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The more people learn about Hygge, the more people want to LIVE Hygge. Denmark, the second happiest country in the world, brings us this Norwegian word. Some say it means cozy or comfort. Others tell us it means well-being. But let’s face it…Hygge comes from the word “HUG.” Doesn’t that say it all?
Hygge is a word for things, atmospheres, situations, or rooms that have that feeling of giving you a sweet, safe, cozy, and comforting hug. Couldn’t we all use that for our well-being? So how do you get there when your day has more things that feel cold, prickly, and unfriendly than you like? Is there a way to not only experience Hygge here and there but LIVE HYGGE every day of your life? We believe there is, and it’s much easier than you might think. So let’s get started. The 10 Principles Of Hygge That Will Change Your Life
Live Hygge By Understanding What It Means.
So, we have talked about what the word Hygge means. We’ve also mentioned what it feels like. But what does it look like in real 3D life action and experience? Hygge starts from anything that makes you smile. Look for warm, welcoming, nostalgic, safe, comforting, and cozy things. Remember, you’re going for “feels like a hug.”
Hygge could look like many things, but typically, it involves warm, soft things, soft lighting, warm fireplaces, snuggle blankets, and soft music. It usually includes nostalgic or favorite things like your favorite coffee cup, your all-time favorite book, old movies you loved as a kid, and anything that smells like sugar and vanilla.
Live Hygge By Realizing What Coziness and Comfort Mean To You.
That tells you what Hygge Living is in general. But what is it when it comes to you, and what brings you what we call “Comfort and Joy?” If you love the beach, a sunset walk along the shore is a beautiful example of Hygge. But if you are afraid of the water, that feels like anything but safe and warm.
What makes you feel like you received a kind, warm, loving hug from a room? What makes you feel safe? What makes you feel comfy, cozy, and content? You have your own favorites for sweet and fun. You know if a fuzzy, weighted blanket is heaven or too heavy. You know if candlelight makes you sigh with Hygge contentment or makes you nervous because you caught the house on fire once as a kid.
Your idea of what Live Hygge means is often about memories of people who made you feel safe and supported. They are about memories of places that felt like home and stories that made you feel like you belonged. Whatever coziness and comfort mean to you is your Hygge, and that’s all that matters. The 10 Principles Of Hygge That Will Change Your Life
Live Hygge By Bringing Those Things To Every Part Of Your Life.
Once you know what feels good to you, the next step is to gather it up and spread it around. Comfort isn’t just for when you think you are coming down with something. Just like candles aren’t just for date night. Once you know what “Comfort and Joy” feels like to you, add it to every part of your life.
Take a favorite coffee cup to work. Hang something that reminds you of your Grandma on your rearview mirror. Travel with your favorite pillow and blanket so that any hotel room feels cozy and sweet. Play music in your car that reminds you of dancing with your Dad in the kitchen.
To Live Hygge is finding the things that make you feel warm, safe, and cozy everywhere. Bringing your childhood teddy bear to the office might not work. But you can easily have a picture of your fur baby wrapped up in your Momma’s Aghan on top of your printer. If it feels nice, find somewhere for it in your life. The 10 Principles Of Hygge That Will Change Your Life
Live Hygge By Thinking Hygge-ish.
What if you don’t already have a house full of these comforting things? What if you have to start from scratch? Then you need to start thinking Hygge-ish. After defining what feels like a hug to you, start watching for those Hygge-ish things. Start with easy things like blankets, throws, pillows, candles, twinkle lights, and pictures of your cat.
Don’t have a fireplace? Go to YouTube and find a fireplace video you can play on your TV. Go To Netflix and start looking for old sitcoms you loved as a kid to play in the background while you eat dinner. What was your favorite treat as a kid? Go get some of that. Maybe it’s popcorn on the stove instead of the microwave. Perhaps it’s having your Momma’s cookie jar on the cabinet.
It’s easier to Live Hygge when you begin thinking Hygge-ish. Hit the thrift stores, the farm store, and eBay. What were your favorite books as a teenager and your favorite magazine in college? There is the thinking. Consider anything that made you feel safe, content, and like you belonged. Think like that. Things are waiting everywhere. You might start in Mom’s attic or your own closet.
Live Hygge By Allowing Yourself To Be Soothed and Comforted.
Hygge might be an unusual word for most people if you aren’t from Copenhagen. However, the definition is pretty straightforward to understand. Once you start thinking more Hygge-ish, it’s also not hard to imagine how to create a room filled with Hygge items. Then, it’s pretty easy to see how a Hygge atmosphere could encourage feelings of warmth, comfort, safety, and coziness.
Believe it or not, knowing what Hygge is or how to create it isn’t the typical problem. Usually, the issue comes with making time to enjoy such things. We can find it challenging to give our own “Comfort and Joy” any importance in our sense of well-being. Often we live in a culture of suck it up and walk it off. Comfort and a hug are not part of the plan.
We encourage you to pay close attention to your comfort, safety, and coziness. Allow yourself to enjoy sweet and soft things. Give yourself permission to take time off to sit on the floor in a pile of pillows and pet the cat. Make time to lay in the grass in the backyard and blow bubbles off the back porch. The 10 Principles Of Hygge That Will Change Your Life
Live Hygge By Remembering You Are The Grown-Up Now.
When we were kids, grown-ups got to decide if we had worked hard enough for a reward. They decided if we had been good enough to get a treat. They got to do the allowing. If you were ever in a stressful job or a controlling relationship, you may even know how that feels now. We are here to tell you that now…you get to do the treating and the allowing. You get to parent yourself, and man, can you be good to you. Click here to get one of our favorite childhood Hygge goodies that is great to invite friends to go down memory lane with you
You can give yourself the comfort and support that maybe wasn’t there before. You don’t have to earn it or bargain for it. You only need to choose it for yourself and know that by golly, you are absolutely deserving of sweet, cozy, and kind. It’s your hug from YOU TO YOU. You don’t have to wait in line for it. You only need to step up and allow yourself to have all the warm and pretty, comfy and cozy, safety and well-being “Comfort and Joy” you can hold. Where do you want to start? Start Now! You’ve got this!
Pixi-Pebbles For Finding Ways To Live Hygge…
Pixi-Pebbles are songs, quotes, videos, interviews, movie references, and books that we each personally pick for you.
We’ve used these little Pixi-Pebbles to move ourselves from a feeling we’re not enjoying very much…to a feeling that helps us discover our vision of intention, awareness, and direction.
They lead us to hope, possibilities, and a fire under our butt to live life by design instead of default.
In our blog, 5 Easy And Meaningful Ways To Live Hygge Every Day Of Your Life, here is a Pixi-Pebble that came to mind…
Just a little inspiration to get you from here to there…
Its no secret we love cats…our very own cats show up in blog pictures quite regularly. Cats can be very soothing and help with learning to live hygge.
Seriously, have you watched cats? They show us how to stretch, sleep and play…they know hygge. No worries, if you don’t have cats of your own. We have discovered some great soothing cat and kitten videos with very relaxing music. If you are looking for a little cat inspiration, click here-we promise it will make you smile and give you just what you need to start your journey to live hygge every day!
