Living hygge and lagom...

Have you heard of hygge?  It's the Danish lifestyle of living comfy and cozy.  I have to say that this is the way I've always striven to live long before I knew there was a label to put on it.  This way of life must be in my bones.

I want comfortable, cozy clothes, soft throw blankets on the couches and chairs, candles lit, intimate dinners with small groups of friends.  I want connection and warmth in my environment and in my relationships.  I love the find the beauty in everything and celebrate every day.

So imagine my surprise when "hygge" (pronounced "hoo-guh") became all the rage in the past year.
First of all, it was a reminder to me that not everyone lives this way.  Second of all, it made me grateful that they are catching on.  Life is too short to be uncomfortable!  Our lives should be like little cocoons or sanctuaries that we love living inside of. 

Early in my life, I made a conscious decision that I would never own a piece of furniture that someone cannot put their feet on.  Kick your shoes off and relax!  Put your feet on the coffee table, I welcome that!  Lets light a candle and drink some warm tea or coffee and be comfortable.  You have to create that environment not only in your home, but also in your life. 

 This is just one example, and some people might find it silly, but I started telling the dry cleaners to not use starch on my clothes.  I never knew you could do that!  I thought in order to look neat and professional, you had to have starch.  But I hated the way it felt.  I felt stiff and uncomfortable all day.  So, I told them to stop putting starch on my clothes because I want to slip into something that feels cozy and delicious on my body.  Guess what?  No one outside of me noticed.  My clothes don't look different, I don't look like some sloppy mess now or anything.  But the experience of wearing those clothes is so much more comfortable and inviting now. 

Sometimes in the morning at work, once we get settled, a good friend of mine will meet me for coffee.  It may only be a fifteen or twenty minute break, but it can make all the difference.  To sit with a friend and have a heartfelt conversation over a cup of warm, creamy drink sets the tone for the day.

Some people don't like to make friends at work, but I do.  I've never bought into the adage of, "It's business, it's not personal."  Shouldn't everything we do in life be personal?  If it isn't personal, then what's the point?  This work and these interactions are taking up a significant portion of my life, so they'd better be personal and somewhat enjoyable.  You have to infuse the hygge into your life wherever you can manage to.

Now, let's talk about lagom.

As I've grown and advanced spiritually, I have felt another shift in my life...the shift toward balance in all things.  I would say I felt a strong drive toward this, but the truth is it just naturally happened.  

Today, as I was reading up on hygge, I discovered that there is another lifestyle trend that comes from Sweden called "lagom."  This is the art of living a balanced life.  It is a Swedish word that literally means, "Not too much, not too little.  Just right."  

This combined with hygge would describe my life.  And it's refreshing!  So, if you've ever felt drawn by either of these, you might want to put some of these things into practice.

With lagom, you want to get rid of any excess in your life.  Not things you need or that you love.  I'm talking about the extra stuff.  The clutter.  Or the thing you've been holding onto because it's still "good", but that brings you zero joy.

This week, I cleaned out some drawers in my house. Drawers that tend to collect clutter such as the kitchen junk drawer and the drawers in my TV stand.  Just knowing that these are now clean, organized and free from all of the extra junk (I mean, how many USB cables does one person need, right?) brings me peace.

The old saying goes, "As above, so below." This can be translated to: What is in your environment will affect your spirit.  If your surroundings are cluttered, then your insides will not be at ease.  And hygge is all about living a life that's full of ease and comfort.

Try donating some of those clothes that were on-trend three seasons ago and purchase something that is a classic style and color that will last you for a long time.  By filling your home and closet with a few easy-classics you will get a lot more out of your stuff.

As I write this, it is a mild 66 degrees and rainy outside.  It is grey and wet, but still quite pleasant.  A beautiful fall day.  I have the windows open to let all of that beautiful fresh air in. I have candles lit.  I have a warm cup of coffee next to me, and have my feet up while snuggled up in a cozy blanket. 

Use the good china.  Use that Christmas-scented lotion all year if you think it smells good.  Burn the candles, put your feet up, enjoy your life...this is the only time you're going to get to live it! Strive to have just enough, and stay in balance in all ways and you will have a lovely life.

XO, Veronica