It´s that time of the year again. That time, when you’re sipping on a cup of tea indoors on a rainy Sunday morning (and we all know, we have many in Edinburgh). Or when you sit down and light a scented candle. Simply the time when you enjoy the little things in life.
Congratulations, while doing each of those things, you have successfully experienced hygge without even acknowledging it! Or should I better say Tillykke?
The Scandinavian concept originated in Denmark, where the winters are dark, cold and windy. Sound familiar?
Hygge can be found literally anywhere. From small gatherings in restaurants to cozy evenings with just yourself, a blanket and your Netflix account. This way of life for Danes has been copied and implemented as a lifestyle trend in the UK. Just look at the hashtag #hygge on Instagram. I promise, the result will be very satisfying, even if you are not familiar with the concept quite yet.
You don´t know you are experiencing hygge, until you feel it. The big secret about it is that you can´t artificially generate it. Yes of course, you can buy a nice facemask or an expensive bottle of wine, but in the end of the day it is about how you approach those things, that really creates the hygge effect.
If you feel super stressed during the exam period or maybe just know that there will come a time when you will feel super stressed (as many of us do at some point), it is quite helpful to create an emergency hygge kit.
Again, the essential part is that you create that kit for yourself with all the things you enjoy. Maybe you put your favorite chocolate bar in it or a jumper that really makes you feel comfortable. There is no right or wrong, it´s about finding those magic ingredients that make you feel good.
Broadly speaking hygge is about coziness and surrounding yourself with all the things that make you happy. If you are interested in the concept, check out The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well.
According to the World Happiness Report 2019, hygge is actually working with results; Denmark was named in the report as the second-best country to live in. So, maybe in order to achieve that all allusive pursuit of happiness we should all just try to get more hygge.
Or just pretend to be Danish.
Image: Kate Johnson via Flickr
