Tried a Hygge?

On cold winter days our tendency is to withdraw and hibernate, much like nature. Many of us report finding it harder to wake up in the mornings, and don’t feel motivated to do much after work hours, generally in the evenings. Unsurprisingly, this affects energy levels, circulation and mood amongst other things. A great way to beat these blues is to get others involved. Reach into your community and get a group together to commit to an activity – generally there is a much slimmer chance of bailing and procrastination this way!

A good case in point are some communities in Northern Europe, living in some of the coldest parts of the world such as Denmark and Scandinavia. How do people living here get through cold Winters, yet come out being rated as some of the happiest people in the world? I recently learned that much of this is because of the celebration of warmth and community. The Danes have a special term for this, Hygge (prounounced ‘hooga’) meaning creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. I had a chance to experience this around the time of the start of the Winter Solstice this year, when I attended a beautiful hygge celebration (thank you lovely Sarah), which was an evening of sharing and community. We started off huddled outside in the garden around the warmth of a beautiful fire, followed by yoga, dance therapy and sharing heartfelt stories of our lives and experiences. This was a lovely way to feel a part of a community of others also seeking wellness and smiles, and it certainly was a great way to kick off a cold winter season!

The key takeaway here is this: We’ve got at least a month or two of the cold season to go, so rather than cope alone I encourage you today to reach out and share. Organise a group to practice some yoga together, go out on a weekend walk, organise a hike, share a meal in the warmth of your home, share your journey, talk about what’s getting you down or lifting you up.

This release helps you clear out not just on a physical level but emotionally as well – emotional toxins (ama) builds up through the thoughts and mind, creating negative emotions and a stress response when overloaded, leading to a host of ailments. Releasing these from time to time before they tip over is one of the lynch pins of keeping a healthy mind and body. It’s also got a great side effect of being fun and enjoyable.

So reach out and get sharing today!