What is Hygge? That is the question that gets asked a lot since the term has become so popular. The general definition means creating a warm and cozy lifestyle that the Danish culture credits for making them the world’s happiest people.What is Hygge? Hygge is more than cozy blankets and socks
How do you say Hygge?
Let’s start you off right by learning the correct pronunciation of hygge in English. I mispronounced hygge for months before I finally found out I was saying it wrong. “Hoo-gah” is the proper way to say it.
Where did the word “hygge” come from?
The word hygge was originally a Norwegian word. Its translation loosely meant well-being.
The Danish adopted the word as their own, and they embody the cozy lifestyle. The United States has now embraced the Danish concept of hygge with open arms.
What is Hygge?
Hygge cannot be summarized in just a word or even a sentence. It’s a Danish word that is credited for making Denmark one of the happiest countries on earth.
The Oxford English Dictionary describes hygge as “the quality of being warm and comfortable that gives a feeling of happiness.
The best way I can describe it is an outlook on life that focuses on simple pleasures and taking the time to cultivate more of them in your life. The answer to “What is Hygge?” will vary from person to person.
It’s when you give your body, mind, and spirit rest.
You learn to enjoy the good things in life, like a sunrise or sunset, reading a book in front of a crackling fire, taking the time to savor a delicious mug of gourmet tea, and spending time with friends and family in a comfortable setting.
Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute and author of The Little Book of Hygge, answers what is hygge? this way:
“Hygge has been called everything from the “art of creating intimacy, ‘coziness of the soul,’ and ‘the absence of annoyance,’ to ‘taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things,’ ‘cozy togetherness,’ and my personal favorite, ‘cocoa by candlelight.’”
Meik Wiking
The Idea of Hygge
The Scandinavian winter months are dark and cold.
Hygge brings warmth to Denmark all year long by cultivating well-being throughout the country. It’s a way of life that is so natural to the Danes and woven into the tapestry of their daily routine.
When Danish people pick a restaurant to meet up with friends or family members, they choose it based on the ambiance and whether it’s cozy enough for the gathering.
I started writing about hygge a couple of years ago because when I stumbled upon it, I knew it was the perfect way to change your life for the better.
When you start adding rich elements to your routines, home, family life, and friendships – there’s a positive shift that starts taking place in everything you do.
Why is hygge so popular?
Hygge is about really being present in the moments of your life and taking the time to enjoy them. This message has spread throughout the world.
In today’s fast-paced world, most of us are opening up to the idea that a slower, more deliberate way of life is a better way to live. It could be as simple as being present as you drink your first cup of coffee in the morning.
What exactly does that mean? That’s the beauty of hygge. The word means different things to different people.
It’s about cultivating days that you love. The hours are peppered with your favorite things to do, eat, drink, and people you share those moments with every day.
For one person, hygge might mean spending quality time with their family and friends, watching a movie marathon, and cooking a lovely roasted chicken for dinner.
Another person defines her hygge moments as stopping the world for a few moments a day by sitting on her front porch listening to frogs croak under the stars.
How do you create a more hygge way of life?
My best advice is to subtract the things that don’t bring you joy and add in more things that bring you happiness. On the surface, that sounds easy, but it can be not easy when you’re stretched thin with obligations.
The great thing about this concept is that you can start with just a few minutes a day. What simple things can you do today that will leave you in awe?
Does taking the time to see a sunrise or sunset today fit that description? How about breaking out the board games to play with your children instead of watching television?
What if you took the longer route home from work tonight and went past those charming cottage homes you love?
Even snuggling up with a soft blanket and a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream on top can change the rhythm of the day.
Are there ways you make your meals more special? How about cooking more things from scratch?
Will making your grandmother’s favorite dessert recipe on a more regular basis add more joy to your life?
Dining by candlelight instead of regular lighting can make the evening more enchanting.
Something as simple as using cloth napkins instead of paper ones can even change the atmosphere.
Think of hygge as a flavoring you add to transforming an ordinary day into an extraordinary one. Try using all your senses to create better days. Sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste should all be considered.
What is hygge? I think you’re getting the point. It’s finding happiness in the little things by yourself or with people you love. Once you get started, it will become a way of life.
“Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.”
Meik Wiking
Instead of living your life on autopilot, hygge is a way of life that makes sure you live your life in a way that brings deep contentment to your soul.
Sometimes the outer things in life (money, power, achievements) aren’t the things that will make us happy. What is hygge? The answer is a hygge life encourages us to look at what truly brings us joy and make sure we include those things in our days.
Finding that balance between getting things done and learning to schedule downtime is all we need to live happy-centered days.
Source: Kelly for montanahappy