Gratitude and Astonishment
As the summer draws to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting with a mix of astonishment and deep gratitude on the barrage of negative messages that have come my way. It’s been kind of crazy, really, but before diving deeper, I must humbly admit to some delays—perhaps not outright failures, but certainly setbacks—in achieving what I’ve longed to accomplish. From developing physical merchandise to enriching the membership content on shinybrand.com (where, as you know, “shiny” stands for Strong Hope Influential Necessary You), these hurdles have tested me. Part of being strong, after all, means acknowledging weakness, and one of mine has been my tendency to remain open-minded in an effort to please or at least appease others. As I approach 50, I’m beginning to grasp that not everyone can be pleased; all I can do is embrace my own paradigm while striving to understand others’ with empathy and openness with a splash of firmly grounded boundaries. Amid this bombardment, a common theme emerges from what I can only describe as trolls—some so dedicated they’ve crafted entire fake personas and social media accounts just to target me, Matt Logan, a nobody. It’s oddly flattering in a way. Most recently their accusations center on my recent social media silence as a sign of ingratitude toward supporters, which has prompted me to ponder what true support really means. And while my view may differ from yours, I’m profoundly thankful for the chance to share it here, as a way to honor those who’ve stood by me. To the genuine supporters, (whether you’re new supporters or you’ve been here since the beginning) who’ve understood my 13-year journey in the trenches, advocating for high school students against distracted driving—this isn’t a sprint, but a 100-mile marathon and beyond—your encouragement has been my lifeline. I am beyond grateful and humbly appreciative for your cheerleading these past 13 years, and I look forward to the next 13 and more with unwavering thanks.
With that spirit of appreciation in mind, let’s explore what supporting someone’s online social media platform truly entails. To me, it’s far more than passive observation; it’s an active commitment to amplifying their voice and mission in meaningful ways. This begins with engaging directly with their content—liking, commenting thoughtfully, sharing, or retweeting posts to boost visibility and help the algorithm favor their message. It’s about creating ripple effects, like posting your own content that tags them or highlights their work, drawing in new audiences and fostering community growth. True support also involves advocacy: standing up against unfounded criticism, promoting the platform’s value, and inviting others to join the conversation. For platforms with financial aspects, it might mean subscribing to premium features, donating, or purchasing related products to sustain their efforts. And crucially, it includes offering constructive feedback—delivered kindly and ideally face-to-face or in private—to help them refine and improve, rather than resorting to nasty online barbs that undermine rather than uplift.
Supporting isn’t about demanding constant output or interpreting silence as indifference; it’s recognizing the human behind the screen, with their delays, weaknesses, and long-term marathons. It’s the opposite of trolling or negativity—it’s building up with positivity and patience. In my case, as I navigate these challenges on shinybrand.com and beyond, your genuine support has reminded me of this truth time and again. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being the light in the noise. With gratitude, Matt Logan.
