I had a strange experience at a Barnes and Noble.
It was late summer. I refer to the part of summer where it doesn’t feel enjoyable anymore because back-to-school reminders are everywhere—commercials, the holiday sections of Target, any conversation with distant relatives. Mid-August is the Sunday of the week for sure. It was around this time that I felt pressured to find a planner. To Barnes and Noble I went.
Bookstores are great because of the abundant possibilities; I love discovering unexpected things. One evening, I was browsing the sale shelf. Wedged between the Sudoku books and mindfulness coloring books was the aesthetically pleasing Hygge Puzzles. I picked it up, flipped through the pages, and was intrigued. It was a collection of brain teasers, word searches, crosswords, mazes, and quotes. There was an introduction, too. I had to do more research.
Hygge, pronounced “hoo-ga,” represents a concept or lifestyle with roots in the Nordic countries. It represents finding pleasure in life’s simplicities and the pursuit of comfort and contentment. Basically, it encompasses all aspects of everyday life. Hygge could be linked to why Europe’s northernmost nations are supposedly the happiest on Earth.
My question was: how is a puzzle book hygge? The answer is easy—it isn’t. Hygge goes beyond an inanimate object. One must be willing to adopt an attitude and use it. Actions and feelings are what build a hygge atmosphere. It is about simplicity, coziness, and joy. Remaining aware in moments of pleasure, ease, relaxation, serenity, etc., is essential to being hygge. Hygge can be curling up by the fire with a wool blanket or taking a walk. It can be living cleanly or having cheerful conversations. Putting aside the phone in favor of puzzles can even be hygge. All things can be made hygge by letting go of worries, excessive wants, and unnecessary distractions.
I didn’t buy the hygge book that night. I bought it a week later after falling in love with the hygge philosophy. Although I am not a miraculously changed person, I am doing better. That is enough. So, I advise anyone willing to try something new to check it out. Let hygge add some delight to your days.