Art of Cozy Living
In my journey of learning to live a simpler life, I discovered hygge. You probably have seen hygge on your social network along with a beautiful picture of a winter night, with blankets, a hot drink, and a fireplace. It’s a very relaxing image. It makes you feel warm and relaxed just looking at the pictures of hygge.
Hygge (pronounced as hue-gah) is a Danish word. The word hygge doesn’t directly translate in English, but it can be summed up as the art of cozy living – enjoying the simple things in life, contentment, and creating an intimate environment. Hygge, in a nutshell, is whatever makes you physically and mentally cozy. Hygge is all about celebrating life›s little moments. Therefore, it must be the ability to find contentment in the tiny and everyday mundane things.
Hygge lifestyle is easy to create. Just think about a warm, cozy atmosphere. Think low lighting, maybe soft music in the background, or quiet conversation with loved ones. Set up some comfortable seating, cozy blankets to keep the chill away, or perhaps add fairy lights to create a soft, enchanting glow in your favorite room. Or maybe you prefer beautiful candlelight to extend your summer evening outdoors. The ideas are endless in building a cozy atmosphere.
Food is essential in living the hygge lifestyle. Just think of good food with good company. And don’t feel guilty about eating sugary treats or baked goods occasionally with some of your favorite people. The food can be anything you create to eat but preparing them yourself or with the company of someone increases the hygge-factor more than buying from a store. Don’t you love the aroma of rising bread in the oven that fills your kitchen? Hygge is all about savoring such sweet moments. When you are mindful of such moments, you realize you don’t need much to be content in life.
Drinks like hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate are a must for hygge, as well. Especially in the cold months, the warmth provided by a hot drink is a bonus. During the warm months, nothing says summer like iced tea. Make up a gallon of sun tea, and you’ll be ready for hot days in the backyard. Keep it cool in insulated glasses or store other beverages like lemonade in a patio table pitcher.
Here are a few ideas to bring hygge into your everyday life: Light lots of candles. Dim the bright overhead lights and enjoy the coziness of low, warm lighting. Host an old-fashioned potluck dinner from time to time. Invite some friends to bring a dish to share and simply enjoy each other’s company. No cheating and planning, though. You may end up with fantastic gourmet food or seven bags of potato chips and French onion dip. That’s half the fun. Go outside, no matter the weather, and enjoy. There’s an old saying: There is no bad weather, only bad clothing. So bundle up if it’s cold, throw on some rain boots and a raincoat if it’s raining, and go outside for a while. Sunny days aren’t the only days with value; embrace all the weather! Home-cooked meals are the best. Get some soup simmering on the stove or throw a roast in the oven. Enjoy the act of preparing it, the scent of food cooking, and the meal itself. Ditch the cell phone for a while. Take a break from your phone, turn off the tv. Have a conversation, play a game, or just enjoy the quiet. Take your time & linger a bit and watch what is around you. We spend so much of our lives rushing to get to the next thing. Take a break from that. Take your time, enjoy someone’s company without a time limit, linger over a good meal. Remember, hygge is the feeling of
coziness you create. Hygge is savoring the little moments of life by being connected. The season or the place you live in doesn’t matter if you find a way to enjoy everyday pleasures. In other words, the season or location doesn’t matter if you can find a way to bring hygge to your life.
If you have any tips or tricks you would like to share or questions on just simplifying your life or pets life, email me at publisher@thevindicator.com