The first pages of Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" are filled with the lovely word that dons the cover of this book. Reading this part, I knew what I was walking into: a blunt, 200-something-page lecture that isn't sugarcoated with the same anecdotal crap that typical self-help authors use.

And Manson seems to be justified in using such colorful language. In such a connected world, where there are so many prospects as to how to live our life, this same abundance ironically overwhelms and impedes our ability to get the most of our life. Thus, Manson prescribes that we take a step back and understand what is truly important and what isn't; or what and what not to give a f*ck about. Once we decide which is which, then we can achieve the most out of our lives.

And as straightforward as that sounds, Manson directly shoots down the idea that this book is meant to be a holy grail for finding happiness:

"This book is not some guide to greatness - it couldn't be, because greatness is merely an illusion in our minds, a made-up destination that we obligate ourselves to pursue, our own psychological Atlantis."

Instead, Manson is direct: life is sometimes f*cked up, therefore the concept of positivity is useless. It's ok to not be a prodigy or the next person that history will immortalize. Because there is now so much information available, there is in turn so many ways to measure our success, which sometimes can be self-destructive. Chasing positivity is a waste of time, and therefore more of a negative experience.

Reading some of these truths Manson lays out honestly felt like a punch in the face at first, but at the same time, it felt refreshing. Unlike other traditional self-help authors, Manson is funny, honest, and has a prose that will mentally spellbind you. He understands that your life is full of crap, but instead of finding ways to clean the crap, he tells you to make do with it.

So in short, Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" is a must-read and could make a good read that can help with any New Years' resolutions. Manson pulls you out of the la-la-land that often leaves you vulnerable from the crap in your life and gives you a hard-to-swallow pill that will ultimately lead you to simply not give a f*ck. He never says it's easy, but in the end, you'll feel empowered.