What is hygge, and why should you embrace it?

• I love the Danish concept of hygge. Hygge (pronounced ‘hue-gah’) is defined by the Oxford dictionary as ‘a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being’. Even that definition sounded kind of like poetry – don’t you think? Much more than just a word, however, it is an entire way of life, a very Scandinavian way of living, that I think everyone should consider embracing. What is hygge? In a nutshell, hygge is finding happiness in the little things in life. Even though it is a Danish word, it is for everyone – no matter who you are and where you are. Happiness is made up of these, rather than just grand events; finding magic in the ordinary, commonplace, imperfection. Hygge to me, in a nutshell, is: A cup of tea in the solitude of morning when no one is awake yet. Sneaking in a bite of chocolate during a bit of me-time. Listening to the rain on a winter’s day, with hands around a nice hot cup of coffee and my family around me. Enjoying a good book with a cup of tea. Spending time with family and friends. Going someplace new, travelling.Hygge is also about your physical surroundings. You can find it in a home that embraces you and uplifts you after a hard day of work; your safe harbour. We can easily take having a roof over our heads for granted, or just think of it as a burden, a never-ending mess that we have to clean. You can embrace hygge in your home by, where you can, finding a space in your house for mental recharging. For instance, place a comfortable armchair in a quiet corner with some nice plush cushions. Place a small table and a lamp next to the armchair. Have a small vase of fresh flowers on the table if that’s your thing. Then sit yourself down, and lose yourself in a good book with a cup of tea and coffee, or some yummy chocolates.

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