The Subtle Art of not Giving a Fock

 Nearly a month ago I was scrolling down my Facebook feed and saw an attractive advertisement. Real Man Self Growth Challenge. I drank Snakes blood, if I'm going to do a Self-Growth Challenge, it's got to be for a Real Man. Haha. 

I clicked and it led me to a quiz asking about the areas I want to improve on, how much I want to read, and how serious I am about improving myself. After following their process, they delivered a 28 day self-growth plan that provides 15-20 page summaries of books and recommendations of actions I can take. I am now in the final week and have 5 days left. 

Tonight I just read the summary of the Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fock by Mark Manson. This title always caught my attention so I've been curious to read it. I need to buy the book next. But he makes some good alternative points compared to a lot of the other synopses I've been reading. He doesn't follow the standard positivity mantra and instead encourages you to really focus on what you actually care about. Then focus on that, and forget everything else. 

It made me think about how much time I've spent over the last 4 years reading, agonizing over all the last administration's policies. How little of an effect I can have, and how it isn't even helpful for my own well-being. I felt anger and frustration which I haven't felt in a long time. I believe I aged much quicker over the last 4 years. One of my sisters doesn't pay attention to politics at all and I don't really see it hurt her or cause any problems, just whenever you try to talk those topics with her it doesn't go anywhere....but is that really a bad thing? My small background in journalism and education always taught me it was important to stay up to date on current events...but maybe I can tone it down a little.

There's been many times in the past where I'll think too much into a person's actions or inactions, what they said vs. what they didn't say. Soon enough I'm spending too much of my time and energy somewhere it shouldn't be. This summary helped put this cycle into perspective. Why do I care? Should I care? Is it going to make me a better person in caring about this? Or, in the end, is it not going to have any long-term impact in my life? If not, then why waste my time and energy?

I chatted with my brother recently about watching the show Ozark and how Buddy has such confidence and just doesn't give a crap, that he skinny dips in front of a young family without any care in the world. How liberating that must be to do something like that and Just, Not, Care. Now, I'm not saying we should all go skinny dipping in front of families, far from it. But maybe, we all could lighten up a bit and spend less time caring about things that don't matter and instead focus on the things that do matter. 

That's my lesson for today. My overall goal is to take the tidbits from each book and write them down into my Excel file and then at the end of this program I'll review those main pieces and prioritize the ones I want to put into practice. Some of them I have already put into practice and I have to say I feel better, feel happier doing this, spending time reading and writing again. This is something that's been missing from my life and it's great to have it back. 

Here's my dog, Thida, laying down, not giving a Fock. She's great at it. :)