A friend of mine told me about this book: “The little book of Hygge – The Danish was to live well’’. Here is what I loved about this new concept I came across:

Hygge has been called everything from ‘the art of creating intimacy’’, ‘’coziness of the soul’’ and ‘’absence of annoyance’’ to ‘’taking pleasure from the presence of shooting things’’. In a clear way, it can be understood as wellbeing, a feeling of home and being with the people we love.

The Happiness Research Institute shows that the key to understanding high levels of well-being in Denmark is the welfare model`s ability to reduce risk, uncertainty and anxiety among its citizens and prevent extreme unhappiness. Danes are the happiest people in Europe according to the European Social Survey, but they are also the ones who meet most often with their friends and family and feel the calmest and most peaceful.

The Hygge Manifesto

– Atmosphere (light a candle)

– Presence (Be here now, turn off the phone! Read/Talk to a child, walk the dogs, adult care,)

– Pleasure (Popcorn, blankets, hot drinks, chocolate, cookies, music, books, things made out of wood, ceramics, cushions….)

– Gratitude (general voluntary acts, adult care)

– Equality (‘’we’’ over ‘’me’’)

– Harmony (our words and language shape our hopes and dreams for the future and our dreams for the future shape how we act today)

-Comfort

-No drama! (go for a walk…)

-Togetherness (touch releases the neurohormone oxytocin, which makes us feel happy and reduces stress, fear and pain)

-Shelter