Get Cozy with Hygge

If you pay close attention to the self-help and self-care industries, you've probably 
come across the term "Hygge" once or twice. In fact, it's becoming hard to avoid it, 
even if you don't follow these industries. The biggest question that I had when I first 
saw this term was, what is Hygge and how does it relate to self-care? 

Hygge is all about taking better care of yourself and creating a cozy, relaxing 
environment. It should bring you more joy and comfort, without having too many rules 
about what this environment needs to have. There is a lot of flexibility with it, but it 
has a lot of benefits for self-care.

Importance of Self-Care

Self-Care is all about taking better care of yourself. This includes your physical, 
mental, and emotional health. It encourages you to find time out of each day all to 
yourself where you can relax and unwind. This might be taking a bath after a long 
day or waking up a few minutes early to go for a walk or have a quiet cup of coffee.
What each person chooses to do in the name of self-care can be very different, as 
‘relaxing’ is subjective. 

When choosing what works best for you, you might come across the concept of 
Hygge. Here is a rundown of what this is, how it helps, and what you can do to start 
incorporating it into your life.

1. What Is Hygge? 

Hygge, which is pronounced by some as "hue-gah" and by others as "hoo-gah", is a 
Danish word that can be translated to the word "cozy". However, Hygge is something 
that is more of a feeling than it is a word. As a lifestyle or a practice, Hygge is an 
extension of this description. 

Hygge is a Scandinavian way of life that encourages people to find peace and 
happiness in the everyday world around them. Whatever makes you feel cozy, 
happy, and at home is Hygge. Whenever you experience a moment that makes you 
appreciate life and the people around you, that is Hygge. 

Basically, Hygge is about appreciating what you have, enjoying the company of those 
around you, and embracing each moment with open arms. By practicing hygge, you 
are really trying to relax, reduce stress, and care for yourself. Hygge can be done 
with others, but for self-care purposes, think of ways to make this work for you as a 
way to spend more time on your own mental and emotional wellness.

You should consider this as you move forward with this information, learning where 
hygge come from and the many ways it can benefit you.


2. Where Did Hygge Come From? 

Although the word Hygge originated in the Norwegian language, the term spread to 
Denmark around the 18th century and took root there, making it the Hygge capital 
over time. 

Due to Denmark's long and harsh winters and a lack of resources in the country, the 
Danish needed a way to overcome these obstacles. With Hygge, they were able to 
find comfort in the smallest things in life in order to remain happy during the darker 
times. 

Because of the need to stay indoors for months at a time, Hygge was extremely 
centered around the feeling of coziness and spending time with the ones you love, 
especially while you are all consuming warm comfort food. 

Hygge recently became a popular thing in American culture in 2016 and the meaning 
of Hygge has become varied due to everyone's different interpretation of the word 
and the lifestyle. However, Hygge is most often the definition that was have 
mentioned. 

Regardless of where it came from or how it started, you can start using it today in the 
modern world to benefit your emotional health. It is one of the best things you can do 
for yourself when it comes to self-care.

3. Benefits of Hygge

There are several benefits of embracing Hygge as a way of life. This allows you to 
understand why you should try practicing hygge as part of your self-care routine. The 
following benefits show the wide range of advantages of getting more involved with 
hygge, especially incorporating it into your life on a regular basis. Here is a look at 
some of the top benefits:

Becoming More Mindful

When you practice Hygge, you are always on the lookout for those random moments 
of pure joy. For some, these moments come in the least expected ways. After all, 
Hygge can be experienced even if you are just taking time to tackle some house 
chores while you are listening to your favorite music. 

That being said, those who keep their eye out for pleasurable moments are also 
cultivating mindfulness in their everyday lives. Why this is important? Well, the type 
of health benefits that come from mindful living include decreased stress, fewer 
depressive symptoms, and increased self-awareness. These are only a few of the 
benefits of mindfulness and there are plenty more where that came from. 

What is better than feeling happier in your life and being able to experience less 
stress? 

Learning How to Care for Yourself

Hygge is, in and of itself, self-care. Through Hygge, you develop your own self-care 
system as you figure out what is most important to you in life, how you can achieve 
those self-care goals, and how you can get more of what you are currently lacking. 
There's a reason why Denmark is considered the happiest country in the world and 
that is because its people know how slow down and enjoy life in all of its glory. 

Discovering Happiness in Solitude

As was stated in the origin section of this article, Hygge once placed and continues to 
place heavy emphasis on finding happiness and coziness through moments shared 
with others. However, as Hygge continues to spread, people are learning how to 
experience Hygge during moments where they are all by themselves. 

For those of you who have issues being on your own, this can be an extremely 
helpful opportunity. Hygge helps you realize that you do not need to be surrounded 
by a large number of things or people to be happy. Although these things can be 
enjoyable, a beautiful moment experienced on your own can be just as powerful. You 
may even be experiencing Hygge while you are reading this information.

