Hygge & the Happiest People in the World

The Goal: To Charm Your Experience of Winter

To turn the winter version of "bah humbug!" into "it's a wonderful life!"
Read on to learn about how to do it. ...

Winter in Denmark

"A recent study concluded that, as sunlight dwindles during the winter, so do your levels of serotonin — the neurotransmitter that plays a role in mood. And yet Denmark, with its cold winters and December sunsets that occur as early as 3:43 p.m., still took the top spot as happiest country in the 2012 and 2013 World Happiness Report." ~ Mashable.com

Given the extreme lack of sunlight in Denmark during the winter, I find it remarkable that they not only survive but thrive. I really admire that kind of determination!!

What does hygge give to them that keeps them going during the long, dark winters? And what can we learn from them that could be helpful to us wherever we are?

What Hygge is & How They Stay "Happiest"

"(It's) a feeling or mood that comes taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary, every day moments more meaningful, beautiful or special," the website reads. "Whether it’s making coffee a verb by creating a ritual of making it then lingering over a cup to a cosy evening in with friends to the simple act of lighting a candle with every meal. Hygge is being aware of a good moment whether it’s simple or special. Basically, hygge is living in the moment and choosing to marvel in the simple pleasures that make you feel warm & cozy."
~ SheKnows.com

Hygge is a way of life, a philosophy that, once adopted, changes everything! If living it keeps getting the Danish people pronounced the world's happiest, then we can learn from them.

I read The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking and it is full of the way they live their lives in Denmark and how hygge can help. As I read it, I realized that they do all the things that can help during winter, but they do it in hygge ways.

Want to know more about how they use hygge in Denmark or you can use hygge to beat winter blues? Check back for tomorrow's blog post.

See you next time!

Love, Jeanine