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- Herausgeber: Sofia Madsen
- Kategorie: Ratgeber
- Sprache: Englisch
Do you want to find happiness, contentment, and relaxation all rolled into one? If so then keep reading…
Do you find your day gets too hectic? Never enough time to relax? Stressed out often? Or always find yourself doing something you don’t enjoy? If you do, within this book many Hygge experts have shared their knowledge on how to overcome these problems and more, most of which have many years worth of experience.
In Hygge Mastery, you will discover:
- A simple trick you can do to enjoy life’s simple pleasures throughout the day!
- The best way found to incorporate Hygge into your daily life – even if you’re on a budget!
- Why Hygge’s origins matter in today’s world!
- Understanding why some people will fail to incorporate a Hygge lifestyle!
- And much, much more.
The proven methods and pieces of knowledge are so easy to follow. Even if you’ve never heard of hygge before, you will still be able to understand the concepts behind Hygge and possibly start weaving them into your day.
So, if you don’t just want to revolutionize your life, then click “Buy Now” in the top right corner NOW!
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
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Sofia Madsen
Hygge Mastery
Table of contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Ideas to Create Ideal Hygge Homes
Chapter 2: Hygge and Mastering Togetherness
Chapter 3: Hygge and Happiness
Chapter 4: Soulful Winter Hygge Hacks
Conclusion
Introduction
Picture this. You’ve spent a lovely night sitting by the fireplace, enjoying a big cup of cocoa, while catching up with your loved ones. You’re totally in the moment and find yourself thinking, “This is indeed one of the greatest pleasures of life.”
Cut to another scenario, you’ve just got out of bed of a chilly wintery morning, lit a scented candled in the room, wrapped yourself in a cozy blanket and spent the day reading your favorite book. Again the familiar “pleasures of life” feeling.
Think about a particularly stormy night that you spent indoors, enjoying a round of warm drinks and snacks, while discussing interesting current events with a bunch of friends.
What’s all this about? This is exactly what hygge is in simple words.
Hygge (pronounced hue-gah) is gaining global recognition as a happiness, togetherness and wellness concept (The New Yorker featured an entire piece titled, “The Year of Hygge, The Danish Obsession with Getting Cozy”).
Hygge is a predominantly Scandinavian lifestyle concept that hails shared meals, warmth, coziness and meaningful interactions with loved ones. It emphasizes the spirit of kinship, companionship and intimacy. Hygge is about embracing the smallest joys and moments in life.
What started as a way of life or perspective is today responsible for Denmark’s consistently soaring happiness ratings (of course, the Danish breakfast has a huge role to play as well). The Danish have indeed mastered the art of appreciating the tiny pleasures of life and beating stress through staying cozy.
Explaining the concept if hygge in other languages is a herculean task because there’s really no literal word for it, at least in English language. It is more of a deeply rooted cultural concept or emotion that best describes the Danish way of life. Hygge is a sort of state of mind, a feeling that is created through pleasure inducing external conditions. It is a overpowering feeling that transforms simple, daily acts/moments into extraordinarily celebratory affairs. Hygge, for the Danish, can be best described as a celebration of everyday life.
The root of the term comes closest to the 16th-17th century Norwegian term “hugga” literally translating “to comfort”, closely related to the English word “hug”, also signifying the act of comforting someone or demonstrating intimacy. Hugga also means to be in a joyful state of existence.
Hygge is pretty much like the German gemutlichkeit concept or the Dutch gezelligheid idea, which reinforces the beauty of a cozy lifestyle. The concept has been an integral part of the Danish lifestyle since the 1800s. The earliest chronicled references of Hygge as a Danish way of life can be traced back to the early 1800’s. It slithered its way into the Nordic life in different forms and has only grown from strength to strength to its present form of absolute well-being.
It quickly caught on as a popular lifestyle concept in the United Kingdom in 2016 post a string of publications that introduced westerners to the hygge way of life. It became so huge that “hygge” was incorporated as the Collins Words of the year for 2016 list, second to Brexit. How can America be left behind when it comes to gushing over hygge? The New Yorker has covered nothing less than eight books on the subject of hygge in recent months.
The topic is trending like crazy on social media platforms too. Pinterest has pegged it as one of hottest interior décor trends for 2017 after hygge activity sky rocketed by 285 percent in 2016. More than 1.5 million Instagram posts have been tagged with the #hygge hashtag. There are frantic discussions about what is and isn’t hygge on Twitter.
The next to accurate English terms for hygge is most likely coziness, warmth and togetherness, though a literal translation is not available. It is valid to say that hygge is more a concept or a mental state induced through external physical conditions. It is not so much a physical state of existence as it’s a state of mind created by external conditions. Get where I am coming from?
Coziness can be the English language hygge counterpart but it can’t really encompass what hygge is better than probably a warm bath or soft sheepskin rug or frothing cocoa. Some objects and acts can convey the spirit of hygge better than any word. Think about sitting around a huge table near the fireplace with a bunch of snacks and drinks and your closest friends for company. Now you know what hygge is better than any word that could describe it.
Many experts view hygge as an excellent ammo for the combating long, empty and desolate Nordic winters. During the long winter seasons, loneliness, boredom and depression was known to run high. There was nothing to do outdoors on extended cold, dark nights. Thus, the spirited Nordics embraced their indoor lifestyle with gusto by resorting to hygge or creating their own internal happiness hub.
