Books That Change You: “The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving A F***”
It’s a common affliction: caring so much about so many things that you wake up every morning wanting to cry into your cup of coffee. While many people might say being selfless all the time is a good thing, Sarah Knight’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving A F*** reminds us that it’s almost impossible to do and actually, we should all be a bit more selfish.
Wasted Energy
A chronic f*** giver – I care and worry about anything and everything, from my postgraduate dissertation to how ridiculous I look using chopsticks – this book was illuminating. I realised just how much time, energy, and money I was wasting on things that don’t make me any happier, usually out of a desire to please others.
Knight reminds us that ultimately, we shouldn’t care about other people’s opinions because you just can’t please everyone. Instead, focus on the things that will enrich your life. For me, that meant realizing things like I just don’t care about watching Game of Thrones, no matter how much other people love and talk about it.
Evaluate
For the sake of our emotional wellbeings, Knight advises taking a serious look at our lives and everything in it – from our jobs, to that karaoke night at work, to that cousin’s baby shower, to a friend’s friend’s first gig, to the man on the corner trying to sell us something. And then, once we’ve thought long and hard about all those things you expend time/energy/money on, we eliminate all the things that make us unhappy.
Saying “NO”
Once we’ve rid ourselves of all the unnecessary baggage in our lives – it’s amazing how much even little things like waiting to say “no” to telephone salespeople instead of hanging up the phone immediately can weigh you down – we can focus on all the things we do care about. Once I stopped trying to watch Game of Thrones, I suddenly had time to rewatch Gilmore Girls, or learn to knit, or catch up with an old friend, or a dozen other things that actually make me happy.
The Four F’s
The book, divided into the four groups of f***s that govern most of our lives – things, work, friends, and family – guides you step by step through the process of slowly but surely making the time for the things that matter to you and living a happier life. There are helpful sections to write your lists in, and illustrations to demonstrate how you can transfer the time/energy/money wasted things you don’t care about into things you do care about (ie: cousin’s baby shower → wine & cheese with a girlfriend).
Lighten up and enjoy life. Let this be one of the books that change you.
It’s practical, relatable, and a huge laugh. Once you’ve read it, your life outlook will change completely as you continuously question the f***s you give to live a happier, healthier life!
