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Hygge: Discovering The Danish Art Of Happiness – How To Live Cozily And Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures
https://amzn.to/2KXgEM4
Do you sometimes feel like your life is a mad rush without ending or meaning?
Would you like to find something that offers relaxation, happiness and contentment, all rolled into one?
You can have all of that with the Danish art of Hygge and it is easier to achieve than you perhaps would think.
For many of us in today’s crazy and hectic world of careers, family and social lives, we can often forget that the things which are simpler and give the greatest pleasure are often put to one side.
The simple pleasure of sitting in silence, watching the sunset, or watching the crackle of a fire as you share a meal can often have a greater effect on our souls than any material thing.
And this where Hygge makes its mark. Hygge is more than just a concept. It is a way of being and living that has been adopted by countless numbers of people throughout Scandinavia and the wider world and reflects a ‘cosiness’ that encompasses the positivity and enjoyment that one can get from simple everyday things.
It does not need to cost a lot of money and can be as humble as having a warm fire and enough food to eat.
Now, you can make Hygge a part of your life with Hygge: Discovering the Danish Art of Happiness ─ How to Live Cosily and Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures.
Inside the pages of this book, you will find 12 chapters which give in-depth information on what Hygge is and how best to use it in your particular set of circumstances, including:
Where Hygge comes from
The fundamental principles of Hygge
The benefits you can get from living a Hygge lifestyle
How to apply Hygge to your life
How Hygge changes with each season
How to live a Hygge lifestyle, even when you have a budget to consider
Millions of people around the world are turning to Hygge as a great way to live their lives.
You can now be a part of this amazing revolution, build a simpler life, be happier, more content and in control of your life.
Click the link below to view the book on Amazon!
https://amzn.to/2KXgEM4
Do you sometimes feel like your life is a mad rush without ending or meaning?
Would you like to find something that offers relaxation, happiness and contentment, all rolled into one?
You can have all of that with the Danish art of Hygge and it is easier to achieve than you perhaps would think.
For many of us in today’s crazy and hectic world of careers, family and social lives, we can often forget that the things which are simpler and give the greatest pleasure are often put to one side.
The simple pleasure of sitting in silence, watching the sunset, or watching the crackle of a fire as you share a meal can often have a greater effect on our souls than any material thing.
And this where Hygge makes its mark. Hygge is more than just a concept. It is a way of being and living that has been adopted by countless numbers of people throughout Scandinavia and the wider world and reflects a ‘cosiness’ that encompasses the positivity and enjoyment that one can get from simple everyday things.
It does not need to cost a lot of money and can be as humble as having a warm fire and enough food to eat.
Now, you can make Hygge a part of your life with Hygge: Discovering the Danish Art of Happiness ─ How to Live Cosily and Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures.
Inside the pages of this book, you will find 12 chapters which give in-depth information on what Hygge is and how best to use it in your particular set of circumstances, including:
Where Hygge comes from
The fundamental principles of Hygge
The benefits you can get from living a Hygge lifestyle
How to apply Hygge to your life
How Hygge changes with each season
How to live a Hygge lifestyle, even when you have a budget to consider
Millions of people around the world are turning to Hygge as a great way to live their lives.
You can now be a part of this amazing revolution, build a simpler life, be happier, more content and in control of your life.
Click the link below to view the book on Amazon!
https://amzn.to/2KXgEM4
100 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2017
812 people are currently reading
826 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
December 31, 2023
This was interesting. I’d love to incorporate this mindset and life style into my daily routine. I’d say reading is def my Hygge 😊 Quick informative read.
March 4, 2019
This book is just ok. It’s a bunch of news articles strung together – literally the ebook hyperlinks just lead you to selective articles that support whatever theory is being discussed. And don’t get me started on the # of assumptions implied in this book. I counted 10 on one page alone.
SO GLAD this is a library loan and I didn’t purchase it. There are probably better books about Hygge out there. But I get the concept of Hygge “theory” and if it makes someone feel better, good on them.
SO GLAD this is a library loan and I didn’t purchase it. There are probably better books about Hygge out there. But I get the concept of Hygge “theory” and if it makes someone feel better, good on them.
