Let’s talk hygge

Seven tips on how to be more hygge this autumn

 

Meik Wiking, in his book The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well, shares with the world tips from what Forbes claims to be the second happiest country in the world. Hygge is regarded as a lifestyle which embraces the present by being consciously cosy and content. The hygge concept has been a hit globally and with good reason. As the weather begins to change, it’s easy for our moods to change with it, hygge allows for us to embrace the cold with our own warmth. Being present and comfortable in the moment rather than wishing it were summer again. Here are some tips on how to feel more hygge this autumn as we forget summer and embrace the cold.

hygge

Burning wax

As we can feel the dark nights creeping in, lighting candles is a great way to invite some hygge into your life. Scented or not, plenty of candles creates a relaxing ambience. Although candles don’t necessarily create much heat, it’s the lighting that creates a cosy effect. Don’t just light candles when you have visitors or guests, do it for yourself when you’re at home alone. This is a great tip for being consciously cosy.

 

hygge

Sharing a meal

Make time for sharing a meal, preferably dinner. Whether it’s with family, friends or housemates, make the effort to share food with the good people in your life. Dinner is preferred, as it creates a space to unwind and destress from the pressures of life at the end of a day. We need food to survive, but we also need it because it can taste pretty good sometimes and sharing that with the people in your life can, very rarely, be a bad experience. 

Dress for the weather

Summer is gone, and as we enjoy the very last stretches of natural heat, we begin to part way with our light clothes. Dressing for the weather is bringing hygge with you. Accepting the fact that the cold and rain will soon be part of everyday life in Ireland, but not letting that get you down, is essential to hygge. Woolly jumpers, hats, fluffy socks, and gloves are now symbols of cosiness rather than just cold weather.

Arts and crafts

Getting crafty is a great way to celebrate hygge. Nurturing your inner creativity by producing something visible that expresses yourself is the ultimate way to be present.

Get with nature

Going outdoors doesn’t have to be exclusive to good weather. Find yourself a nice walk in nature and dress for the weather, whether that’s by yourself or with good company. Hygge is primarily about being present, and in order to do that you have to connect with yourself. Getting outdoors connects you to the rest of the world and being in nature is one of the best ways to connect with yourself.

hygge

Click here to find some of the best walks try in Ireland.

Treat yourself on a miserable day

Buy yourself a coffee, tea, or hot chocolate on a rainy day, or get yourself a chocolate fudge brownie when you’ve had a bad day at work. Practice self-love when all the external forces are against you. You don’t need anyone else to make you feel hygge, you can do it all by yourself. Forget the guilt of spending money on something small for yourself in your hour of need. Treating yourself is treating the soul, and treating the soul is hygge.

hygge

Make your living space your sanctuary

Finally, make your living space your sanctuary. Your home can be wherever you want it to be, but wherever it is, make sure it’s just right for you. At the end of every day, you should be able to separate everything from your life and be content with the space you call home. This doesn’t mean you need to have a home makeover, it just means use the tools and resources that you have to create an environment that you are, and always will be, fulfilled in and somewhere you are happy to call home. 

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Dara Thornton
Dara Thornton

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