The Cozy Trend Everyone is Talking About: Hygge

This is a guest post by Kelli Pease from The Happsters.

Have you heard of the phenomenon called hygge? It is a Danish word that means cozy and comfortable and is pronounced “HOO-GA.” Envision curling up on the couch on a cold day in front of the fireplace reading your favorite book. This word represents a happy lifestyle that fosters joy, positivity and enjoying the little things life has to offer.

While the word originally came from Norway, it was welcomed with open arms in the 1800’s in Denmark. Though this concept has been around for centuries, it has started picking up steam around the world recently. In fact, in 2016 this buzzword even made Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year!

As a happiness blogger, I was immediately drawn to this word and way of life. While I live in San Diego, where it is generally not very cold, I’ve found myself getting excited about the hygge concept anyway. Who doesn’t want to feel warm and comfy all the time?

Here’s what I’ve found myself doing to live a more hygge lifestyle specifically around my house:

1) Lighting candles

2) Using comfy blankets whenever possible

3) Sitting by the fire

4) Having tea

5) Embracing crafting hobbies

6) Baking

7) Reading positive books

While all of the things I listed above are amazing and have added a lot of joy to my life, there is a deeper meaning to hygge that some might miss. The real greatness that hygge embodies has to do with connection and mindset.

Hygge Mindset

The people of Denmark know a thing or two about happiness. They were ranked #1 in the United Nation’s World Happiness Report in 2012, 2013 and 2016.

The hygge mindset is all about finding happiness in small pleasures. A misconception about happiness is that it just finds you and you don’t have to work for it. Really, happiness is a learned skill and hygge shows us that.

Hygge represents the way of thinking that in order to find happiness in the little things, you must slow down, add small things you enjoy to your life, take time to relax and live life simply.

Hygge Connection

Another important aspect to hygge revolves connection. Hygge calls for lots of time with friends enjoying the simple life all together. They believe in making it a priority to create hygge get-togethers like having a game night, doing crafts together or just simply enjoying dinner with a few friends. Friendships are the best way to give you a feeling of community and belonging, therefore increasing your happiness.

Want to learn more about Hygge? Here are some resources you might enjoy:

Hygge Books

1) The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking (Best Seller) 

2) The Cozy Life: Rediscover the Joy of the Simple Things Through the Danish Concept of Hygge by Pia Edberg

3) Hygge: The Danish Art of Escaping the Hustle & Bustle of Modern Life and Finding Happiness in Simple Pleasures by Julia Edwards 

Hygge Instagram Accounts

1) The Simple Things (@simplethingsmag): Taking the time to live well

2) Jane Wallace (@janemcwallace): Trying to combine Scandi cool with too many other style influences. Overweight cats and an obsession with Nordic Noir.

3) Hygge Life (@hyggelife): Home goods for creating & enjoying life’s cozy moments

Are you as excited about living the hygge life as I am? Let’s put on our favorite pair of cozy socks, bake a cake, and invite some friends to hygge it up!

Author: Kelli Pease is a writer for the Happsters and ClubConnect. She has created a happiness community of over 90,000 people. She spends her free time learning everything she can about mindfulness, gratitude and happiness, drawing, hand-lettering, hosting community gatherings and taking beach walks with friends and family.

Her social media handles: Instagram: @happsters | Facebook: @happsters

Check out her blog: www.happsters.com