October 6, 2017
LOVED THIS BOOK! It was such an eye-opener for me and had a lot of helpful information. The book made me want to move to Denmark and really immerse into the great culture there. It was a refreshing read with great suggestions for incorporating hygge into your everyday life to be happier and more relaxed
January 19, 2018
Loved it, beautifully written and really opened my eyes to a new way of living
September 30, 2019
I didn't care for the tone of this book, and it was vague! As someone from the northeastern United States, I know a ton about coziness and comfort and how wonderful that is. Living in the southern United States, being "cozy" feels suffocating. Many little extras that used to bring me joy and relaxation just don't work here. I kind of feel like the generalizations of Danish hygge might flow the same way.
February 13, 2020
I'll start off saying that I read Meik Wiking's book first. The material is similar, but this book is more practical. I'd call it an implementation guide, where Meik's book gets more in to the culture, including a lot of specifically Danish things, like Glogg. I thought this book is great for Americans as she's trying to give you specifics, and explaining things like a party is great, but if you're an introvert, then Hygge might not look like a party to you. However, at the end, this felt so American. So here's the latest fad, and she's sure it will cure all that ill's us, OBVIOUSLY. I think that misses an essential human element, is that caring about each other, doesn't always translate how you think it might. Too, Denmark's relatively pacifistic recent history, is just that, historically quite recent. Go for Meik's book, and do the audiobook so you can hear a Dane pronounce Hygge. My wife and I were listening on a road trip, and we stopped Meik's book to practice pronouncing Hygge, and Glogg.
December 27, 2020
I have read the other hygge book from Olivia so this just seemed repetitive for me but I would of enjoyed it much more if it was the first one I ever read
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 3, 2024
This Danish writer makes some good points but I found many to be condescending to Americans. And while I am Canadian I like to think I live with some of Danish hygge lifestyle, I also live with some American.
March 8, 2021
Awesome book!
December 2, 2024
Ugh. So cozy. I loved it!!!
December 14, 2020
When I read the description of "Hygge" I was immediately intrigued. The subtitle contained several trigger words that heightened my level of intrigue: "Happiness", "cozy", and "Simple pleasures". I was not disappointed! From the very first pages I found myself grabbing a notebook to write the nuggets contained that I could reach for over and over again. This book also taught me much about Denmark, its climate, and its culture. Being in a minority group of those who love winter's darkness and cold prompted me to add Denmark to my bucket list. I will most certainly be looking for more to read from Olivia Telford. If you want a book that helps you live a simpler, calmer way of life, be sure to pick up a copy of "Hygge". You will be inspired!
April 13, 2022
Don’t get me started on the number of assumptions in this book. No hygge can’t solve all life’s problems but… it can help, I’m sure. Learning hygge theory was interesting and some of it will be applied in my life now.
December 23, 2017
As this book states, Hygge is a lifestyle, not just a concept. It requires practice to reprogram our brains from an incredibly fast-paced lifestyle. I found this book to be an intro to that lifestyle. The concepts are not new, and some bits were repeated. As I was reading, I viewed the options for the hygge lifestyle as reminders for daily living as I do live a lot of them already. Physical comfort is important to me. Also, I enjoyed the links to articles that backed up what Olivia was stating.
November 21, 2018
I'm sorry to be so negative about a book, but I just couldn't get into this. I stuck with it because it's so short, but I found this book to be way more basic than I would have hoped for. I don't feel like I learned too much and I felt like the "insights" we're quite inane. For reference, I was reading this book because I am going to Copenhagen and I like to learn about the culture of a country before I go. I was not reading this book in search of my own personal hygge.
August 11, 2018
WOWZA!
I got this book out of curiosity...an information guide, if you will.
I did not realize how radically it would change/enhance/enrich my entire life!
I plan on giving a copy to my newly pregnant daughter so that she doesn't have to wait half a century to understand how free she can be!
As a side note, the author is correct...you can indeed find hygge gift sets online!
I got this book out of curiosity...an information guide, if you will.
I did not realize how radically it would change/enhance/enrich my entire life!
I plan on giving a copy to my newly pregnant daughter so that she doesn't have to wait half a century to understand how free she can be!
As a side note, the author is correct...you can indeed find hygge gift sets online!
