Thankfulness Challenge – Technology

As I start this journey, I can’t help but be thankful for Technology, which is making this blog possible after all. It also allows me to keep in touch with family and friends when they are not sitting next to me. Allows me to reach out to friends when I know they are having a good day, bad day, stressful day etc., and just let them know I'm around and I'm cheering for them. I’m not just talking about the internet however I’m talking all of it. The internet in general who gives us access to …. Well everything from stupid awesome costume ideas, to super cute animal videos, to TV shows, and connections with family and friends that you might not have without it. Earlier today my friend was able to watch her sons football game on her cell phone while she was at lunch with a friend even though he lives 3 states away and they were playing 5 states away. Since he picked up a football all those years ago you can count on one hand the games she has missed and technology is allowing her to keep that trend going.

This morning I pulled up my e-mail as I was being lazy and not wanting to start my Saturday yet and realized someone hacked my Netflix account. I got three e-mails in the span of 5 minutes that my account had been changed, my password updated and my e-mail changed and so I couldn’t log into my account as it frankly didn’t exist anymore. See I originally got my account cause Justin Willman released Magic For Humans. I got a gift card at Wallgreens and connected the account to that. At the end of the card I deactivated my account. I didn’t want to kill it off cause … he’s making another and I’d just have to get a new account. However to keep it going I had to put it on my credit card. Well that was two cards ago, and honestly I haven’t thought about Netflix since. So, I went to the Netflix website and was able to chatt with one of their account managers and within 30 minutes all was back in place. The guy found it funny that whomever did it (someone in Vietnam apparently) hacked the ONE NETFLIX ACCOUNT that didn’t have an active credit card attached to it. I was like yeah that’s the funny part. Thetrue funny part to me is that I had recently given thought to making it a real account and start checking it out more.

Technology can also suck your life dry if you let it. I’ve never understood the need for celebrities on social media to focus on the negative. Don’t get me wrong I get it … respond to someone that says something hateful but you know that same account got 10 positive messages that they just scolled by on their way to that negative one.

However what I love the most about technology is the people using it for good. The numerous aps and accounts being used to help people’s mental health from text messages when you need someone to talk to but feel more comfortable talking about your trouble’s with strangers.

Most of these accounts have people available 24-7 to talk about a variety of things, anxiety, suicide thoughts, depression, emotional and physical abuse, bullying etc. No judgment just a friendly ear, and a text conversation so you don’t have to say the things that worry you out loud making them “real.” Especially if you are worried about someone else hearing your struggle.  These sites typically offer training, blog posts about protecting mental health, and information for people that need more focused counseling.

A few notable options include :
https://www.crisistextline.org/
https://www.giveusashout.org/
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
https://www.thehotline.org/
https://giveanhour.org/get-help/helplines/

It’s a great way for people to reach out on the own time, when they are in the moment and when things are hitting them hard as oppose to taking time off work, or school, or having to actually ask someone for help something that’s still pretty tough for a lot of people to do. I think that that’s quite possibly the coolest thing about technology. It’s ability to connect people in a way that we’ve never had before. So to start this exercise … I’m thankful for technology and it’s use to make the world better.

Marcy
@beaslma