HAPPINESS - The Nordic Way To Wellbeing

With the mornings getting darker and as the winter draws near it makes me think of cosy nights in. You know, mugs of hot chocolate, I am not the biggest fan of marshmallows but definitely cosy blankets on the menu. Hygge is warmth and embraces you and your comforts in an uplifting atmosphere and feeling of belonging. With lockdown and people spending more time at home, our houses have become a place of work, rest and play. There has been a rise in what some people call ‘nesting’. Apparently we have been putting more energy into a place where we now spend most of our time.

I didn’t know it was what I was looking for until…

It was about seven years ago I wanted to change my life. I was searching for a way to make my home in the Shires more homely. It was a new build so it didn't have a lot of character but a lot of space and I was trying to find a way to make it cosy, warm and characterful. I felt confident that I could do this after watching a couple of interior design YouTube videos. I found myself rushing to the nearest Homesense store (the lifestyle version of TK Maxx) and buying a truck load of cushions, crockery and rugs. I also bought a mirror for the garden and a whole heap of other stuff. It just felt very consumptionary and although the stuff looked nice, it didn't quite feel that the stuff had done what I was hoping…which, now I realise, was to create a Hygge.

According to experts, Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness with feelings of wellness and contentment in the home.