August 16, 2018
Lovely Read
This is the first book I have read by Olivia and I have to say I really loved it. Good research done on Hygge, you really should read this if you like learning new perspectives on life. This author really is up to the mark with her work. Will be looking for any books of hers I can find, thanks for the pleasure you give the reader
This is the first book I have read by Olivia and I have to say I really loved it. Good research done on Hygge, you really should read this if you like learning new perspectives on life. This author really is up to the mark with her work. Will be looking for any books of hers I can find, thanks for the pleasure you give the reader
April 2, 2019
Best book on Hygge that I have read
I have read other books on Hygge but this really explains the Hygge way of living so that it really made me want to incorporate it into my lifestyle. I thought it was just a way to get through the winter months but it is really a lifestyle for year round living. Great concept!
I have read other books on Hygge but this really explains the Hygge way of living so that it really made me want to incorporate it into my lifestyle. I thought it was just a way to get through the winter months but it is really a lifestyle for year round living. Great concept!
December 25, 2017
Brief and informative
I enjoyed learning about hygge and it’s positive effects. This was a brief, yet useful introduction. I’m always trying to arrange my living spaces to promote a comforting mood, so this information will be put to hood use.
I enjoyed learning about hygge and it’s positive effects. This was a brief, yet useful introduction. I’m always trying to arrange my living spaces to promote a comforting mood, so this information will be put to hood use.
November 29, 2017
Great book, I love the attention to detail the author has. She really changed my perspective and always gave great examples. I'm excited for what i've learnt and to apply it to my life
September 19, 2018
Really enjoyed this
November 28, 2018
This was a very enjoyable short audible listen. My husband even enjoyed it! He wrote a fb status: Don’t f up my Hygge! Lol.
May 9, 2023
The hygge lifestyle is a valuing or pursuing of “cosiness.” It is an emotional fulfilment with similarities (albeit cultural and geographical differences) to the philosophical peace that ancient Greeks and Romans valued when they retreated their country estates to live bucolic lives of contentment.
To some extent hygge is just a repackaging of an ancient idea. And because this incarnation comes with a Scandinavian word, then it is pitched as a distinctly Scandinavian ideal. But isn’t it a bit simplistic to reduce human contentment to Scandinavian practices? Are we really saying that other cultures have not discovered and used aspects of Hygge, despite not having a specific word for it?
The book contains many interesting ideas, but they are pitched simplistically. We hear for example that you shouldn’t drink coffee in the morning, as it dehydrates you (6%). Yes coffee has a dehydrating effect, but is that relevant when it is served in a large cup of hot water? And rather than avoiding coffee in the morning, others think you should avoid it after lunch because of the effects of caffeine upon sleep. Coffee represents a more complicated set of issues than the book recognises.
Similar issues crop up when the book mentions diets. We hear for example how the author’s hygge journey led to a specific diet because of seeing “how a plant based diet healed my friend.” (65%). Diets are notoriously complicated, with notoriously varied opinions about what specifically causes or influences health. Reducing the issues to personal experiences is rarely satisfactory.
In places the book was contradictory. On the one hand we have to avoid stress (15%) by decluttering our houses. But on the other hand we should have (the clutter) of little pots of herbs around the house (23%).
And if avoiding stress is important, why are we being recommended to have a ‘vision board’ upon which we put pictures of the desired house, car and lover that is wanted (7%). Many philosophies and religions try to get people to avoid yearning after material things, precisely to reduce stress. Is a version of Hygge with Vision Boards really the best approach to experience the contentment of hygge? Or is it a mishmash and blending of Hygge with the kinds of ideas to be found in Self Help books?
We can see a similar kind of blending of ideas when the author tries to incorporate religion into the Hygge vision. We hear that people should ‘talk to… (their) higher power. If you don’t believe in a higher power, you can skip this step…’(6%). But if you can safely achieve hygge by skipping the step then why ‘should’ anyone talk to their higher power. There clearly can’t be any necessity in engaging with higher powers. So why are higher powers relevant to Hygge?
There are some good ideas in the book, and helpful practical recommendations. But is that due to Hygge, or is it just a repetition of the kinds of generalised advice that can be found in other Self Help books?
