To Live like a Hobbit: Embracing Hygge

Happy May and welcome to this theme of posts all about hygge; the Danish concept of living well. Pronounced hoo-ga, it is a Norwegian word for well-being or hug. In this age of prioritizing self-care, hygge is the perfect method and mindset to make our everyday lives more relaxed and cozy.

When I think of hygge living, my mind goes to the hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books. Literally the first paragraph gives you that feeling: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

Hobbits are the trend setters of slow living. They rise late, eat when they wish and have hobbies such as walking, gardening, reading and just sitting doing nothing. In this modern age of multitasking and instant gratification, we all wish deep down for some peace and quiet.

I have broken the concept of hygge down into three steps; mindset, home and social, but there is so much to learn and explore. The two books I read for research were The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking and American Cozy by Stephanie Pedersen, but I am still new to hygge as well and trying to work it into my life. Don’t be too hard on yourself and remember hygge, like everything else, is unique to each person.

Mindset

Let’s start out with probably the most important step to anything; your mindset. For hygge, it means a comfort mindset. You want to be relaxed and present which will help bring you peace of mind and let you feel happy and content. Good ways to start this mindset are gratitude, stop complaining, celebrate small victories and give back where you can.

Think about how all the other people of Middle Earth think hobbits are simple minded, but the hobbits abilities to cheer themselves up even in their darkest moments is probably how they through those moments. Appreciate the little things in life because they are your lighthouses in a stormy sea and they are what make life beautiful.

Another hobbit mindset, and hygge mindset, is your relationship with food. Part of hygge is indulging in yummy foods, especially sweets, and especially when you bake or cook yourself. Hobbits don’t count calories, they ate seven meals a day and plenty of it. Initiative eating and trying to cook from home is definitely a good way to build a healthy relationship with mood and feel good in your body. Add some hobbit-style morning or evening walks will also help and are good for letting your mind free-think, a more active way of meditating. Shopping European-style (every 2-3 days) for fresher ingredients and frequenting your local farmers market also brings you closer to the food you are eating.

Home

Home is a very cozy word. My dream is to live in a hobbit hole because that screams home to me. Though that dream is many years in the future, here are some ways to make your house more hygge and welcoming. First, remember another important hygge element is casualness. You don’t want your home to be stark and orderly to the point your guests are afraid to sit anywhere. A house is a home when it is lived in, when it is loved. If you don’t feel relaxed and safe in your own home, how are other people suppose to?

Start with the lighting. Soft orange, yellow lights are more calming than white bulbs. Candles are also a must. Nothing is quite as hygge as flickering candlelight. Scented candles are also a good way to keep your house smelling nice. Also remember to open windows to keep the air fresh and not stale. If you are lucky enough to have a working fireplace, use it. The hearth is the center, the heart, of a home. If your fireplace doesn’t work, putting candles in it instead also works and if you don’t have one at all, think about investing in an electric fireplace.

Having a cozy nook in your home where you can just curl up and read or journal or just sit a sip tea. If life gets too overwhelming, you can just retreat to your nook for a break. Have visible books and games in your main living space just makes a room more interesting and engaging. Also blankets and cushions that are actually comfy to use. It’s okay to have knickknacks and art around your home as long as they all have meaning and aren’t just clutter. Also good house accents are wood, which makes a space warmer, and other nature like house plants or a sheepskin rug. I recommend always having a vase of fresh flowers in your home because they really add a brightness to a room.

Social

57% of people say the ideal group to hygge with is 3-4 which makes it perfect for introverts (like me!). Having people over always seems to be a stressful thing, but hobbits are always ready to entertain guests so let’s look to their method. In your home, have an easy, obvious place for visitors to put their shoes, jackets and purses. Keep a guest-emergency kit; a good, smelling candle, some tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, and some biscuits or other cookie to pair. If it’s an evening thing, maybe have an extra bottle of wine or whiskey for the purpose and keep a list of good crackers and cheeses for a quick pick up.

Also remember house cleaning doesn’t have to be a big dramatic panic-causing thing. I do one “big” clean each day like Saturday I clean the kitchen while Wednesday it’s the bathrooms. This maintains each spaces cleanliness. Then, each day, I have a fifteen minute tidy where I straighten, put things away, fluffy the pillows, etc. This little detail clean makes all the difference so when surprise guests arrive you don’t have a pile of dishes to wash or laundry to fold and can just focus on a quick vacuum or clear the table. Another big thing to remember is your guests probably won’t mind a few dishes on the drying rack or a few kids toys on the floor.

Other good ways of spending time with loved ones is regularly scheduled get-togethers, like a game night, book club, or D&D and also start making traditions. It doesn’t matter if they are big or small or revolve around a holiday, what matters is that it brings you together and makes memories. Hobbits definitely know how to throw a good party and they also keep it casual. The getting-together is the important part. So eat, drink and be merry. (Look out for next week’s post were we go into detail on hygge activities.)

Lastly, remember your most important relationship is with yourself. Schedule in morning and evening downtime that is just for you. This helps keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Another way is to put a limit on extracurricular social activities for the week. If you already have a birthday party, coffee with an aunt and book club, maybe say no to after-work drinks.

Hope this post interested you in the hobbit-perfected art of hygge and keep an eye out for more posts on it coming soon.