We all want to live a healthy and long-lasting life. And the key to doing so is to find warmth, contentment, comfort, and coziness in our lives.
The Danish people have somehow managed to discover the secret to this long-standing mystery with Hygge. People have been talking about hygge for quite some time now, and it is a Danish word that means the feeling of warmth and coziness as well as safety and comfort.
To achieve this state in life, there are certain things that you must do. Check out the beginner's guide to Danish coziness with hygge below.
What is Hygge?
Hygge, pronounced as "hoo-geh" is all about attaining an atmosphere and experience of coziness by creating a comforting social and emotional environment for yourself.
It is about choosing to surround yourself with people you are comfortable with and spending time with people and things that provide you comfort.
Others also attribute the cool weather that makes hygge more adaptable and attainable.
In a time of uncertainty, you can always rely on hygge to bring you that predictable yet comfortable feeling sense of control over your happiness and life in general.
Why Hygge is All About Self Care?
Hygge is one of the many reasons why Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. Thanks to hygge, people have a comfortable lifestyle with reduced stress and improved emotional well-being.
Hygge is all about building an atmosphere that you can be comfortable in. This can be warm dimmer lighting, nurturing social connections by spending more time with family, and many more.
The main goal of hygge is self-care which allows you to achieve a more peaceful and comfortable life.
How to Achieve Hygge as Part of Your Life
Hygge is a very subjective matter. Creating an environment that is safe and comfortable depends on the person and it can also pose a great challenge to achieve.
There are some steps that you can take to achieve hygge as part of your life.
Check them all out below.
Mood Lighting is the Best Way to Start
If you're finding it difficult to start the process of hygge inside your home, you can start by choosing to go with mood lighting. Lighting will almost instantly change the mood of a room.
Dim the lights and add some candles to change the mood of the room. If you have a fireplace, you can make a fire and dim the lights to make it more moody.
You can also buy lamps or other light fixtures to achieve this kind of atmosphere.
Add Blankets and Pillows to Your Room
Another way to achieve a comfortable lifestyle is to ensure that you are comfortable, especially when you go to sleep.
Add more blankets and pillows to your room to make it more inviting to snuggle comfortably.
Even if you do not have a partner, you can always snuggle with your pillows and blankets, especially on a cold rainy day.
Establish a Bedtime Ritual
Speaking of snuggling, you should always establish a bedtime ritual so you allow your body to prepare for sleep.
Doing this ritual every time you go to sleep will alert your body that it is time to sleep. This makes it a lot easier to fall asleep and you get a good night's rest.
With the comfortable blanket, pillows, and sheets as well as the mood lighting, you will always fall asleep faster.
Narrow Down Your Circle of Friends
It can be very tiring to tend to a lot of friends especially if they are on several circles. You have to build a schedule around them and you get stressed by just trying to cater to the friendship.
The best way to handle this is to narrow down your circle to just close friends and choose only a few to hang out with.
The small circle of close friends allows you to just relax. Choose the close friends that allow you to feel and share your thoughts without judgment.
Spend More Time with Family
Apart from spending time with your friends, you should also spend more time with your family.
Go ahead and invite them to dinner that you have prepared and talk about life. Be in the moment with your family.
Ask about what their lives are outside of work and how things are going. You can even ask them about what they do to achieve hygge.
Be Mindful
Mindfulness is another key to unlocking hygge. Being mindful of every little detail and allowing yourself to feel the moment lets you center yourself and be stress-free.
Turn off your mobile device and focus on the moment. Listen to songs that soothe your mind and soul and treat yourself once in a while.
Live your life like you are truly enjoying every moment of it and you'll soon realize that you have achieved hygge.
Learn a New Craft
You can also learn a new craft and see if it can help you with your focus. A new craft requires a lot of concentration and learning which can be a way to help relieve some stress from work.
If you're not in the position to learn a new craft, you can always revisit the craft that you've always wanted to do but never had the time.
This gives you the time to fulfill a need you while also detaching yourself from social media and other stressors in life.
Start Cooking
Another way to achieve hygge is to start cooking. There is something very cozy about cooking and eating the food that you prepared.
Cooking something allows you to be in touch with your skills and to yourself. It is all about pleasure and enjoying the moment as you produce something from the different ingredients that you have gathered.
Notice how calming it is to just be in the moment as you cook your food? That experience is what you call hygge.
Conclusion
There is a reason why the Danish people are some of the happiest people in the world. They have incorporated hygge into every aspect of their lives and it has allowed them to reach the peak of contentment, comfort, and happiness. You too can achieve hygge by following the tips mentioned above.