Overall this felt like a Self Help book which would have benefited from having a chapter devoted to Hygge. Instead it tries to be a book on (Scandinavian) Hygge by appealing to generalised ideas which are not clearly specific to Scandinavia at all.
To some extent hygge is just a repackaging of an ancient idea. And because this incarnation comes with a Scandinavian word, then it is pitched as a distinctly Scandinavian ideal. But isn’t it a bit simplistic to reduce human contentment to Scandinavian practices? Are we really saying that other cultures have not discovered and used aspects of Hygge, despite not having a specific word for it?
The book contains many interesting ideas, but they are pitched simplistically. We hear for example that you shouldn’t drink coffee in the morning, as it dehydrates you (6%). Yes coffee has a dehydrating effect, but is that relevant when it is served in a large cup of hot water? And rather than avoiding coffee in the morning, others think you should avoid it after lunch because of the effects of caffeine upon sleep. Coffee represents a more complicated set of issues than the book recognises.
Similar issues crop up when the book mentions diets. We hear for example how the author’s hygge journey led to a specific diet because of seeing “how a plant based diet healed my friend.” (65%). Diets are notoriously complicated, with notoriously varied opinions about what specifically causes or influences health. Reducing the issues to personal experiences is rarely satisfactory.
In places the book was contradictory. On the one hand we have to avoid stress (15%) by decluttering our houses. But on the other hand we should have (the clutter) of little pots of herbs around the house (23%).
And if avoiding stress is important, why are we being recommended to have a ‘vision board’ upon which we put pictures of the desired house, car and lover that is wanted (7%). Many philosophies and religions try to get people to avoid yearning after material things, precisely to reduce stress. Is a version of Hygge with Vision Boards really the best approach to experience the contentment of hygge? Or is it a mishmash and blending of Hygge with the kinds of ideas to be found in Self Help books?
We can see a similar kind of blending of ideas when the author tries to incorporate religion into the Hygge vision. We hear that people should ‘talk to… (their) higher power. If you don’t believe in a higher power, you can skip this step…’(6%). But if you can safely achieve hygge by skipping the step then why ‘should’ anyone talk to their higher power. There clearly can’t be any necessity in engaging with higher powers. So why are higher powers relevant to Hygge?
There are some good ideas in the book, and helpful practical recommendations. But is that due to Hygge, or is it just a repetition of the kinds of generalised advice that can be found in other Self Help books?
Overall this felt like a Self Help book which would have benefited from having a chapter devoted to Hygge. Instead it tries to be a book on (Scandinavian) Hygge by appealing to generalised ideas which are not clearly specific to Scandinavia at all.
June 30, 2020
Hygge: Discovering The Danish Art Of Happiness – How To Live Cozily And Enjoy... (Kindle Edition) [Kindle Unlimited] — Olivia Telford (Introduction + 12 titled chapters + Conclusion) June 27-28, 2020
The following is my interpretation of hygge, pronounces HOO-ga. It is the Danish form of mindfulness. Lived as a way of life like breathing, it cannot be measured or tallied on a stat sheet. Hygge comes from the culture, the way of life for the Danes. There is no English word for hygge.
This book spent a lot of the first chapters and subsequent ones trying to explain this to the uninitiated. I will admit I am one. I had never heard of hygge before and was looking to expand my understanding of a different way of life. Hygge is a calm, subconscious inter-reflective, and thoughtful life. It encompasses warmth, cozy, family/self experiences.
This book was actually pretty dull. It felt like a slugfest in reading it. However, I did learn some things that will help me maintain calm.
A lot of the book felt like us vs. them reading. The “people don’t understand but this is how it is” like feeling. Which is unfortunate. I can understand using a statement like that once or twice, but by repeating it left this reader feeling defeated before evening attempting to figure it out. It read very passively as well.
I always get a kick out of Kindle books that poo-poo many electronics…including the device I read this on. If a guide or book feels this way so strongly, why even allow it publication on such devices? I know the answer to this, but I still have a good LOL out of it.
The book/guide also repeats the fact that hygge is not seasonal, although “traditional” hygge has its roots in it.
However, there is also a section on living hygge within your means. But some of the ideas to help with expenses so that young persons can live a hygge life are again LOL. Methinks that these “cost-saving measures” are in reality more hygge than stated. I feel like hygge is living a more simple, stress-free life. Spending money does not sound stress-free to me, especially when living on a limited income.
