When you think about the word “Cyber,” what comes to your mind?
Do you think about your social media, your email, your computer, your phone?
Do you think about the pictures you have posted online?
Do you think of all your documents, personal information, and data you have stored somewhere?
The word Cyber comes from the word cybernetics and relates to computers, information technology or networks.
For me, the word Cyber means emotion, connection, creativity, wellness, growth, fun, happiness, and wealth. Technology can bring us closer together and I love that!
In the Cyber world, many of us choose to always be connected, and always cyber available to others, while others choose not to.
To Cyber-Be or Not To Cyber-Be, That Is The Question!
To Cyber-Be or Not To Cyber-Be is about considering your state of Cyber.
To Cyber-Be is to claim your cyber world, be present, find your focus. To Cyber-Be is about making a conscious decision of how you are interacting with technology.
When you are in a state of being, you own it! This means that you take action:
- You keep your computer, phones and electronic devices updated.
- You take care of your passwords
- You manage how much personal information you share
- You constantly look for ways to sharpen your skills because you want to protect what matters most to you.
Not To Cyber-Be refers to staying distracted, living in auto-pilot, and providing hackers, scammers, and Cybermonsters with opportunities to break into your life:
- Clicking on suspicious links
- Opening files without verifying first whether they are safe
- Postponing taking care of your password
- Delaying updates to your computer, phones, or other devices
- Not backing up our information
Are you in the To Cyber-Be or Not To Cyber-Be Mindset?
Use the table below to identify your dominant state of mind when it comes to the cyber world:
| To Cyber-Be | Not To Cyber-Be | |
| C Y B E R | Change your passwords and avoid re-using them. You can take action toward protecting your Cyber World! Backup your most precious and sensitive information! Enable a second method or way to verify your most sensitive accounts. Replace old passwords and use a password manager. | Copy your password on a sticky note and place it where anyone could see it. “Yell out” your personal information online (SS, credit card info, password, etc.) Bet on protecting your most precious and sensitive information by using a password like 12345. Execute and open any links or files you receive without validating them Repeat and reuse all your passwords |
If you identified yourself mostly on the Not-To-Cyber-Be column, it’s time to take the first step to Cyber-Be.
All it takes is to commit to one simple action from the Cyber-Be list and embark on the journey to live Happily Ever Cyber!
If you already take all these actions, think about your next step on your Cyber journey.
When you adopt a Cyber Be Mindset, you will change the way you react when the word Cyber comes to mind, because you will increase your Cyber Confidence!
Which action will you take today? Share with us in the comment section below!
