The Little Book of Hygge Summary
“The little book of Hygge” is written by Meik Wiking. First I would like to introduce this author a little bit. He is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. What an awesome job, isn’t it? His job is researching and studying why and what makes people happy in Danish Life. I would love to have a job like this to research and study happiness. 🙂
Hygge (pronounced as Hoo-ga) means everyday happiness, togetherness and well-being. The reason I picked up this book because I would love to learn and get some ideas about Danish’s lifestyle and try to bring them into my current lifestyle. Yes, that’s my plan! I would like to learn what I didn’t know and what I haven’t done yet from my day to day life to stay as hygge as possible. After I read the book, I noticed why I am happy at the most time, it’s because I have already implemented far more hygge in my lifestyle than I have already noticed. Ok, let us work towards the danish hygge lifestyle to bring more happiness into our life.
The Hygge Manifesto
Hygge isn’t just an idea. It’s a feeling, a mood, an action, and even a part of people’s sense of self. The following things will bring hygge to your life:
- Atmosphere — Candle, lighting, and let me add essential oil diffuser as well. Maybe it’s not Danish hygge style, but it’s an American hygge style.
- Presence — Turn off the phones. That is the most difficult part, since we are all living in smart phone age, it’s hard for people don’t check their smart phones for even one second.
- Pleasure — Coffee, tea, chocolate, cookies and cakes! Any kind of food can bring you the happiness.
- Equality — “We” over “me”. Share tasks and chores at home.
- Gratitude — Gratitude is more than say “thank you” when you receive a gift. It’s about keeping in mind that you live in present, focus on the moment, appreciate the life you lead, and focus on what you have, not what you don’t. Hygge may help you to be grateful for the everyday because it is all about savoring simple pleasures. Hygge is making the most of the moment, but hygge is also the way of planning for and preserving happiness.
- Harmony — Don’t brag about your achievement.
- Comfort — Get comfort, relax! Take a break! It’s all about relaxation. Wear woolen socks at home, Don’t forget!
- Truce — No drama
- Togetherness — Hygge is an intimate activity often connected with coziness and same company, which leads one to the conclusion that the body will make oxytocin flow during these events. Togetherness make us to feel loved, warm and safe, which are three key words in the concept of hygge. I feel so true about the following sentence, “While basic living standards are essential for happiness, after the baseline has been met, happiness varies more with quality human relationships than income”
- Shelter — This is your place for relaxing, feeling safe and enjoying comfort. Make your home as hygge as possible!
Hygge Tour of Copenhagen
I have jogged down the hyggelige places in Copenhagen. Anyone is planning to visit Copenhagen, you can refer to some of the following ideas:
- NYHAVN (New Harbor)
- La Glace
- Tivoli Gardens
- Rowboat in Christianshavn
- Grabrodretorv
- Varnedamsvej
- A Smorrebrod Place
- Library Bar
Summer Hygge
Some summer hygge ideas:
- Think Cider House Rule — fruit picking
- Throw a Barbecue for family and friends
- Join or build a community garden
- picnics by the beach
- Cargo bike around
Denmark is the nation averaged #1 ranking in the world happiness report from 2013-2016 and #2 in 2017. Hope we can all adopt some hygge ideas into our current lifestyle from this little book. Please write your comment from below to share some of your hygge ideas.
Non-Fiction books:
Summary of Mastery by George Leonard
Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