The next chapter went on a tangent about the fear of commercializing hygge and instead works to focus on the fact that hygge is about inspiration within. Further in the book, the author tries to parallel hygge to Zen, which I believe is a mistake. Granted, I am new to hygge, and while it is similar to Zen, there are differences.
The book tries hard to explain and define hygge, but when it starts talking about the beginning practice of it, it loses me a bit. I think without being fully emerged in this way of life, it is hard to practice it. This is how it is similar to Zen. Hygge is living life without strict constraints, whether it be time, work, or money. Most people living in America, no matter how much they may want this cannot fully achieve this state if work and life are lived the way it is now.
At the beginning was a link to download a different book. Have I stated before how much I loathe self-publicity in unrelated books? /sarcasm.
Good book, but not as enlightening as I had hoped.
Two stars.
The following is my interpretation of hygge, pronounces HOO-ga. It is the Danish form of mindfulness. Lived as a way of life like breathing, it cannot be measured or tallied on a stat sheet. Hygge comes from the culture, the way of life for the Danes. There is no English word for hygge.
This book spent a lot of the first chapters and subsequent ones trying to explain this to the uninitiated. I will admit I am one. I had never heard of hygge before and was looking to expand my understanding of a different way of life. Hygge is a calm, subconscious inter-reflective, and thoughtful life. It encompasses warmth, cozy, family/self experiences.
This book was actually pretty dull. It felt like a slugfest in reading it. However, I did learn some things that will help me maintain calm.
A lot of the book felt like us vs. them reading. The “people don’t understand but this is how it is” like feeling. Which is unfortunate. I can understand using a statement like that once or twice, but by repeating it left this reader feeling defeated before evening attempting to figure it out. It read very passively as well.
I always get a kick out of Kindle books that poo-poo many electronics…including the device I read this on. If a guide or book feels this way so strongly, why even allow it publication on such devices? I know the answer to this, but I still have a good LOL out of it.
The book/guide also repeats the fact that hygge is not seasonal, although “traditional” hygge has its roots in it.
However, there is also a section on living hygge within your means. But some of the ideas to help with expenses so that young persons can live a hygge life are again LOL. Methinks that these “cost-saving measures” are in reality more hygge than stated. I feel like hygge is living a more simple, stress-free life. Spending money does not sound stress-free to me, especially when living on a limited income.
The next chapter went on a tangent about the fear of commercializing hygge and instead works to focus on the fact that hygge is about inspiration within. Further in the book, the author tries to parallel hygge to Zen, which I believe is a mistake. Granted, I am new to hygge, and while it is similar to Zen, there are differences.
The book tries hard to explain and define hygge, but when it starts talking about the beginning practice of it, it loses me a bit. I think without being fully emerged in this way of life, it is hard to practice it. This is how it is similar to Zen. Hygge is living life without strict constraints, whether it be time, work, or money. Most people living in America, no matter how much they may want this cannot fully achieve this state if work and life are lived the way it is now.
At the beginning was a link to download a different book. Have I stated before how much I loathe self-publicity in unrelated books? /sarcasm.
Good book, but not as enlightening as I had hoped.
Two stars.
