If you’re anything like me, you approach winter with dread. Pure and utter dread. I dread the cold. I dread the snow and slush. I dread driving on slippery roads. And I dread layering up in 10-pounds of outerwear just to leave my house. Unfortunately, I live smack dab in the middle of Southwestern, Ontario, in Canada so it’s cold for (if we’re lucky) 5 months of the year. Grrrrrrrr….
However, low and behold this lovely little article appeared in my inbox from my friend, Donna, explaining how I could embrace Hygee (pronounced like hue-gah), which is the Danish concept of living simply, happy, and cozy during winter. I suddenly felt a wee bit guilty about complaining about how dark it was when I leave the office at 5pm when in Denmark it’s freezing and the sun doesn’t rise until nearly 9AM, AND it’s pitch black again by 3:30 in the afternoon. According to Louisa Thomsen Brits, the author of The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well, “Hygge…is akin to wintering [by] slowing down…and tending to ourselves and to each other [with] a sense of a rich inner life that radiates out through bleak days.” Sounds quite lovely, doesn’t it? So I encourage everyone who dreads winter (be it seasonal affective disorder or the winter blues) to embrace this Danish love of all things cozy. To get a better idea of how to Hygge, check out this adorable video from Happy Lil Sushi Roll, with more tips on how to feel cozy, comfortable, and relaxed all year long…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6JrfBSJjZk
