In America people are often on the go. Americans are so busy and work so hard it never ceases to impress me. In Denmark people are also super busy and work hard but it is generally accepted to take a “coffee break” during the day where you actually sit down with your coffee/tea/cake, instead of walking around with it and only getting to drink it once it is cold. I think these little breaks help keep the Danes grounded and happier. It is really amazing how much new energy flows through you and from you after a relaxing break. You are ready to meet the world again.

Hygge is as a form of mindfulness. A very pleasant one since it usually involves doing or eating something you like. Doing something nice or hyggeligt also makes it much more easy to be mindful – because who doesn’t want to fully enjoy every single bite of that delicious piece of pastry, every sip of that steamy brew of coffee or every moment in the company of a good friend?

A favorite cup of tea and a book – one of my favorite ways of relaxing!

I know it is so hard to find the time for this. No one really has the time. So our only option is to make  time for it. In fact it is probably when we are the most stressed out that we need hygge the most to refresh and energize. After a hygge break energy will come to you and you will suddenly gain a whole new perspective where things might not look as crazy as they did before. A lot of the things we tell ourselves are super important can actually wait or maybe we don’t even have to do them at all! Is that thing on your to-do-list really important enough to take away all that mental and emotional energy? Even when there is a million things we should do – let it go for a while. Everything will be fine.

Sometimes the weather is just too beautiful not to go out for a walk, or enjoy your coffee out on the porch in the sun. The amount of pleasure such a break can give you is well worth it. You will be amazed to see how much easier everything becomes if you have had that much needed break. Suddenly you will be able to take control over things that were trying to take you over. You will most likely be ready to handle challenging situations with a calm attitude, clear mind and be ready to meet the world with a happier face. So you are not only doing yourself a favor but also your surroundings.

February 28 is “International Day of Hygge” (International Day of Hygge 2018) and March 1st is “Day of Hygge” in Denmark so why not try out some hygge on those days? And remember that a piece of cake or a cup of coffee is no guarantee for hygge – it is all about the way you do it. It will not be hygge if you are not mindful that hygge is about relaxing and enjoying something.