December 15, 2020
An idealistic concept but unrealistic to maintain for many cultures-
First, let me state that I love the concept of Hygge and have experienced it intensely through moments of intense happiness brought on by a feeling, a memory, a specific smell and certain spaces. My description of hygge would be moments in time when everything is right and perfect at that specific place and time. I understand that the concept of hygge is to try to create, live in and experience comfort and happiness at all times though I don't believe that life is simple enough to do this. I think the concept of Hygge is wonderful but I don't believe it can be achieved continually on a daily basis. Life is hard and all cultures are different although there may be similarities within different cultures. My biggest problem with the book was that it felt like an attack on American culture. Had the title been inclusive of America finding hygge or something like that it wouldn't have felt like Americans were singled out in the book. I also found some statements in the book to be contradictory. For example, stating that being or exercising outdoors is better than going to the gym. What if some people love going to the gym and aren't crazy about being outdoors. For those people, wouldn't going to the gym be hygge? I feel like hygge is a fancy way of saying happiness and, even though not everyone strives for hygge and because hygge is a cultural concept and people know what is good and bad for them, some people just thrive on the stresses of everyday life and even enjoy doing so. Hygge is a fabulous solution to life's everyday stresses but it's not easy to achieve and even harder to maintain for most people. The several times I have experienced hygge were like instant bliss but other times that I felt absolutely content I would consider to be hygge but they weren't maintainable. So, as much as I'd like to live a hygge lifestyle I think so much of it depends on culture, environment and lifestyle and for many people, it's just not practical. The concept of the book is great but I think more emphasis should have been put on realistic ways to implement it for people. Let's face it, people who are worrying about how they are going to pay their bills, put food on the table or where they are going to live because they've lost their home are far from living the hygge lifestyle.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First, let me state that I love the concept of Hygge and have experienced it intensely through moments of intense happiness brought on by a feeling, a memory, a specific smell and certain spaces. My description of hygge would be moments in time when everything is right and perfect at that specific place and time. I understand that the concept of hygge is to try to create, live in and experience comfort and happiness at all times though I don't believe that life is simple enough to do this. I think the concept of Hygge is wonderful but I don't believe it can be achieved continually on a daily basis. Life is hard and all cultures are different although there may be similarities within different cultures. My biggest problem with the book was that it felt like an attack on American culture. Had the title been inclusive of America finding hygge or something like that it wouldn't have felt like Americans were singled out in the book. I also found some statements in the book to be contradictory. For example, stating that being or exercising outdoors is better than going to the gym. What if some people love going to the gym and aren't crazy about being outdoors. For those people, wouldn't going to the gym be hygge? I feel like hygge is a fancy way of saying happiness and, even though not everyone strives for hygge and because hygge is a cultural concept and people know what is good and bad for them, some people just thrive on the stresses of everyday life and even enjoy doing so. Hygge is a fabulous solution to life's everyday stresses but it's not easy to achieve and even harder to maintain for most people. The several times I have experienced hygge were like instant bliss but other times that I felt absolutely content I would consider to be hygge but they weren't maintainable. So, as much as I'd like to live a hygge lifestyle I think so much of it depends on culture, environment and lifestyle and for many people, it's just not practical. The concept of the book is great but I think more emphasis should have been put on realistic ways to implement it for people. Let's face it, people who are worrying about how they are going to pay their bills, put food on the table or where they are going to live because they've lost their home are far from living the hygge lifestyle.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 14, 2020
Hygge is not a prescription but it is an approach that, if applied can find you smiling more often as you go through your day
This book will not make you happy, it will not provide a one day read where you wake up the following day wiser. What it will do though is provide a series of mini guidelines. These guides provide an approach to the discovery of happiness. It may even help you find some gems that help you gain wisdom.
Each chapter is a review of how to apply this approach to life called Hygge to different aspects of your life. Each of us have unique goals and objectives. These define our steps forward to achieve them.
The author recognizes the necessity of that what we need is an approach, not a prescription. With practical adoption of these perspectives, one may learn new discoveries about themselves.
Life is not an event, but an experience. It is through those accumulated moments that we will discover what the Danes define as Hygge. These feelings can help you discover why life is full of so many wonderful opportunities.
All you have to do is remember to breathe along the way. Take in the moment, appreciate it's simplicity and watch a smile spread across your face.
I have enjoyed this book. I expect if you apply the approaches as you read it, you too will discover it's secrets. I believe the author's book is a good tool to add to your library of keepers. It has in mine.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book will not make you happy, it will not provide a one day read where you wake up the following day wiser. What it will do though is provide a series of mini guidelines. These guides provide an approach to the discovery of happiness. It may even help you find some gems that help you gain wisdom.
Each chapter is a review of how to apply this approach to life called Hygge to different aspects of your life. Each of us have unique goals and objectives. These define our steps forward to achieve them.
The author recognizes the necessity of that what we need is an approach, not a prescription. With practical adoption of these perspectives, one may learn new discoveries about themselves.
Life is not an event, but an experience. It is through those accumulated moments that we will discover what the Danes define as Hygge. These feelings can help you discover why life is full of so many wonderful opportunities.
