Afterword

In the time since I started writing The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck, I’ve seen a lot of people giving a lot of fucks they didn’t want or need to give. I’ve witnessed friends working through the weekend for no additional compensation, people agreeing to dates they have no desire to go on, and my own husband fighting a losing battle with a call-center employee. It buoys my spirit to know that the NotSorry Method is now available to all these folks in their time of need, a core philosophy to aid them in living their best lives from here on out.

In 1837, Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairy tale called “The Emperor’s New Clothes” in which a delusional monarch parades through town naked while under the impression that he’s wearing a suit so fine that it is invisible to anyone who is “hopelessly stupid”—or so the con artists who sold him the suit led him to believe. The emperor himself can’t see it, but of course he’d never admit that. Nor would his many advisers, who wish to keep their jobs. And the townspeople along the parade route not only pretend to see the garments, they offer praise for the beauty of the fabric and the fineness of the tailoring. Until, that is, one child calls out, “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!” Finally, the crowds, liberated by the truth, admit that they can see what’s been in front of them all along.

I like to think of myself as that child. Except the emperor is society and his clothes are time-, energy-, and money-wasting burdens on my life, and I’m standing here shouting, “I don’t give a fuck!”

And you, the townspeople, don’t have to either.

This is my dream.

And although even I have yet to achieve NotSorry nirvana, I am traveling farther down the path of enlightenment every day. For instance, just this week I gave fewer fucks to Thai food, late-night television (I will miss you, Jon Stewart!), and the Democratic National Committee than I ever have. Stop calling me, guys. It’s really annoying.

Finally, I’ve spent a lot of time justifying the concept of not giving a fuck to people who think it sounds… a little bitchy. Kind of mean. Borderline sociopathic, maybe?

That’s too bad. On one hand, I don’t want them to think poorly of me. But on the other hand, I’m out here giving fewer, better fucks and living my best life.

And guess what?

I’m not sorry.