Don’t Mind If I Do

Best for: Anyone looking for an entertaining read that also might help you embrace your unconventional life choices.

In a nutshell: Author Sarah Knight (who has written two other sort-of-self-help books) offers some updates to the social contract to help people get more out of life with a little less worry.

Worth quoting:
“The friends who don’t judge you for choosing what’s best for you are the ones you’ll want to keep closer than anyone.”
“You’re not ‘unsuccessful’ if you never dialed up a particular destination in the first place, regardless of how popular it may be with others.”
“Prioritize your needs, but don’t be an asshole about it.”

Why I chose it: My partner drew it to my attention. I mostly enjoyed one of her previous books, so I figured, why not.

Review:
I enjoyed this more that the previous book of hers that I reviewed during my last Cannonball Read. It has the same snark and sass, but it felt a bit more relateable this time around for some reason. She’s got the humor down, but she also offers some solid life advice.

I appreciate the premise – you should be allowed to live your life as you see fit, provided that you aren’t as asshole about it and aren’t actively hurting others. I think that there are a lot of us who make some choices (to keep renting instead of buying, to live together but not get married, to not date at all, to not have children) but find ourselves feeling judged and possibly adjusting how we act around other because of that.

Ms. Knight is offering another way – a way to reframe our thinking and end up happier because we are making choices that are authentic to who we are. And as is key, this doesn’t mean you get to yell at people because you want, or litter, or do other things just because, as those things are asshole things. But not giving your parents grandkids? That’s not an asshole thing; that’s you making the choice that fits the life you want to live.

If you struggle with choices that don’t fit the mold, you might find this helpful. Even if you and everyone you love is cool with your full-face tattoo, you’ll still probably enjoy the humor here.