The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do (A No F*cks Given Guide Book 1)

by Sarah Knight

toddlers; I stopped watching season 2 of True Detective after only one episode. I was becoming my true self, able to focus more on people and things that actually, as Marie Kondo might say, sparked joy. Soon, I realized I had my own insights to share with regard to life-changing magic.

During the course of this book, you’ll see the term giving a fuck used in two ways: • There’s the colloquial sense of caring about something, which factors into Step 1 (deciding what you don’t give a fuck about). • Then there’s a literal sense of actually giving a fuck to someone or something, in the form of time, energy, and/or money. This factors into Step 2 (not giving a fuck about those things).

reading this book), the first thing you should be asking yourself before uttering that dirty little three-letter word is, Do I really give a fuck? You

Not giving a fuck means taking care of yourself first—like affixing your own oxygen mask before helping others. Not giving a fuck means allowing yourself to say no. I don’t want to. I don’t have time. I can’t afford it. Not giving a fuck—crucially—means releasing yourself from the worry, anxiety, fear, and guilt associated with saying no, allowing you to stop spending time you don’t have with people you don’t like doing things you don’t want to do. Not giving a fuck means reducing mental clutter and eliminating annoying people and things from your life, freeing up space to truly enjoy all of the things you do give a fuck about.

For example, if you’re the kind of person who sends a handwritten thank-you note to your friends after you spend the weekend at their lake house, those same friends are unlikely to be offended when you decline their next invitation… to join them at their favorite Renaissance Faire. It’s just common sense. You like lake houses and hate Renaissance Faires? Send a thank-you note; don’t be an asshole. It’s a win-win!

1 (deciding not to give a fuck). Then, you can express your decisions in a positive and productive way when taking Step 2 (not giving a fuck). And you can do it without offending or enraging anyone! (Unless you really want to offend or enrage; sometimes that can be fun.) But first things

You should, of course, continue to give a fuck about what other people think as it pertains to their feelings (i.e., Are you going to actively hurt those feelings by not giving a fuck about the situation at hand?). But be honest—you know full well when you’re hurting someone’s feelings. Don’t be an asshole. What I’m saying is, you don’t have to give a fuck about what other people think when it comes to their opinions. And if you can learn to speak in the Language of Opinion, you will find it very effective. It’s honest, polite, and extremely disarming! You will neither be an asshole nor look like an asshole. And then you can stop worrying about what other people think. Got it?

all. To review: If your fuck-giving actively affects someone else

raisers. Cookies with little icing smiley faces and a separate batch of gluten-free ones for the pussies.

As you know, if there are items on my list that annoy, then I should not be giving my fucks to them. Vice versa with joy. So

Steve Jobs had strong opinions about meetings too, including the use of PowerPoint in said meetings. In Walter Isaacson’s biography Steve Jobs, the late Apple CEO argued, “People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.” He’s right. Fuck PowerPoint.

Potluck dinners Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with people.