These days, it's hard to imagine a world without social media.
A world where hashtagging, trending and Followers means nothing.
A world without having a cheeky peek at your Facebook feed at work.
A world without the ability to 'Skype in' to have a quick chat to someone on the other side of the world.
As for me, it's fair to say social media has played a major part in re-shaping my reality.
A couple of months ago, I quit my full-time job to drive my professional writing career. I had no idea how powerful a certain social media platform would be in helping to launch the 'new me'...
Twitter: pre-April 2015, I'd never really used it much (only when forced to by former employers). Who could make sense of hashtagging, handles and trending topics?
Enter Global Twitter Marketing Specialist Keith Keller. I didn't know it at the time, but a quick click of a button to accept an invite changed my entrepreneurial journey forever.
It's the strangest feeling in the world to chat to someone you've never met before and feel a connection because 'they get you'. To Keith, I was never just a dreamer aiming for the stars. I was someone capable of achieving anything I truly set my mind to.
Fast-forward a couple of months, many chats where topics such as chai tea, the notion of success belongs to those who just get up again and discussions about Saturn Return (Google it! It's fascinating stuff) and to be honest, I'm flawed by Keith's generosity.
It sounds crazy since we're still yet to even meet in person (we're working on that) but Keith has become more than an acquaintance. A lot more.
He's the red Power Ranger... I'm the pink Power Ranger.
Surround yourself with the right people, set yourself up for success. People like Keith are the difference between meandering along and being able to generate over 1,000 Twitter Followers in 6 weeks.
He's really backed me. So much so that the connections I've made on Twitter have seen me chatting to people such as global multiple sclerosis campaigner Kaz Aston, Thankyou co-founder Daniel Flynn, radio host Jimmy Star, Carman's Fine Foods' Carolyn Creswell and Back to the Future Star Claudia Wells (more on that exciting project soon).
So that all said, I'm taking the chance this World Social Media Day, to reflect on how Twitter has helped take my writing to another level.
Once upon a time, generating 8.2 Facebook Likes and over 5k re-tweets with one article was just a dream.
Today, it's a reality that's happened... A few of my articles have gone viral now.
If you want to benefit from Keith's passion and authenticity, he'll be celebrating Social Media Day by Skyping into a MASSIVE event in New Zealand for an exciting new project that sees expert guest speakers, including the incredible Rachel Gillespie from Kaikoura New Zealand, focusing on how social media can make all the difference in terms of driving tourism business' online.
Follow the hashtag, learn from the best and reap the results: #SocialMediaDayNZ
Consider this:
Yes, you're seeing that has reached 2.2 million accounts.
All for a town with 3,600 people and a Twitter account with 344 followers... have we got you thinking yet?
Are you game enough to explore how social media can take your business and career to the next level?