About this quote

We spend our lives gathering stuff we think will make us happy. We buy gadgets and fill our closets to the brim. But true freedom starts when you look at a store window and realize you want absolutely nothing in it. It is a quiet power. Next time you feel the urge to buy, ask yourself what you are actually trying to fill.

When to use it

• Decluttering the garage on a Saturday morning: 'Look at all these unopened boxes from last year's holiday sales. How many things I have no need of!'
• Deciding to delete three social media accounts that cause daily stress: 'I just realized I spent hours scrolling through people I don't even like. How many things I have no need of!'
• Packing up a house to downsize to a smaller, simpler apartment: 'As we fit our lives into fewer boxes, I feel lighter. How many things I have no need of!'
• Turning down a high-stress promotion that requires constant travel and buying expensive suits: 'I want dinner with my kids, not a fancier job title and a corporate lease. How many things I have no need of!'