Realizing That Less Is More

Believing that you will be happier as you acquire more material possessions is a 
common misconception. Happiness doesn't come from things. Happiness comes 
from within. When you embrace Hygge, you begin to realize that you can find 
happiness with exactly what you have right now. 

While Hygge focuses on this, that doesn't mean that you should shame yourself if 
you find that you do want to purchase something. If it brings you joy and you are 
going to share many fond memories with it, you most likely will be experiencing 
Hygge when you are using it later on. 

Observing and Changing Areas in Which You Are Not Happy

When you're always searching for joy and finding ways to obtain it, it becomes very 
clear which areas of your life are making you unhappy. For example, through Hygge, 
you may discover that your home life is absolutely amazing but that your work 
environment is lacking in joy and comfort. 

From there, you can act on your observations. You may want to decorate your office 
area in things that make you happy or decide to socialize with your co-workers to 
form positive relationships. Hygge isn't just about enjoying moments as they come, it 
is about cultivating moments as well. Use these observations as opportunities to 
cultivate joy in your life and improve areas that may not be adding to your happiness. 

4. How Can I Incorporate Hygge Into My Life?

There are no special steps or guidelines that people need to take in order to 
incorporate Hygge into their lives. All you have to do to practice and experience 
Hygge is to look out for and to pursue pleasurable moments. Remember, these 
moments do not always have to be spectacular in order to be enjoyable. Pleasure 
and coziness can be found in even the most mundane of moments. 

For those of you reading this who may still be struggling with this concept, here are 
some popular ways in which you can make Hygge a part of your life: 

Create a Cozy Place for Hygge

Create a cozy place where you can do simple things such as enjoy a cup of coffee, 
read, or watch a sunset. This place can be as luxurious or as simple as you want. It 
is completely up to you! Some people recommend that you decorate these nooks 
with soft blankets and other soft furniture to make the areas feel even more cozy and 
comfortable. You may also want to station this area close to a window where you will 
be able to look outside and enjoy the world.

Don’t Always do it Alone

Invite your closest friends and family over to your home to enjoy a nice, homemade 
dinner. Comfort foods such as baked goods are especially great for this occasion. 
Nothing is better than enjoying an amazing meal with the people that you love. This 
is what Hygge is all about after all.

Express Gratitude

You can better experience Hygge when you have an attitude of gratitude. Every day, 
you can write down 3-10 things that you are grateful for in your life. As you become 
more mindful of the things you are grateful for, you become more aware of the small, 
joyful moments every day. You'll also be able to identify the good in the worst of 
situations. Try it out and see what difference it makes in your life.

Find a Hobby You Enjoy

Seek out a new hobby that makes you feel happy. There are so many hobbies out 
there and you are bound to find one you enjoy. Some examples of hobbies may 
include knitting, singing, writing, cooking gardening, and photography. Whatever it is 
that you choose to do, make sure that you feel Hygge every time you start doing your 
hobby.

Make New Friends

Build new relationships by going out to public places where you will find people who 
share common interests. Hygge places a great amount of emphasis on togetherness. 
This doesn't mean that you have to make friends to do this. Simply being in the 
company of other people is more than enough.

Make Free Time for Yourself

Enjoy some free time where you can lounge around and do things that you enjoy. 
Small comforts make a big difference when practicing Hygge. If you are able to do 
so, take a break from your busy schedule to cuddle up, grab a bowl of popcorn, and 
watch a good movie. Remember, this is only a suggestion. Whatever it is that makes 
you comfortable and happy is what you should engage in.

Start a New Morning Routine

Create a morning, afternoon, or evening ritual. These rituals could be a time where 
you do something simple like brewing a cup of tea, meditating, and taking time to 
practice your spirituality or religion. These rituals will really help you to get into a 
mindful, joyful mood.

5. Choosing Products to Help with Hygge

Now that you know what hygge is and how it can benefit you, let’s discuss how to 
make a cozier environment. You will read that hygge is not about buying a lot of new 
products, and that is true. But there are some instances where this is a good idea, 
and can actually improve your experience.

While hygge is about creating a cozy place in your home, there may come times 
when you want to buy certain products to help you achieve this. While it should not 
be about spending a lot of money on items just to achieve hygge, there are some 
things that can help create a quiet oasis in your own home.

This might include a new book to read, cozy blanket, brand new flavor of tea, or 
perhaps a CD of quiet music. Don’t worry about spending a little money here or there 
to get items to help you find hygge, but you shouldn’t rely on these things. 
Try to find comfort and joy in your everyday life, not stressing to much about how you 
accomplish it. This is a learning experience just like anything else. The important 
thing is that you are continuing to try hygge as a way to practice self-care.

