The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking
Couldn’t resist picking up this little treasure in a bookstore recently.
The author probably has one of the best gigs in the world, studying what makes people happy at Denmark’s Happiness Research Institute (yes, there really is such a place!)
Her definition of ‘hygge’ (the Norweigian word for well being) is ‘cocoa by candlelight’. Hygge is about atmosphere, experiences and feelings rather than things.
And it’s the simple things in life that give people the most pleasure, something that has touched many of us in 2020.
Meik’s book is about seeking answers to questions about what makes us happy and the connection between hygge and happiness.
Key takeaways
The Hygge Manifesto
Turn down the lights
Be present
Pleasure - coffee, cakes, candy
Equality - ‘we’ not ‘me’
Gratitude
Harmony - life’s not a competition
Comfort - relax!
Trace - no drama living
Togetherness - build relationships and narratives
Shelter - be with your tribe for peace and security
