Jodie Eckleberry-Hunt - Move on Motherf*cker: Live, Laugh, and Let Sh*t Go

Move On Motherf*cker (MOMF) is a modern, efficacious self-help tool kit designed to provide relief for people with common mental health issues surrounding depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, bad habits, and personal or work-related relationship problems. Readers will discover how to change and improve problematic behavior patterns and negative thoughts through a series of compelling vignettes, exercises, and self-reflections without getting lost in the weeds of therapeutic psychobabble. Its a hell-yes, hands-on, user-friendly approach to begin feeling empowered to get better.

Timothy Jay, PhD , professor of psychology emeritus at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and author of Why We Curse

Honest, salty self-talk can be a true balm for anxiety, shame, sadness, and despair. So take it from one motherf*cker to another: move on, and read this book!

Sarah Knight , New York Times bestselling author of Calm the F*ck Down

MOMF is like that blunt friend who calls you on your sh*t and puts things into f*cking perspective. Using humor, a lot of profanity, and the foundation of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), Eckleberry-Hunts book guides readers through a reality check, and teaches them to change the voice of negativity and doubt to that of a motherf*cker who is ready to kick ass! This is a readers guide to self-empowerment!

Britt A. Nielsen, PsyD, ABPP , associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University

I enthusiastically recommend MOMF to my patients, colleagues, friends, and family. This book is an incredible tool, incorporating humor, honesty, and a little rebelliousness on the journey to become the best version of ourselves. The vignettes, reflections, and activities are relevant and empowering. Using MOMF, you will laugh, learn, and hopefully find peace.

Lori Washe, MD , medical director for Premier Private Physicians in Troy, MI; family medicine practitioner for twenty years; and clinical faculty member at Oakland University William Beaumont Medical School

If you are searching for help living your best life, this book is for you! MOMF teaches you how to use profanity and humor to move past negative self-talk toward reaching your goals and finding peace and happiness. MOMF is the friend that gives it to you straight and urges you to move forward. There isnt a friend, family member, or patient of mine that couldnt benefit from reading this.

Jennifer Tucciarone, MD , family medicine physician

In a sea of self-help books, it is understandable to ask, why this one? Simply put, this is the book to get if you are finally ready to change your life. You will get straight talk about how to move on and begin truly living your life today. Written in an engaging and humorous style, this book delivers. I will be strongly recommending this book to my patients.

Darren R. Jones, PhD, LP , director of behavioral medicine clinical operations, and director of resident wellness at Beaumont Health

Contents

Publishers Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2020 by Jodie Eckleberry-Hunt

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

www.newharbinger.com

Cover design by Amy Shoup

Acquired by Jennye Garibaldi

Edited by Marisa Solis

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file

Foreword

Ive dabbled in self-help books in the past. Ive tried journaling and mindfulness. But Ive always had the sneaking suspicion that the authors of these books wanted me to be a more saintly, more grace-filled, more infinitely patient version of myself. This book, in contrast, knows that Im sometimes a motherfucker, who just cant get out of her own damned way. If that sounds like you, then dive in.

Jodie Eckleberry-Hunt has written a manifesto and manual for the imperfect, impatient, and impertinent among us. She blends tried- and-true techniques from her years of clinical practice with the latest cutting-edge research on the benefits of being salty. And also, its fucking funny!

There are benefits aplenty to salty language. In my own research on swearing, I discovered that people are more likely to use strong language to sympathize, to amuse, or to express frustration than they are to use it abusively. Sure, there are some assholes out there, but most of us mofos just use cussing to get through the inevitable frustrations of living in the real world.

Research also shows that swearing really does help with painwhether its the emotional kick-in-the-nuts of a bad breakup, or an actual kick in the actual nuts. Swearing lessens pains hold over us and lets us find new reserves of strength. Swearing seems to go back as far as humanity; some of the earliest recorded informal writing (call it the Roman equivalent of scribbling in a toilet stall) has plenty of rude, ribald, and robust language. And even chimpanzees, when taught to sign, invent a swearing lexicon as soon as they internalize their first taboo.

While youre not likely to find swearing in psychology textbooks (yet), theres plenty of data to show that its a tool we need in our language. Its a form of language so pervasive and profound that it can even withstand the kind of brain damage that robs us of the ability to use any other words.

Dr. Eckleberry-Hunt has figured out a way to make the power of swearing work for you. So say fuck yeah to the possibility of facing that pain, releasing that frustration, and dealing with the assholes getting in your wayeven when one of those assholes is you.

Its time to embrace the power of MOMF.

Emma Byrne, PhD, author of Swearing Is Good for You

Introduction

Like a lot of ideas that work, what I am going to teach you started with a personal disaster.

Heres the story of how move on, motherfucker was born.

Ive been a health psychologist for nearly two decades now. I love the work, love it. But does that mean I always love my job? No, it does not.

In addition to my private practice, I work with hospitals and medical schools, teaching doctors and medical students to help people with psychological and emotional concerns. After eleven enjoyable years with a great organization, I found a new job closer to home.

This, as it turned out, was a mistake.

I arrived at the new place full of ideas and enthusiasm. But I quickly discovered it was really dysfunctional. Even chaotic. Soon I was obsessing about what a terrible decision Id made changing jobs. This was not helpful, but I could not seem to stop.

In my therapy practice, I help patients try to focus on what they can control: themselves. Clearly, it was time to practice what Id preached. So I told myself to let go of trying to fix everything that was messed up. I told myself to stop taking on more responsibility in order to make it better. I told myself to ignore the negativity that surrounded me. I told myself to let go of the urge to change things that I couldnt control. I told myself to stop being so perfectionistic and controlling. I told myself to just breathe and let go.