Why is a hygge lifestyle so popular right now?
Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word used to describe the feeling of comfort and coziness. The concept of hygge focuses on creating joy and contentment in the everyday moments of our daily life.
Hygge is about so much more than just candles and fuzzy blankets, and those who have taken up the art of a hygge lifestyle can tell you how it has positively impacted their lives. So why is hygge so popular now?
Having spent half of my life immersed in Danish hygge and the other half in America’s fast-paced culture, I see a stark difference in lifestyle priorities between the two countries.
As a society, Americans have for years glorified stress and always being on the go. Families tend to fill their kids’ calendars with extra-curricular activities leaving them little to no time to play. In some American social circles, rushing around and being busy are seen as positive status symbols.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, having time for free-play is the foundation of Danish kids’ lives. They are not normally as over-scheduled as their American counterparts. This gives them crucial time to explore and develop without the constraints of organized activities.
Embracing a hygge-filled lifestyle IS possible in the United States. However, it requires a shift in focus and priorities for yourself and your family.
Our American standard of “more and bigger is better” is falling out of favor. Instead, we are adapting to a “less is more” culture, which naturally falls right in-line with a hygge lifestyle.
Hygge requires you to slow down
In order to truly embrace hygge, you have to slow down. We live in an extremely fast-paced society, and this can sometimes make slowing down quite difficult. Slowing down might mean that you have less on your to-do list, fewer commitments each day, and you learn to say “no” to certain emotionally draining obligations. Once you are able to embrace life at a slower pace, you don’t feel rushed and a lot of the stress you were carrying melts away.
A hygge lifestyle means a simpler life
“Simple living” likely paints one of two pictures in your head. The first is a minimalist with no art on the walls or any furniture in their home, and the second is likely to be an image from your grandparent’s era before smartphones and other electronics. Simple living doesn’t necessarily mean either of these extremes. It means you cut out the excess of your life in whatever form it may present itself.
Excess appears in different forms for different people and doesn’t always require massive decluttering to achieve a simple life. To live a life filled with hygge, you cut back on excess stuff, time commitments and clutter in your house, which in return reduces stress. Also remember, embracing hygge doesn’t cost money, in fact here are great ways to hygge without breaking the bank!
A hygge lifestyle focuses on the things that are really important
Hygge isn’t just about learning to slow down, it is also about putting a focus on the things that are important to you. If reading is something you really love to do, hygge encourages you to find more time to read. If spending time with your loved ones is important to you (and I hope this is the case), hygge happens when you spend time with them. By removing the other distractions in, you are able to prioritize the things that truly fulfill you.
Hygge teaches contentment
Being content and happy isn’t just about your mood, but learning to accept the things you cannot change and loving what you already own. You may not live in a mansion, but you learn to be content with where you are in life right now. You may not own a closet full of designer clothes, but you learn to be happy knowing that your favorite sweater came from a thrift store.
The concept of hygge is not new, it has been around for centuries in Scandinavia. Hygge has made it across “the pond” to the US at a time where we long for a slower and more fulfilling lifestyle.
If you were able to simplify your life, reduce your stress, and be content in the moment, wouldn’t you love hygge too?
