Who are you following?

This morning I got to catch up with a friend over coffee.  One of several conversations was about Mentorship and Leadership.  After leaving the coffee shop I drove to see another friend who was in town (she moved out of state over a year ago).  There was a radio ad about Mentoring.  Then the conversation with the second friend touched on finding a Mentor.  Driving back home (it was about an hour car ride) I heard yet another advertisement, different than the first, about Mentoring.

Then on the radio I heard the advertisement for the radio station.  Which, as we all know, usually ends with "Follow us on Facebook and Twitter".

In a world that is so connected via the internet and social media, who are you following?  Have you ever really stopped to think about that?  If you think about it from the perspective that we are who we follow, then who are you?  In every area of life there are people who are trying to be leaders.  Some are trying to make you better.  Others, well, let's just say they are not concerned about where you are going, only that they have someone following them.  As a follower, we need to be concerned with our own path.  A good Leader and Mentor is concerned not only about the path they are on, but also making sure that those following them are on the right path too.

I admit I'm not in the millennial age group.  I do however use Facebook and Twitter.  Some of it started out with keeping up with my kids and their friends.  Then it grew to finding people from High School that I had lost contact with.  Now it seems like such a chore to keep up with all of the new platforms.  I have never done a Vine, and I only logged into Periscope for one personal reason and will probably delete that app after this week ends.

I have been on a personal journey to make only positive, encouraging posts.  Not because I have everything under control.  Sometimes, in fact, it is because I don't. I am trying to offer those that have chosen to 'follow me' a look at a life that may not be perfect but a life that is well lived.

I am going through my friends on Facebook and the people I follow on twitter and asking myself if there posts are aligning with where I want to be headed.  Are they positive in their outlook? If they are constantly complaining about something I am limiting my interaction with them.  Some I have (gasp) un-friended, some I have just hidden.  I have enough going on in my life that I do not need to be pulled into someone else's drama.

So if you are struggling to figure out if you are on the right path it is time to ask yourself... who are you following?  If you don't like the answer or the path you are on, then it is time to find a new leader.