‘Trending’ is another one of those words that didn’t even exist a few years ago. Like ‘texting.’ I like to think that I’m too young to use the expression ‘in my day,’ but in my day, a text was a heavy, worn, torn, smelly, booger-laden book in school. These days, it’s a verb I probably use at least ten times every day. A trend is like a fad- something that becomes popular and builds in popularity as more people come on board. ‘Trending’  has come to mean being trend-like, or, according to Urban Dictionary, something that is currently popular.

But what makes a trend a trend? I mean, how does anything- a word, a name, an activity, a fashion item, a food, etc.- become popular? Although I usually prefer novels (who doesn’t like a story?), in my constant quest to become the best Wanda I can be, I will, from time to time, pick up a book that can teach me something. Which is why I started reading Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point.” Gladwell makes interesting social observations and analyzes why certain things happen the way they do. I highly recommend his books, though I admit that I never finished “The Tipping Point.” I like stories, remember?

According to Gladwell, there are many factors involved in a trend taking off. Being in the right place at the right time is probably one of the most important factors in determining whether something becomes a trend. Some times that’s carefully planned and others it’s completely random serendipity. I also think that as we get used to new and maybe strange ideas we are more willing to try them. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking about blue nail polish. Remember the first time we saw that? Nail polish was red or pink. What made someone think blue is an acceptable color for nail polish? Then again, what made anyone think red or pink were acceptable way back when? Now, blue is a fashionable nail color, with so many shades to choose from. Another thing that helps is to have an open-minded audience, or an audience that is looking for something fresh. Sometimes people just don’t like to try new things. I cringe as I write that a few men I know still insist on wearing pleated pants. And I’m not even talking about my dad. Today, with the lightening speed of information, trends can take off so fast that  it’s almost scary. Want to learn about a trend, or get your idea out there to hopefully become a trend? Social media is your vehicle. You could probably say that social media itself was a trend way in its beginning, and now look at how it’s just a regular part of life in our times. Social media coined ‘trending,’ and now it’s a word we use like we’ve been using it forever. My point exactly.