Apparently, the Danes have figured it out and coziness will save us all. 

At the beginning of the year, I was introduced to the concept of Hygge.

A quick Google or Pinterest search brings a cascade of lifestyle porn onto the screen filled with images of hot chocolate, fuzzy blankets, and lots of creamy, warm colors. To say Hygge is entrenched in our cultural zeitgeist is putting it mildly. It is the “quinoa” of lifestyle: everyone seems to be eating it and somehow I missed it.

Hygge is derived from Denmark and it is a concept born from their harsh winters. While the word has no direct translation, the closest English terms are warm and cozy. What it is expressely not, according to Danes, is a lifestyle or self-help trend, though its American adoption would suggest otherwise. This is an ephemeral, indescribable quality at the core of the Danish way of life, much like freedom is for the US.

Meik Wiking, Author of the international best-seller The Little Book of Hygge, defines it as: being consciously cozy, the pursuit of everyday happiness, the art of making a nice atmosphere and my personal favorite, socializing for introverts.

I’m in.

My process to embody Hygge required a few steps.

Cozying up our home.

At its core, Hygge is essentially a word capturing all the things people enjoy doing in the wintertime, which was a welcome experiment for me since we live in perpetual 80-degree heat here in Miami.

My first Hygge-fication involved making our house cozy. I got rid of all the excess, even going as far as asking myself what objects brought me joy. I had 3 garbage bags of items to donate and I also added a crap ton of candles. You can never have enough candles, according to Hygge.

My small apartment wasn’t transformed to the naked eye, but it did feel different to consider the space from a more meaningful perspective. The little adjustments and candles did seem to activate something.

For a moment, I thought I may have turned into one of those people who fall for lifestyle trends–– no better than the those who buy jade eggs from Goop and stick them up their hoohaa for good vibes… until my fiance walked in the door. He looked around our living room and said simply, “Something feels different. It’s nice. What did you do?”

Phase 1 was complete.

Relaxation.

My fiance finds my lengthy morning routine endearing and obnoxious. I require a minimum of an hour and a half of relaxation before I move my ass to do anything productive. If for some reason I’m not able to get this time, the rest of the day is spent suppressing a tantrum.

Since this was already happening, I could take my relaxation to the next level whilst enjoying my Hygge environment.

Indulgence.

Not one to deprive myself a glass of wine with dinner, this part of the hygge process is essentially treating yo’self… all the time and for no reason but happiness. Simply existing earns you your keep on earth and all the treats that go with it.

Hyggee is about all the things we deserve, like donuts, cake and alcohol. If none of this seems like good advice for your health, the Danes are well aware. They are the first to point out their people are happiest in the world, not healthiest. Touche.

Gratitude.

Spending time with people you love was something else Wiking cited in his Hyggee debriefing. I could think of nothing better to do with my time than prioritize the people I love.

This part of Hygge was surprising, I was tempted to blow it off thinking I had it down packed. But true quality time, as I have learned, is not the same as physically occupying the same space. This powerful distinction, coupled with the candles, chill time and wine, tied my Hygge experiment with a bow.

I did not want to turn off the TV and ask the same lackluster question, like how’s your day? So I looked up couple questionnaires, the type I used to see in magazines like Cosmo when I was too young to have a sweetiepie to ask. I found a good one and brought it up to my sweetie. He was reasonably resistant at first, it does feel ridiculous to sit on the couch and declare we are going to guide our conversation with questions I found–– online.

But ever the dutiful partner he is, he went with it… and we actually began to learn things about each other. It’s a freaking gift. Thank you, Hygge.

What did I learn?

Our Hygge week was more than converting our days into a real-life Pinterest board, it was about simple pleasures and added consciousness, emphasis on that last part. Hygge can be boiled down to being more present in your moment. It reminded me of a curious lesson Bruce Lee used to teach his students. He told them to stop thinking. According to him, we lose the second we being to think because life is not a problem to solve or think about, but an experience to have.

Maybe it’s that i’m typing this in candlelight savoring chocolate on a workout day, but i’m for it. My take on Hygge is that its concept is literally consciousness rolled out with coziness, quality time and good lighting. It’s awareness packaged in a marketable way and I can’t hate on it.