The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living (The Happiness Institute Series)
New York Times Bestseller
Embrace Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) and become happier with this definitive guide to the Danish philosophy of cozy living, comfort, togetherness, and well-being.
Why are Danes the happiest people in the world? The answer, says Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, is Hygge. Loosely translated, Hygge—pronounced Hoo-ga—is a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. "Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience," Wiking explains. "It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe."
Hygge is the sensation you get when you’re cuddled up on a sofa, in cozy socks under a soft throw, during a storm. It’s that feeling when you’re sharing comfort food and easy conversation with loved ones at a candlelit table. It is the warmth of morning light shining just right on a crisp blue-sky day.
The Little Book of Hygge introduces you to this cornerstone of Danish life, and offers advice and ideas on incorporating mindfulness and contentment into your own life, such as:
- Get comfy. Take a break.
- Be here now. Turn off the phones.
- Turn down the lights. Bring out the candles.
- Build relationships. Spend time with your tribe.
- Give yourself a break from the demands of healthy living. Cake is most definitely Hygge.
- Live life today, like there is no coffee tomorrow.
From picking the right lighting to organizing a Hygge get-together to dressing hygge, Wiking shows you how to practice self-care and experience more joy and contentment the Danish way.
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Community Reviews
As a bit of a data nerd, this book made me more curious about what actual global happiness data and reports are available, as I will say this book does read as though the core concepts rely significantly on anecdotal evidence. However, the book does recognize the subjectivity of the subject matter, and appropriately compares it to how we study experiences of anxiety and depression. Fair enough!
Between my boyfriend and all my friends in denmark, when asked the the true meaning of hygge no one can give me a true definition. I've been told its more of a feeling. With that being said most of the information Ive had heard in the past but it was still interesting to expand my knowledge in the practices and further understand Hygge.
This feels more like a little guide book that had a lot of repetition in many places, but instead of feeling annoying it was still intriguing.
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