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What is hygge? And how do you even say it?
Hygge is more than a style trend, it’s a mindful lifestyle of coziness, togetherness and contentedness. So, how do you pronounce hygge? It’s pronounced “hoo-gah,” not “higgie,” and prior to KonMari it was one of the most popular words on social media, inciting many heated discussions over whether something is “hygge or not.”
Denmark is always at the top of “the world’s most happiest countries” lists and that is largely due to hygge. Hygge isn’t just a word- in fact it’s so much more than a word it is hard for Danes to translate for the rest of us! It’s a sense of being, a lifestyle, and the feeling of content that comes with enjoying the simple things in life. After reading the book The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, my takeaway was that hygge is living an intentionally mindful life in order to live your best life.
One of my goals for this year (and I’m intentionally making it a goal rather than a resolution) is to live a more mindful life. As a mom of adult children who are doing their own things, married to a 100% supportive man, who is a work-from-home blogger, it can be really easy to fall into ruts, never leave the house, and pretty much ignore everything going on around me. That’s pretty much how last year was, aside from summertime when we have an influx of visitors, and it’s just not an ideal way to live. It may sound like it to the very introverted among us, but even an introvert can live a mindful and intentional life to improve their life.
So I asked for, and received, The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living for Christmas and I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s a quick read – definitely less than 3 hours and if you’re really all about bringing a “cozy, mindful, contented living” change to your life you’ll find yourself dog-earing pages & revisiting them as you get it together. It 100% addressed every thought I had swirling around in my head about my goals for my (and my husband’s) life from this year forward. Why my husband? Because all of this will benefit him, too, even though he is not directly participating in being mindful, or even aware of what’s going on around him, lol! He will get to reap the rewards of my goals, just like I reap the reward of his goals. <3
What does it mean to live a hygge life?
Hygge is a lifestyle and the hygge life is comprised of a few different ideals: comfortable surroundings, cozy areas in your home, your favorite coffee shop and at your local indy bookstore. It’s enjoying time with family at your favorite restaurant not because it’s the most expensive place, but because it’s cozy, there are candles on the table, the server knows you and it’s familiar. To live a hygge life means you find comfort or happy memories or create good times with friends and appreciate the simple things that bring you joy.
- It’s adding a candle here & there throughout your home to create a soft, cozy glow. It’s being lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home and actually using it. I mean, really, what is better than cozying up in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with the book you’ve been meaning to read for ages next to a fire? Not much!
- It’s cooking a meal of comfort food and having friends over to eat chicken-pot-pie and play a game.
- It’s being comfortable in your surroundings by throwing on your favorite yoga pants, grabbing a chunk throw, putting on ridiculously cozy socks and eating a bowl of homemade soup with your love.
- It’s taking the time to spend the afternoon making your grandmother’s chocolate cake recipe to take to a friend you haven’t seen in awhile to eat while catching up over cake & coffee.
- It’s having that ooey-gooey cookie you’ve been thinking about since breakfast from the local bakery- but not only gobbling it up, but truly savoring all of the flavors and enjoying the moment.
Hygge in a nutshell:
The hygge lifestyle is taking the time to simplify your life to live a mindful, intentional existence in order to truly live your best life. It’s the “live a little” philosophy that encourages you to leave your stress at the door and enjoy the little things. It’s being present in every moment, every activity, and every experience. It’s being able to slow down, take a breath, and just be, while surrounding yourself with cozy comforts, whether they are objects, food or people who convey a sense of familiar conviviality.
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