Stop Doing That Sh*t

This is the second book I have read by Gary John Bishop and I have become a big fan. I was wondering if this book would be redundant, boy was I mistaken! I like his honest approach and he is hilarious too. He tells it like it is, but in a compassionate way. No lengthy explanations or theories, he just presents things in a matter of fact way, simple, no bs and in bite sized chunks. He tells you to read but also to take small breaks to digest the information. Don’t be fooled, his message is profound. Deeply profound. He makes you think and acknowledge, laugh out loud, without shame or guilt. He had me laughing so much in certain chapters, that other passengers on a long plane ride, were looking at my phone to see what I was listening to. Which by the way, I highly recommend getting the audio of the book! I love audible books and his two books are read by the author himself. In a charming Scottish accent! You can easily finish it up in a weekend. It shifted my thoughts and made me be more present during such an important milestone, watching a friend get married later in life. So if your looking for a great read, that’s digestible, entertaining and real, even over a wedding weekend getaway(like I did), pick up a copy!

I am one who self-sabotages my own success when things are getting good and I am at the cusp of something. It has been frustrating me since I was young and there was this niggling itch I was aware of and could not form words to explain, and that made me mad that I started blaming myself for being a screwup or life being unfair or my friends and family not understanding.

This book cuts through your (and my) created recriminations and goes straight to the heart of the problem: you creating these validations and holding on to them as gospel truth to the point you screw yourself to prove the entire point as it was preordained and set in stone until death.

Gary John Bishop does not give you the panacea nor salve to those hurt fee fee feelings, but rather make you reflect and push through the uncomfortable realization that yes, you have a problem but you have to own it. They will never go away fully, but instead redirect to better models and keep doing it for the rest of your life.

Recommended to repeat reading again and again to give you reminders and view this amazing book with new eyes.

This author hits on simple topics that you'd think we should already know but when he explains the thoughts, you just think "wow, how did I not see this?" It truly was life transforming for me. My attitude, thoughts process' and overall look at my life has changed forever.I went on to buy the set of 4 other books he's written. Amazing, to the point and writes in a down to earth, real life way.

I've read hundreds of self help books and this one is for sure in the top 5-which includes his first book "Unfuck Yourself". I highly recommend reading that one first as it is a great segway into this book. Not necessary-but really helpful. I also purchased the audio version of the kindle books as I love listening to him speak. His accent is cute and totally understandable. It also helps to get his direction when he's being playfully sarcastic. I love the directness, all the stops pulled out and the "this is how it is" approach. If you are in to keeping your suitcase full of excuses with you as your life baggage and an additional carryon that explains your suitcase excuses-don't even bother. For me it was an audible slap in the face. I needed it clearly. My life is forever different. I was living in my sometimes comfortable, sometimes miserable, never changing groundhog day of a life. When I stepped back and reviewed the last 10 years I was so mad at myself. Yes there were tons of terrible things that happened during that time that would've crushed a lot of people. But guess what? I CHOSE to stay down and maintain the status quo. I didn't take any of those situations and learn and move past them in a positive direction I could've made that choice to do something with the experience instead of being stagnant and accepting that this is the way it was. It is what it is is NOT a thing! Even if you can't change what happened or is happening to you-you certainly can change the way you respond and go forward that much more enlightened. Gary explains that even misery is sometimes easier to wallow in than to make a move to make things better. He also said-and this was HUGE for me is that you can't wait until you FEEL like doing something because you rarely will feel like doing that thing you are putting off. You just need to shutup, suck it up and take action because if you don't-nothing in your life will ever change. He's so right! There is no procrastination, there is only an unwillingness to do whatever that task is. If you are being real- roadblocks are basically our unwillingness to do that thing. On the flip side-living a life we don't want is in reality a product of what we are willing to tolerate. Think about it-or don't think. WHAT you ask?? Another point-we get caught up in the BS of brains all day long. Our brains chatter like a crazy toddler monkey, spouting instructions and demanding that we do what it says-for no reason other than that's what we unknowingly taught it from the day we were born until today. Our brain lies to us constantly in the form of thoughts. If we continue on this journey on autopilot, we are at the mercy of our benign thoughts. When we step back and observe them for what they are, it is then we can make our own decisions. I could go on and on about this book. Should you read it? ABSOLUTELY. Keep your mind open and take it in. Get real about your life. Only then will it change. I will add that if you are looking for someone to sympathize with your plight and rub your back, giving you a warm fuzzy-this isn't it. This is a book of hard core reality check. Just go for it you've got nothing whatsoever to lose. There is only up from here. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have. Thank you Gary Bishop.