All you have to do is remember to breathe along the way. Take in the moment, appreciate it's simplicity and watch a smile spread across your face.
I have enjoyed this book. I expect if you apply the approaches as you read it, you too will discover it's secrets. I believe the author's book is a good tool to add to your library of keepers. It has in mine.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 29, 2020
Hygge, pronounced HOO-ga, is the enraptured enjoyment of the simple things in life. A feeling rather than a concept, hygge is an approach to living that allows us to give our bodies exactly what it needs. With this lifestyle, we are kind to ourselves and surround ourselves with things and people that whisk away our stress, promote contentment and rest, and make us feel comfortable.
I had heard of hygge before I read this book, but I wasn't exactly sure what it was. Olivia Telford shares the benefits of hygge, why we can practice it and how to implement hygge. The author mentions similar practices and arguments for hygge throughout the book, though, so it's a bit repetitive.
Here are some other bits of info I learned from this book.
Anyone around the globe can practice hygge year-round.
It's an emotional, inward and personal experience. That means we each will experience hygge differently.
To practice hygge, we must first be self-aware, self-compassionate and mindful.
Then we can implement all of our senses. We can also socialize with people we like and love, stay physically active, enjoy nutritious foods (and comfort foods in moderation), and relax with meditation, deep breathing or massage.
We don't need things to practice hygge. In fact, it can help us spend less money and fight consumerism and debt.
Hygge comes from within. It cannot erase mundane or obligatory aspects of life, but it can bring joy and pleasure to those aspects of life.
I had heard of hygge before I read this book, but I wasn't exactly sure what it was. Olivia Telford shares the benefits of hygge, why we can practice it and how to implement hygge. The author mentions similar practices and arguments for hygge throughout the book, though, so it's a bit repetitive.
Here are some other bits of info I learned from this book.
Anyone around the globe can practice hygge year-round.
It's an emotional, inward and personal experience. That means we each will experience hygge differently.
To practice hygge, we must first be self-aware, self-compassionate and mindful.
Then we can implement all of our senses. We can also socialize with people we like and love, stay physically active, enjoy nutritious foods (and comfort foods in moderation), and relax with meditation, deep breathing or massage.
We don't need things to practice hygge. In fact, it can help us spend less money and fight consumerism and debt.
Hygge comes from within. It cannot erase mundane or obligatory aspects of life, but it can bring joy and pleasure to those aspects of life.
December 22, 2020
The good: I learned a lot about a subject I had no knowledge on, before. The author is earnest and genuine and truly believes in her subject. You want to believe her.
The bad: I get that it is very difficult to explain what hygge IS. Maybe it is like good art or pornography...you know it when you see it. But if ANYTHING can be hygge, then what is the purpose of the book? You could theoretically sum up the entire book in about 5 pages. Yes, there is LOADS of filler material, here. Most of it can be illustrative. But it is also largely forgettable. In essence, it sounds like hygge is just a good balance of healthy living, doing things you enjoy. (There...I condensed my five pages into one sentence). So I am not sure that the remaining 99.9% of the book is really all that helpful.
The ugly: Since I received an ARC version of this, I am truly hoping that the version going into print will have been edited, AFTER I saw it. The version I saw was absolutely riddled with typos. Not the kind of typos that a spell-checker would catch. But there were SO many of them. Words like "no," when the author meant "not." The words used are not spelled incorrectly, in most cases. But it is clearly not the word that the author was intending to use. There are also sentences where the words are transposed. A good editor would have caught ALL of these things. It appears that a good editor was not used.
The bad: I get that it is very difficult to explain what hygge IS. Maybe it is like good art or pornography...you know it when you see it. But if ANYTHING can be hygge, then what is the purpose of the book? You could theoretically sum up the entire book in about 5 pages. Yes, there is LOADS of filler material, here. Most of it can be illustrative. But it is also largely forgettable. In essence, it sounds like hygge is just a good balance of healthy living, doing things you enjoy. (There...I condensed my five pages into one sentence). So I am not sure that the remaining 99.9% of the book is really all that helpful.
