In a recent interview, I was asked what languages I speak other than English.

“Hindi, Punjabi, broken Spanish and Tweet,” I replied.

The interviewer raised his eyebrows and wondered if my physician mind was having a stroke. I showed him my @DrROMILA Twitter feed, and I had to resist tweeting my comment over finishing the interview.

Yes, I am #HashtagHappy. As a neurologist I wonder if my brain is rewired to think 140 characters a time. As a national mindful living expert, I am keenly aware that mind-numbing activities like zoning out over social media are bad for branding. We have all been there. We think we will check our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds for just 2 minutes. One hour later has vanished, and we have amnesia for what we just read. I firmly believe in living a balanced life, on and off Twitter. How can we be mindful 140 characters at a time?

1. What moves your heart?
Is there a topic or theme that moves your heart? I live, write, and speak on the medicine behind mindfulness. Therefore 80% of my tweets center around quotes, articles, retweets that focus on mindful living as the #MindfulMD

2. Tweet like it’s your BFF.
We are in our most authentic state of mind chatting with our closest girlfriends. Use that genuine attitude when sending out tweets (minus sharing secrets). We attract people speaking on stage by being ourselves, the same holds for social media. When we tweet with the intention of gaining followers, it comes off as desperate, cliché, or like a marketing scheme.

3. Words are sacred.
Ancient Eastern mindfulness philosophies are promote that the wisest people are the people who graciously listen. Find your #Hashtag community, listen, and then respond. Thinking 140 characters at a time is not a limitation, but a blessing. You have to focus on the words that really matter. This habit will help on Twitter, on the speaking stage, and in your personal life.

It’s a #TwitterParty! Join me for #SpeakerChat with the WSA on June 17th to speak Tweet.