Remembering what’s really important with Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki – Live Wildly

“Why do we own so many things when we don’t need them? What is their purpose? I think the answer is quite clear: We’re desperate to convey our own worth, our own value to others. We use objects to tell people just how valuable we are”.

It can be easy to fall into the trap of consuming.

We buy things we don’t need, spend money because we feel we have to, and give people extravagant gifts to prove how much we love them.

If ever there was a time to read Goodbye, Things: On Minimalist Living by Fumio Sasaki, it would be now.

The book is about minimalism and Fumio Sasaki’s own mission to declutter and drastically reduce his possessions. But it’s even more so about knowing what’s really important.

This might be quality time with your family, a home-cooked meal with friends, freedom to see the world, or the space to relax and have time for yourself.

One of my favourite takeaways from the book is this:

When I’m considering buying something, to ask what I want this item to say about me. Do I want people to think I have good taste? That I have money to spend on expensive shoes?

One thing I know for sure: I buy things because I want people to think a certain way about me.

“We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves”.—FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Realising this has changed a lot since I read the book several months ago. I haven’t bought any new clothes because I know that I don’t need them (“even though a pretty Prana dress would make me come across as such a happy, free person…”)

I’m by no means a perfect minimalist, but the most money I’ve spent recently was when my brother visited me in Switzerland, and that was entirely on experiences.

We went to a spa with an outdoor salt pool and spent two hours enjoying the view across the lake and mountains. He said he was the most relaxed he’d ever been. I took him bouldering for the first time and confirmed that he was much stronger than me.

We made memories together and had a great time. To me, that’s worth so much more than a new party dress.