The ugly: Since I received an ARC version of this, I am truly hoping that the version going into print will have been edited, AFTER I saw it. The version I saw was absolutely riddled with typos. Not the kind of typos that a spell-checker would catch. But there were SO many of them. Words like "no," when the author meant "not." The words used are not spelled incorrectly, in most cases. But it is clearly not the word that the author was intending to use. There are also sentences where the words are transposed. A good editor would have caught ALL of these things. It appears that a good editor was not used.
December 15, 2020
No, hygge is not translated to be happy, but I can appreciate the difficulty of translating concepts between languages. The author presents a valiant effort at translating the Danish concept reflected in the title word that defines why the Danish consistently rank among the happiest nations on earth. For me, the simple description of a cup of hot cocoa in the evenings to help relax and unwind encapsulated the idea. Going into the winter in the US and a habitual guilty practitioner of trying to cram too much activity into every day, this simple practice is a game-changer for me and was a simple stepping-stone into the concept.
If the hot chocolate example doesn't work for you, the author provides a great deal more description, examples, and applications, at least one of which will help you apply this practice into your daily living. This short book was an easy read and provided many such tips to experience a happier life from wherever you happen to find yourself. These aren’t pat woo-woo, think-positive concepts, but rather a different way of thinking as you engage in your everyday life and prioritize your focus. A good introduction to a complicated subject to explain, but not a complex practice to adopt.
If the hot chocolate example doesn't work for you, the author provides a great deal more description, examples, and applications, at least one of which will help you apply this practice into your daily living. This short book was an easy read and provided many such tips to experience a happier life from wherever you happen to find yourself. These aren’t pat woo-woo, think-positive concepts, but rather a different way of thinking as you engage in your everyday life and prioritize your focus. A good introduction to a complicated subject to explain, but not a complex practice to adopt.
December 17, 2020
Hygge is difficult to define, but easier to sense. In this book, Olivia Telford discusses this primarily Danish concept extensively, beginning with a 6 page introduction that tickles your curiosity to read further, and, preferably finish the book in one sitting.
She delves deeply into its origins,benefits and most importantly gently guides us on how to apply it in daily life. With Denmark being the 3rd healthies country in the world while US and UK are among the 10 most unhealthiest countries, there is something that all of humanity can pick up from Hygge. And the beauty of it is that you don't need a lot of money, time or some advanced intelligence to learn and apply it in daily life. It is simple but profound, and different for each individual.
As the author says, Hygge is not a fad, or a trend, or something that will eventually fade into the background. Instead, it is a way of life that promotes good health on a physical, emotional, chemical and hormonal level.
The author neatly summarises the key points in a 4 page Conclusions chapter. Many of us may already be using the Hygge principle unconsciously, but active application will definitely enable us to reap more benefits.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She delves deeply into its origins,benefits and most importantly gently guides us on how to apply it in daily life. With Denmark being the 3rd healthies country in the world while US and UK are among the 10 most unhealthiest countries, there is something that all of humanity can pick up from Hygge. And the beauty of it is that you don't need a lot of money, time or some advanced intelligence to learn and apply it in daily life. It is simple but profound, and different for each individual.
As the author says, Hygge is not a fad, or a trend, or something that will eventually fade into the background. Instead, it is a way of life that promotes good health on a physical, emotional, chemical and hormonal level.
The author neatly summarises the key points in a 4 page Conclusions chapter. Many of us may already be using the Hygge principle unconsciously, but active application will definitely enable us to reap more benefits.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 7, 2020
“Hygge: Discovering The Danish Art Of Happiness – How To Live Cozily And Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures” by Olivia Telford is a nice and easy introduction to the concept of Hygge. Hygge is Danish and Norwegian word that loosely translates as ‘coziness’ and/or ‘wellness’ and correlates with a very Scandinavian way to take life day by day and enjoy the moment to its fullest.
Olivia Telford focuses her book on modern Denmark, its traditions and modern implementation of Hygge. The book doesn’t get into specific history or the philosophy of Hygge as such, it is first and foremost a practical implementation guide to help the readers to get acquainted with the concept and incorporate some elements to their specific needs. In a fast-moving world, in which specially the younger generations are constantly fighting stress and neglecting their own mental health, this book offers a new helpful perspective on how to enjoy more satisfying life, by embracing the concept of slowing one and appreciate the moment. Easy enough Scandinavians, which are considered the happiest people in the world, have been doing it already for generations 😊
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