes forget that that simple phone, that gentle touch, friendly banter, that small bag of warm cookies or that surprise visit to an estranged friend, elderly parent, unwell relative or isolated neighbour, could mean so much more than we know.

One little friend described it ‘like the feeling you get when you’ve just gotten a new pair of shoes’ – no matter how old you are, you know that feeling.

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Many have asked me what design tools or app I use. Many of the designs on my site have been made with Canva - one of the most super-friendly tools I find for beginners with no design background like myself.