Do You Hygge?

So I’m sitting in my living room today with rain pouring outside tapping against the glass, an unfinished puzzle in my den, my niece and nephew playing with my kids somewhere in the house, laundry waiting to be folded while I stare zombie like on my phone alternating between Facebook and Candy Crush. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I find myself losing track of time more often than I would like as I get sucked into social media. While putting off my laundry is really not a life or death matter, what’s worse is that I am only half aware of what’s happening around me. I consider myself to be fabulous “multi-tasker,” but in reality I’m doing everything in half. I’m half listening to my son’’s conversation, half reading the latest updates on facebook while mentally half planning dinner for tonight.

With this realization comes the need to make a serious lifestyle change and who knows how to live in the moment better than the people of Denmark? Hygge (pronounced “hoo-ga”) is a Danish concept that essentially means to live in the moment. It’s having a feeling of being cozy, content and well-being by simply enjoying life around you. As each day goes by faster and faster I am intrigued by the Danish culture. When I first heard of Hygge I thought it was some new mystery disease, however I’m now thinking I will make serious effort to incorporate Hygge into my everyday life.

3 Tips to Live the Hygge life:

1. Do…Drop the phone!
Ummm…not literally. Put the tech away. As long as it is near our side the pull to pick up the phone and update
our latest post, check an e-mail or play a game won’t go away. Put it somewhere out of sight. For me, that’s an almost impossible task, but there are ways to force that phone out of your hand.

The “Kitchen Safe” is a safe that allows you to fill it with your biggest vice and set a timer. This means you won’t have access to it until the set time expires. Obviously if you are waiting for an important call or you need to be in contact with your kids this is not the time to use the “Kitchen Safe,” but pick a time with your family when all of you put your phones in so no one is tempted to take that quick glance at their text messages.

2. Do….Break out those sweats

Hygge is all about comfort. Pick a night over the weekend and make it a family night. Take all your phones and stick them in your “Kitchen Safe,” take out a game or a puzzle that’s been collecting dust and then get those comfy, warm sweats. This is not the time to show off your cutest athleisure outfit, this is when you dig deep in your drawers to find those sweats you would never wear in public, but can’t throw out because they are just so darn comfortable!

3. Don’t….do it alone

Yes, you can definitely Hygge by snuggling up with your favorite book and a cup of hot cocoa, but to really make the most of living in the moment you want to enjoy the company of friends and family. The idea is not to rush things. Spend the time by enjoying the simple act of making the hot chocolate together or baking the comfort foods. Just be in the moment with your friends and family and enjoy their presence. Don’t think about your upcoming events/activities, don’t worry about posting about what you’re doing and don’t think about how you could be getting work done instead of chatting.

This weekend I am making a promise to myself that my family comes first and we will all sit down together and maybe finish that 1000 piece puzzle in our comfy sweats with some warm, delicious hot cocoa.

Indian Lamb Biryani