Perhaps it’s my Scandinavian roots, or that my body has required extra care this year after meeting a hard patch of ice while gliding down the slopes of our local ski hill. Or it could be that the world seems to need extra comfort and joy after one of the most difficult years most of us can remember having…ever.
Whatever the reason, hygge is still on my mind.
When I wrote about this Danish way-of-life in Get Happy with Hygge (below) earlier this year, my body was still lingering in the coziness of the concept.
Even now, as I watch our first major snowstorm of the season silently fall outside my window, there’s a strong pull to snuggle in with warm blankets and a cup of tea or hot cocoa. This aspect of hygge calls me to light a candle as I watch the large soft flakes blanket my yard in white. It invites me to sit in stillness and listen to the sound of silence, and to wrap myself into the peaceful being of my inner world. For one spacious moment, I sit in this expansive stillness, breath slowing, eyes softening, heart-opening. Then a question stirs my mind: how might we use hygge to heal our world?
One sentence I wrote last month keeps shimmering in my consciousness: “It doesn’t seem that impossible to UNIFY a nation by wrapping our neighbors in coziness and comfortable conviviality to engender feelings of contentment.”
It only takes one act of compassion to spark a relationship that builds a bridge between uncommon ground.
I believe this is the heart of hygge. When we slow down enough to embrace the simple things, we begin to heal, together. As we relate to one another, we open space to connect with what truly matters, which always surpasses our differences.
So what might it look like to hygge the world?
- We might sit around a virtual fire inviting deep, meaningful conversation about world-changing things.
- We might wrap one another in belief and compassion, surrounding any differences with humor and curious consideration.
- We might wonder about some of the innovative solutions waiting beneath the surface, as we clear our clutter and busyness to linger in heartful connection.
Yes, we still have BIG challenges ahead of us, and this year is a change-point that is calling us to step up in new ways. A young poet invited us to be brave, to let our hearts and our collective purpose bloom.
The heart of hygge is about connecting with the essential.
But why not light a few candles, create a bit of extra coziness & magic, and nourish our collective happiness while we are changing the world?
Sora
What a wonderful post, quite beautifully expressed. If only we could all do this, the world would be a better and more understanding place. Reading both pieces brought an inspiring and uplifting message of hope in the truly complex and uncertain world we live in today. I have recently retired, I expected a much greater battle with adjusting to this new and alien life. I need something meaningful to do. Unknowingly I think I got “happy with Hygge”. Thank you so much for sharing these positive prose.
Thank you Christopher! I’m so grateful this uplifted you and so appreciate you making time to let me know. This is definitely a way to bring more hygge to our online relationships!