-Question submitted by phoenixphilanthropy2

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Dannielle Says: 

I would love to give you a list of things to do in order to NOT care, but it would be a list of total bullshit because we all care. We all care way too much. So, first step, let go of that whole ‘if only i could just NOT CARE’ thing bc even people who are really loud and obnoxious about how much they ‘dont care’ are only loud and obnoxious bc they care so much… 

Be okay with the fact that you care and embrace it, that’s literally what I did. I was awkward and uncomfortable for a really long time until one day I was like ‘eff it… I WANT TO BE COOL’ and i would literally say ‘I’M WEARING THIS SWEATER BECAUSE IT LOOKS COOL’ out loud and suddenly I didn’t really care if other people thought I was cool… as long as I thought I was cool and my friends thought I was awesome. AND YOU GUYS, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. 

We all do dumb stuff, we all look like idiots most of the time, we all say stupid things, that’s literally what we all have in common with one another. Surround yourself with people who make you feel like you don’t care. If there is someone in your life who makes you feel less than awesome, get rid of ‘em. If there is someone in your life who makes you LOL all over the place and not care about how you look or sound or feel, hang out with them more. Make sure the people in your life are positive and make your insides flop around. Those are the people that matter.

“Those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.” - Dr. Suess

Kristin Says:

It’s funny because just three minutes ago I was brushing my teeth and thinking about how we all need the help of others around us to feel good and positive about ourselves.

Specifically, I was thinking about Everyone Is Gay. My teeth-brushing-thoughts went as follows:

- “UGH I HAVE TO ANSWER MORE ADVICE TODAY AND IM SO TIRED.”
- “What if Dannielle and I get tired of answering advice FOR REAL, what will happen?!!”
- “It’s been two and a half years, though, and even though sometimes we are tired and feeling down, we still always find our way.”
- “If it weren’t for the people around us, who read us and encourage us, who let us know that we are helping them, we would never have been able to create this, and we would never be able to sustain it.”

You, readers, fuel us. You make this possible.

Every person on the planet needs encouragement. We will always be hurt, on some level, by people who cast negative thoughts our way. As a thirty-one year old person, I have just recently begun to realize that the whole, “You only need yourself, create your own happiness” line of thinking isn’t true. We need kindness. We need support. We need love. That is why it is so important to be kind to the people around us.

Last night an old man walked by my open car door as I sat down in the passenger seat, smiled at me, and closed the door for me as I tucked my feet in. He was literally just being kind for the sake of being kind. That one small act changed the shape of my entire night. The trick in caring less about the negative thoughts of others is focusing on the positive thoughts and the kindness that surrounds us. Look there, and hold your focus.