I stumbled upon a book named The Little Book of Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) by Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark, and was instantly captivated by the Danish concept of hygge, a word whose closest translation to English is “coziness.”
The word itself does not really do justice to understanding hygge, which is more a feeling and experience stemming from enjoying the little things in life. Think camping with a group of your closest friends huddled around a campfire roasting marshmallows, passing around a bottle of spiced cinnamon whiskey, or a flask of hot chocolate while a ukulele is being played. Then add the sound of quiet waves in the background only heard when silence falls for a second or two. Sounds really nice, doesn’t it?
“ Hygge has been called everything from ‘the art of creating intimacy’, ‘cosiness of the soul’ and ‘the absence of annoyance’ to ‘taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things’, ‘cosy togetherness’ and, my personal favourite, ‘cocoa by candlelight’. ”
– Meik Wiking, The Little Book of Hygge
Wiking compares the prevalence of hygge in Danish culture to freedom in American culture. So it’s a very big deal in Denmark. The Danes have consistently been ranked as the happiest people in the world, and Wiking attributes this to being obsessed with a hygge lifestyle for personal well-being and community spirit.
So how can you have a more hyggelig lifestyle? I’m going to tell you five ways you can implement some hygge elements in your life.
- Candles (lighting)
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Time and time again, candles are used to “set the mood,” change the ambiance from the mundane to something softer, more comforting; be it a romantic dinner or a long bath after a tiring week. Hygge emphasizes this indoor atmosphere of soft lighting—primarily candles, although other sources of light that give a similar look can also be used—to maximize coziness. For the Danes, candles aren’t restricted to special events at home; they can be found in a range of places, from classrooms to boardrooms. They’re an integral part of the culture.
Who doesn’t love candles anyway? Try it for yourself! Turn off that harsh fluorescent light in your room and light up some candles (bonus hygge if they’re scented).
- Treat yourself (and your friends and family)
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It’s so easy to get swept away in a whirlwind of academia, work and bills, that you have to actively remember to stop and appreciate the little things in life. The Danes place huge importance on treating yourself to comfort food, desserts and hot drinks. What most of the world does in the thick of winter, the Danes practice year-round (which isn’t very surprising, considering their temperate climate).
So get yourself a mug of hot chocolate if you’re early for class. Make an extra batch of cookies when you bake next and leave it on the kitchen table for your housemates. Treat yourself to that bowl of poutine you’ve been wanting or an extra slice of pizza. As fall transitions into winter, it’s these little things that’ll keep you warm.
- Invest time and effort into relationships
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We’ve all had friends in classes that we drifted apart from at the end of the semester; people we’ve shared residence halls with that we stopped hanging out with since moving off campus or high school friends that we barely talk to because we attend different universities. It’s bound to happen as you enter new chapters of your life. There has to be a mutual effort put in to build foundations for long-lasting relationships, be they platonic or romantic, which can be difficult to maintain. Feeling lonely seems almost inevitable, if this is a regular thing. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Reach out to people you had a connection with and weren’t able to stay in contact with just out of convenience. And next time you make a new friend, make sure to not let the friendship fizzle out before it’s even had a chance. It might just become a wonderful life-long friendship both of you will cherish.
Hygge is all about togetherness and community with equality. No one person dominates the conversation. Hygge is simply about having a good time while feeling content, safe and respected within your social circles and extending the same treatment to others.
- Relax (self-care)
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I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to take care of yourself. Burnout resulting from getting too invested in the grind is a very real thing and it can be debilitating. To continue from the previous point about building social connections, it might seem paradoxical, but make sure to take time off for yourself, doing things that you’re interested in, for yourself.
Wiking suggests creating an “emergency kit” for weary days when you absolutely need a pick-me-up. It could consist of an extra soft blanket, a couple pairs of your coziest, most cheerful socks, a pack of cinnamon rolls stowed away in your kitchen cabinet (but don’t let them get stale), or even a playlist of music that comforts you! (Here’s mine, which you’re welcome to check out.)
- Gratitude
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“Take it in. This might be as good as it gets.” – Miek Wiking.
This doesn’t mean that you should ignore any unfavourable aspects of your life—acknowledge them, accept them, and work on making them better while being conscious of the good in your life. A lot of people recommend maintaining a gratitude journal, and I agree that it’s a good practice. It’s a grounding exercise to keep yourself focused on the present and thus not getting swept away by the events of the past or what might happen in the future, as a reminder that you have things in life to be grateful for.
Sometimes it’s the trivial things in life that brings you unexpected happiness: feeding birds that crowd around you when you stop at a café for coffee and a croissant after a sleep-deprived night, noticing that your housemate did your dishes for you and telling them how much you appreciate it, or your significant other checking in on you to make sure you’re back home safe after being out late.
This list covers just a few simple essentials of adopting a hygge lifestyle. If you found this resonated with you, I’d highly recommend reading the book by Miek Wiking. You can get a copy here. It’s beautifully illustrated and well-written, making for a very cozy read for a rainy afternoon in. You could say that the book itself is hygge (hah). What’s your favourite hygge activity? Tell me in the comments!
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