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

Sarah Knight

Publisher: Little, Brown, 2015, 208 pages

ISBN: 978-0-316-27072-4

Keywords: Leadership

Last modified: April 17, 2021, 12:30 a.m.

The surprising art of caring less and getting more.

Are you stressed-out, overlooked, and underwhelmed by life? Fed up with pleasing everyone else before you please yourself?

It's time to stop giving a f*ck.

This brilliant, hilarious, and practical parody of Marie Kondo's bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, explains how to rid yourself of unwanted obligations, shame, and guilt — and give your f*cks instead to the people and things that make you happy.

The easy-to-use, two-step NotSorry Method for mental decluttering will help you unleash the power of not giving a f*ck about:

  • Family drama
  • Having a "bikini body"
  • Iceland
  • Coworkers' opinions, pets, and children
  • And other bullsh*t!

And it will free you to spend your time, energy, and money on the things that really matter. So what are you waiting for? Stop giving a f*ck and start living your best life today!

  • Introduction
    • Tidying up your fuck drawer
    • The art of mental decluttering
    • The magic of not giving a fuck
  1. On giving, and not giving, a fuck
    • Why should I give a fuck?
    • Not giving a fuck: The basics
    • Who are these mythical people wo don't give a fuck?
      • Children, assholes, and the enlighted
    • How can I become one of those people?
    • You need to stop giving a fuck about what other people think
    • Feelings vs. opinions
    • Making a Fuck Budget
    • What about people who can't stop giving a fuck about you not giving a fuck?
    • In summation
    • A visualization exercise
  2. Deciding not to give a fuck
    • Your mind is a barn
    • Sort your fucks into categories
    • Things
      • What are some things I may or may not give a fuck about?
      • Ten things about which I, personally, do not give a fuck
        • Includes basketball, Taylor Swift, and feigning sincerity
      • A few more things
        • Includes "glamping", napkin rings, and the Olympics
    • Work
      • Meetings
      • Conference calls
      • Dress codes
      • Useless paperwork
      • Polar bears and half-marathons
      • Oh, she's got a reputation
      • This is not useless paperwork
      • A note on degree of difficulty
    • Friends, acquaintences, and strangers
      • Setting boundaries
      • Solicitations, donations, and loans, oh my!
      • Personal policies
      • Things you might have a personal policy against
      • RSVP'ing no means no
      • The tiny little elephant in the room
      • Things even parents don't give a fuck about
      • Sometimes it's okay to hurt people's feelings
      • So… do I have any friends left?
    • Family
      • When a cigar is not just a cigar and a teacup is not just a teacup
      • Survey says…
      • Am I my brother's keeper?
      • Vote no on giving a fuck!
      • Refuse to play the shame game
      • Holidays: A personal policy
      • In-laws
    • The homestretch
    • Consolidating your lists
    • Do not underestimate the drain of infrequent fuck-giving
    • Giving a fuck
  3. Not giving a fuck
    • The holy fucking trinity: Time, energy, and money
    • Baby steps
    • Threat level yellow: Easy fucks to stop giving
    • Threat level orange: Medium-tough fucks to stop giving
    • Threat level red: The hardest fucks to stop giving
    • A pep talk
    • Honesty: A sliding scale
    • Different fucks, same principle
      • (Includes recycling, social media, and coworker's kids)
    • You wondered when we'd get to weddings, didn't you?
    • Old fucks, new fucks, borrowed fucks, blue fucks
    • Getting cold feet? Revisit your personal policies.
    • Performance bonuses!
    • FUQs
    • Getting more from the fucks you do (or don't) give
  4. The magic of not giving a fuck dramatically transforms your life
    • A fuck not given is something gained
    • Your fucks affect your body, mind, and soul
    • Another way to give no fucks
    • Paying it forward
    • Knowing what you can do without
    • Things about which you should probably be giving more fucks
    • You do you
    • Fuck the haters
    • On achieving enlightenment