Channel some Hygge to weather your storms
We have just had storms here in the UK.
People have been saying ‘let’s batten down the hatches’ until the rain and snow subside.
Very wise.
What about your personal ‘storms’?
I have been ‘hunkering down’ to weather the personal storm of my family bereavement too.
How?
Just carving out time for simple things - watching an extra episode of my favourite show (Schitt’s Creek is my current guilty pleasure…)
Taking a bath instead of a rushed shower.
Reading a book.
Lighting a candle gifted by someone I love.
I had to revisit permission, this time to give myself permission to retreat and reflect for a while.
And then carve out the time to hunker down; because, as we know, free time is never given to us on a plate.
Winter feels like the perfect season for this, as the chilly weather outside can help cosy retreat at home feel more inviting.
Which brings me to hygge.
Much of my ‘hunkering down’ has been hyggelig (‘hygge-like’ – yes, it’s an actual word – in Danish!)
Tricky to spell, even harder to pronounce and pretty much impossible to define, hygge is a Danish term; (some would say - way of life) embodying connection, shelter and comfort.
You can channel some hygge by lighting a candle, enjoying an open fire with friends, or simply savouring a cuppa.
It includes a mindful approach to savouring this moment now, and a sense of comfort and harmony with yourself and others.
How could you invite a little more hygge into your life as Christmas approaches?
Explore more:
Here are two great books I am mid-way through reading which explore these themes;
The Little Book of Hygge – The Danish Way to Live Well – Meik Wiking
Wintering – The power of rest and retreat in difficult times; Katherine May
Have a read and let me know what you think!
Get in Touch!
It can feel tough to even think about rest and hygge if kids keep you from sleep, work pressures pile up or travel restrictions prevent Christmas travel.
There are strategies to mitigate all this, which I discuss in my coaching and workshops.
Click below to discuss how I can help you thrive, including tips on how to rest, better.
And I’ll leave you with a wonderful quote:
“The…fire breathes. The wind outside
Ushers in the evening rain…
…And like a sea-anemone
Or simple snail, there cautiously
Unfolds, emerges, what I am”
