The Art of Not Giving A Fuck

Introducing: The Art of Not Giving a Fuck.

Note: If you’re offended by my use of the word “fuck”, you probably need to read this 😉

Loving life… No fucks given.

You don’t have to cling on to things you can’t change. Life is about learning to let go.

You don’t have to get hung up over everything. When you resist the present moment, you’re resisting all that is. Be like water, my friend. Flow through the terrain of life.

You don’t have to carry the baggage of the past with you. You’ll accumulate more and more over time, making it increasingly harder to move forward. (Plus, the past only exists in our minds anyway.) Let go.

You don’t have to worry about what might happen in the future. You don’t have to play out all of the “what if” scenarios in the fantasy-land of your mind. Just go with the flow. Have an idea of where you’re headed, but live in the moment. When you’re driving somewhere, do you stare at the destination (if you can even see it)? Or do you focus on the road? Know where you’re headed, I’m told. But drive with your eyes on the road.

You don’t have to sweat the small stuff. It matters way less than you think at the time. Are you going to remember the time that guy cut you off in traffic when you’re on your deathbed? Nope. Shit happens. Life goes on. Make the most out of it by choosing happiness.

Experience, live, and learn without LETTING (keyword) anything interrupt your happiness.

This is the art of not giving a fuck.

Being unaffected by external scenarios. Being in control of how you feel. Choosing to let things go. Choosing to not succumb to fear. You have the power to choose your actions (and reactions) in every moment. You are the master of YOUR WORLD.

Now you might be like, “If I didn’t care about anything, I wouldn’t get anything done. I’d lose my job, my family, and end up homeless.” Or “If I didn’t care about anything, what would stop me from doing something like killing someone?”

Well, I’m glad you asked…

Here are 8 steps on how to not give a fuck while getting things done and not screwing up your life:

1. Take action or forget about it – Realize what you can and can’t control. If you can take action regarding something, then do it! Get it done and move on. If not, forget about it. No sense worrying about something out of your control. Simple as that.

Lifehacking tip: Ever keep thinking (that incessant, anxious kind of thinking) about things you have to do tomorrow? Here’s a simple way to clear your mind; make a to-do list. Instead of marinating on everything your head, write it all down. Get it out of your mind and on the paper (or screen). The act of writing things down works magic in terms of clearing the mind. Try it out.

2. No fear – Every action is rooted in either fear or love (they’re opposites if you didn’t know). The art of not giving a fuck means not succumbing to fear in any form. This includes worry, anxiety, hate, anger, resentment, inferiority, jealousy, fear of what others think, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of punishment, fear of your true self, fear of responsibility, fear of damaging your ego, fear of killer tomatoes…etc.

And not succumbing to fear means you’re operating with love. So that means you’re not going to do things that harm yourself or others. If you do things that cause harm, you’re acting out of fear. Come from a balanced place of less fear, and your not giving a fuck will be more like Spongebob and less like a violent felon.

3. Detachment- Be in the world, but not of it. See the bigger picture. Don’t cling. Put your ego aside. Detachment is drawing back your perception. Living through your “higher self” instead of your ego. Realizing that everything in life is a learning experience. Detachment is greatly useful in work situations. For things you don’t want to do, but you need to do to improve (or at least prevent regression) in life.

4. Letting go – The baggage of the past grows heavier and heavier as you move through life. If you hold on to everything, you eventually won’t be able to move forward. If you let go (detach) of all of the unnecessary baggage, you’re free to move through life as you choose. Lose the excess load you’re carrying and run around freely in the present moment.

5. Be present – If you’re sitting at your kitchen table eating dinner, why would you worry about work tomorrow? That’s tomorrow. You’re sitting at your kitchen table now. That’s all that exists. You’re projected reality of tomorrow only exists in your mind. Let go and enjoy your damn dinner. All we have is the present, and it’s a gift.

6. Express and get it all out – Empathy is what makes us human. And as a result, our interactions with others are deeply meaningful. Not giving a fuck means expressing how you feel in these situations.

If someone you care about dies, it’s natural to grieve. Cry your eyes out in order to move on. If you hold (holding = attachment) back, you’re not letting go of what you feel. You’re bringing more baggage with you.

For example, my family’s dog died last week (RIP Otto). He was 15 years old and I was really close with him since I was a little kid. When I heard the news, I cried (hard) for an hour or so. I let it all out, no fucks given. But you know what? Since I did that, I feel so at peace with it now.

If you love someone, it’s natural to express it. If you never express it, you keep (keep = owning more baggage) that with you until you either express it or die. Plus, that person will never know how you feel, and that’s a damn shame.

Express yourself (read my post on it here). And don’t give a fuck about expressing yourself. Then go back to not giving a fuck in general.

7. “This too shall pass” mentality – Everything is temporary. Every moment is fleeting, both “good” and “bad.” Realize that it will all pass more quickly than you think. This will allow you to truly appreciate the “good” moments, and not give a fuck about the “bad” moments.

8. Everything is a learning experience – When you view everything as a learning experience, and failures become lessons. Hardships become character builders. Lack becomes opportunity. Perception is reality. Life is like a video game. Keep leveling up.

Stop getting hung up on everything. Stop getting angry. Stop worrying. Stop resisting the present.

Experience, learn, and enjoy every moment.

Life is too short to give a fuck. Too short to succumb to fear. Too short to throw away your happiness.

Stay feelin’ good, feelin’ great.

– Stevie P