I have read some sad feedback recently from dog professionals who find the dog world on social media so harsh that they are thinking of giving up on it entirely. We need to pull together as a community and value one another, not keep tearing each other apart.
What is a keyboard warrior?
Keyboard warriors are people who have a problem with your message. They’re part of a group of individuals that can be hard to understand, and often even harder to deal with. You might think they just don’t like you or you could be doing something wrong, but the truth is that it doesn't really matter what kind of dog professional you are or what kind of job you do—you’re going to come across keyboard warriors at some point in your career as a dog professional.
The best way to deal with this situation is by not letting critics get under your skin too much. They may seem like they know everything about dogs and how the world works, but most likely they don't actually understand the situation fully or have thought through all aspects of their critique before making it public. The best thing for anyone who wants to become successful in any field (and especially when dealing with criticism) is not giving up because someone else disagrees with them!
How can I stop being bothered by the keyboard warriors?
Be friendly and patient. When you're dealing with critics it's tempting to respond to every comment or question. After all, what else are you going to do? But responding in kind is only going to make things worse—and the more you get into a debate with an online critic, the more heated it's likely to become. Instead, try being nice by answering questions calmly and patiently (even if they're not very nice). Some people just want attention; if you ignore them they'll go away eventually—or at least stop bothering you!
Don't take it personally. We know how frustrating it can be when someone is angry at us or our business online; there's nothing worse than feeling attacked personally by someone who doesn't know us from Adam (or Eve). It can help tremendously just knowing that not everything said about us on social media or forums about dog professionals really has anything to do with who we are as individuals or our company as a whole: It's just a few people saying stuff because they feel like saying stuff! It’s best not getting too worked up over these things unless their comments are making threats against your safety or livelihoods of some kind; otherwise just remember—they don't matter!
Being authentically yourself.
There is no doubt that there are critics in every industry, but for dog professionals this can be especially true. As a profession, we are often misunderstood and sometimes even ridiculed for what we do. This can cause many people within the profession to become defensive when confronted by criticism from someone who does not understand our work or values.
We all have different levels of comfort when it comes to sharing our opinions with others, so it's important that you determine if you are comfortable with how you present yourself online and offline. You may choose not to share anything personal on social media or do so only sparingly; however if you do decide to use social media as part of your business plan then remember that there will always be someone who has something negative to say about each post! It doesn't mean they are right.
Be confident in who you are and what you do.
Be confident in who you are and what you do.
Be confident in your abilities, skills, knowledge and personality.
Be confident in the opinions you have or hold.
Be confident that your beliefs are valid or reasonable given the evidence available at this time
Remember this!
You are amazing, the world loves you!
You have a gift to give to the world. You have something unique and special that no one else can provide. You are a gift to yourself and your family, friends, colleagues and clients. The world needs you! Your clients need you!
Focus on what YOU want to do and don't worry about everyone else.
Focus on YOUR goals and don't worry about what others think. Don't let the keyboard warriors, critics, haters and trolls get you down!
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