I met a couple the other day in the elevator when I was coming back home after my morning walk.
Let me first warn you. Don’t think that I go for a walk daily. I don’t.
The couple asked me how long it had been since I had moved in here. Sometime in 2010, we had moved in here, I said.
The man asked me where we were before. I had almost forgotten and I had to rack my brain to answer him.
Next thing, he asked me if I liked this place or the previous place.
That made me think. I returned home thinking about it.
Have you heard this before?
The Danish people are the happiest people in the world.
Danish refers to the people of Denmark. Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark.
Mostly, Denmark ranks first in happiness. Sometimes, they come second. Finland or Norway takes that position. I don’t know the current rankings, however.
That doesn’t matter.
Generally, Danish people are happy. In Denmark, the crime rates are low, the social security is good, citizens have free education & healthcare, etc.
Denmark is also the least corrupt country.
Then comes Work-life balance. Now, that’s a secret.
Their lifestyle is the reason for their happiness. They have a word called “hygge” which roughly means coziness that makes a person comfortable. It’s a feeling of contentment or well-being.
- They have a “hygge” or a circle [of people] [usually 3 or 4 close friends] that meets once every week.
- Candles: This is an integral part of their life. The feeling of warmth is important. Dim lights probably create a cozy setting. I believe Denmark spends 6 kg of candle wax per year per person.
- Be in the moment. They believe in being simple. And they are slow. They switch off from social, go offline and enjoy their hygge.
- Good food. Meat, cookies, coffee, tea, etc.
- Cozy home. To welcome the hygge every week. You can’t see a home without books, candles, and blankets. And of course, good food.
I read the following in a book. I will tell you the name of the book at the end of this post.
“Four years ago, one train did arrive five minutes late. The passengers each got a letter of apology from the prime minister and a designer chair of their choice as compensation.
In general, the following six factors have an impact on happiness:
1. Togetherness or a sense of community
2. Money
3. Health
4. Freedom
5. Trust
6. Kindness”
from the book – “The little book of Lykke” by Meik Wiking
Not everything written in this post is from this book – “The little book of Lykke” by Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, Copenhagen.
I also referred to a medium post – “Hygge: 6 steps to Danish happiness” – by Andriy Bas.
Happy Hyggling!
Happy Weekend!
#happinessindex #hygge #danishsecrets #kkrocks