It is believed that the concept was introduced by the Danes to survive the rather monotonous and discomforting Nordic winter. Hygge, if anything, offered them a sort of respite from the endless desolation of winters. It sort injected some joy into repetitive and unexciting months, where many outdoor activities were restricted. They had to create something which allowed them to celebrate, stay happy and find joy in small, everyday moments to beat the winter monotony of days and nights.
It is all about pampering yourself, welcoming loved ones into your house, taking time out to cook/eat together and allowing yourself the little luxuries of life to fight what can be a seasonal triggered disorder. The concept, was therefore, mainly introduced for beating external weather blues by creating an inner, feel-good sanctorum.
Picture yourself being stuck in an endless warp of gloomy-dom where nights and days are one – dark. What would you do to survive it? How would you make your days extraordinary? What would you do to life up your sagging spirit? A nice read complemented by a cup of hot coffee maybe or a scented candle in the backdrop of a hit bath. How about preparing scrumptious home-made treats with friends? What started off as a mechanism for combating tough winters has now turned into a raging global fad, with the world wanting their slice of the “hygge” pie.
So what is the difference between consuming a cup of coffee in the regular way of life and the way hyggeists (okay, I just made this term up) do it? If you feel like a cup of tea or coffee, you make it and drink it. Finito. However, in the hygge way of life, you will focus on making a simple act of drinking coffee a full-fledged pleasure bonanza by creating a highly comforting atmosphere.
Even a simple evening with friends is treated as a miracle, complete with a warm intimate setting creating by fragrant candles, decadent eatables and stimulating conversation. It is all about turning a seemingly ordinary moment on its head and converting into a magical event. Hygge, in simple words, is making special/celebratory rituals out of everyday moments by being completely immersed in them. Basking in the warmth of everyday life is indeed a way of life for the happy Danes.
While hygge originated as a predominantly winter way of life, the Danish tourism body is clear about the fact that it can be experienced all year round. You can actually hyggefy your home anywhere in the world by incorporating the simple yet happiness filled Nordic lifestyle in your daily routine.
As Danish as Smorrebrod (open sandwich made of rye bread, spread and toppings), Hygge is said to light up the Danish soul. Good food is hygge, a cozy atmosphere is hygge, the incandescent candle light glow is hygge, the company of loved ones is hygge and perhaps hygge is the soundest explanation for why the Danes are the world’s happiest folks.
People all have their different versions and understanding of hygge concept. For some, the term is fraught in ambiguity yet is all-encompassing. According to others, it is the fine Danish art of inducing intimacy with your loved ones, your space and yourself. Hygge can apply to anything that makes you feel stoked and comforted.
The general unanimous consensus however is that hygge is closely entwined with comfort, reassurance and bonding. American-Danish writer Toye Maren Stakkestad has come up with a beautiful definition that epitomizes the spirit of hygge, “hygge was never meant to be translated, it was mean to be felt.”
There is a growing interest in hygge all over the world, including the fast paced USA and UK. Writer from UK are especially touring Denmark to learn more about hygge. There is even a college in UK dedicated to teaching Danish hygge. There are hygge cafes, shops and restaurants mushrooming all over the world. Yes – hygge is here to stay. Although the practiced originated and is celebrated mainly in Denmark, there are tons of ways people all around the globe can adapt hygge into their own culture and do small things to introduce hygge into their lives.
The concept of hygge leaps beyond seasons and social classes. It is cultural consciousness that Danes carry within themselves with immense pride. The reason for its popularity is that is a simple and minimalist yet all encompassing concept that appreciates the smallest rituals of life. Who wouldn’t want t seek pure bliss from a humble cup of coffee or a bunch of perfumed candles? What can be better than digging into an internal source of positivity and joy? This, especially in a chaotic world filled with technological frenzy and rush in the name of advancement/progress.
Today everything in Cohenhagen from restaurants selling lip-smacking pickled herring to the celebrated Tivoli Gardens dazzlingly lit-up during Christmas epitomizes the hygge spirit.
Hygge is a lot like meditation, which reflects a state of mind. You accomplish a particular level of happiness and peace. Of course, similar to meditation, you can’t force the hygge feeling. It has to originate within you, within your space and within the acts performed in your space.
It is easy to see why a comparison with mediation is natural. Hygge is stress-busting, welcoming and calming. It is similar to a zen state of mind. Like meditation is not a trend but a way of life, hygge too is a way of living. Happiness is indeed a way of life for the happiest folks on planet earth (hell, they even have a Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen).
Commercialization has pitched hygge as a sort of extravagant and utterly luxurious lifestyle (it may be that of course but it isn’t only just that), which isn’t doing justice to its holistic perspective. Hygge is about a space that you take pride in and a space that demonstrates you truly enjoy inhabiting it, with a shared history among loved ones. It is a feeling of completeness of the spirit.
Though as a way of life it’s difficult to determine what comes under the purview of hygge and what doesn’t, it can be broadly viewed as a sociological idea that includes interior decoration, cooking meals, intimate social gatherings, and most importantly reflecting on the so-called mundane/ordinary tasks to transform them into special celebratory memories. At the end of the day, hygge spells contentment loud and clear.
Lousia Thomsen Brits, a British-Danish author, pegs hygge as a mindfulness state that brings a greater sense of dignity, joy and beauty to mundane tasks. It is about living a life of connectedness with loved ones. It has deeper spiritual, cultural and philosophical leanings than quirky material objects. According to her, it is all about singing to affirm simplicity, community, a sense of belongingness and cheerfulness. Think gathering in intimate groups to underline a sense of unity and community.
