The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness: The Nordic Art of Happy and Balanced Living with Fika, Lagom, Hygge, and More!

by Editors of Whalen Book Works

Make time for the things that really matter in life. Find balance and happiness in your daily life, the Scandinavian way, with The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness!

There’s a reason Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden consistently rank as the top 5 happiest countries on earth! Find out the secrets to their happiness and fulfillment in The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness, which shares centuries of Nordic wisdom, including: 

- Lykke: Happiness is all around you (Denmark)
- Lagom: Just the right amount—not too much, not too little (Sweden)
- Fika: Taking daily coffee breaks and other comforting rituals (Sweden)
- Hygge: Coziness brings comfort, courage, and happiness (Denmark)
- Sisu: Everyday courage, grit, and determination & acting rationally in the face of adversity

These basic principles will help you see how to have a happy life without buying anything, changing yourself, or making any other crazy drastic changes! Topics include Simplicity, Happiness, Health & Wellness, Relationships, Nature-Inspired Living, and more. Full of inspiring, encouraging ideas—and charming illustrations!—this thoughtful Scandinavian guide is sure to put a happy glow on your life. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health

208 pages, Hardcover

Published January 5, 2021

Reviews

[Hayley King · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very light and fun read, and served as a good reminder to incorporate different things such as nature, comfort, and balance into our everyday lives. However, I found the way in which he illustrated each concept to be extremely repetitive and somewhat vague. I was excited to learn about the history and application of these philosophies in Nordic countries but the explanation of each one felt like a quick summary, and I didn’t feel like his suggestions were anything vastly different from what we’re consistently being told in North American culture.

Overall I would only recommend this book if someone is looking for an easy introduction to these concepts, but not if they are seeking unique ways to bring a sense of happiness to their lives.

[Megan McSherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

maybe I’m just drawn to this book because my denmark trip got cancelled due to covid, but there are so many good life lessons to learn from scandinavian / nordic ways of living. also so many parallels with sustainable/conscious living!

[Shawn Fujioka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cute little book, quick read. Was really interesting to learn about different philosophies of Nordic countries. Tried out the spritz (Swedish butter cookie) recipe for the friend that let me borrow the book, and they turned out really good! Some of the sections can be a bit repetitive at times, which is understandable considering the philosophies can overlap. Made me feel nostalgic for my time studying abroad in Sweden and Denmark.

[hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5✨ this was such an easy read! i liked the concept of this book a lot. i do wish they dove into the history of the guidance provided more to make it seem more concrete (other than just relying on the reader to trust that advice given is actually used in the countries mentioned)

[Eleanor Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

light, refreshing read full of good reminders & great recommendations

[Zac Sutcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent little book on things to incorporate for sources of joy. A lot of the things I am already doing, but can always try some new things out to have even more joy in life. Trying to find more content-ness and gratitude in the everyday moment. And a lot of this book felt especially relevant going into winter - Scandinavian culture feels like it is built around winter!

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet little book. It gives you several Nordic philosophies on life and how to incorporate them into your world. I like books like this because it resets my brain to appreciate the important things in life.

[Whitney Liegakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple little “coffee table” book that sheds a small amount of light on Scandinavian principles. Light and interesting, I’d be interested in a deeper dive for sure. I should have been born in Sweden. 🇸🇪 💙

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland consistently rank among the top ten for happiness around the world. This book explores seven ideas and practices from these countries that contribute to their happiness along with ideas for implementing them in your own life. These include: Lagom (Sweden), balance and moderation, Friluftsliv (Norway), connection to nature, Fika (Sweden), taking daily coffee breaks, Hygge (Denmark), coziness and comfort, Lykke (Denmark), happiness all around you, Sisu (Finland), courage, grit and determination, and Petta Reddast (Iceland), the idea that things will work out. I found this short volume to be very enjoyable and I read it in one sitting. I really like the ideas it presents and I found its ideas for executing them to be very practical. I will definitely put some of the ideas into action in my own life.

ND Women Connect Short Format March 2022

[Kateri Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read The Scandinavian Guide To Happiness: Balanced Living with Fika, Lagom, Hygee, and More by Tim Rayborn (published by Whalen Book Works) since I first learned about it a few months ago. After the challenge that was all of 2020 and the rocky start to 2021, I felt like these Scandinavian ideas came into my life at just the right time. I read the whole book, cover to cover, in one sitting, with a snuggly cat on my lap (very hygee!).

The book covers seven different philosophies from Scandinavian countries that, when implemented can help to create a happier and more fulfilling life. At first they may seem simple, but it's no surprise that these Scandinavian countries are happier for good reason - these philosophies work. The book is full of helpful advice, scientific fact to back up the philosophies, recipes that I can't wait to try, and on top of all of that, it's gorgeously designed. It's filled to the brim with beautiful, paper-cut-esque illustrations and fantastic colors. The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness is the perfect gift book for really anyone!

As mentioned above, the book covers seven different nordic philosophies. Below are four of my favorites.

The book begins with the philosophy of Lagom- just the right amount, not too much not too little. This one really hit home as I think I'm still somewhat recovering from job burnout after months and months of working too many hours and not being able to leave work at home. This section suggests that simply taking a nice lunch break, going for a walk outdoors, or reading a good book is a great way to begin to implement that balance in your life. There are suggestions for ways to carry out lagom in work, with family and friends, with your health, at home, in the larger world, and my favorite- when you're working at home. They're all very simple suggestions, but that means that there's no excuse to not do them!


Next up is Fruluftsliv, my personal favorite philosophy from the book, connecting to nature by being in nature. The word literally means free-air-life and the concept was invented by Norwegian poet Henrik Ibsen back in 1871. It first showed up in his poem On The Heights:

Here in this deserted dwelling
I have housed my wealth of treasure;
There's a bench, a stove, sweet smelling
Air [fruluftsliv], and time to think at leisure
I recently got back from a short trip to Moab where, after what felt like a very long hiatus, I got to spend lots of quality time outdoors and experience fruluftsliv first hand. It really does make a difference. As outlined in the book, it's not necessarily about doing anything in particular it's about how a "one-on-one experience of the natural world is a true food for the soul." Sometimes Norwegians refer to this as naturrensing, or "nature cleansing."

Rayborn utilizes various studies to back up the claim that these interactions with the natural world can enhance one's happiness. This section of the book offers suggestions of ways to experience fruluftsliv, meditations, and exercises to make the most of your free-air-life.

Fika is probably something that anyone who has spent anytime on Pinterest is already aware of. It's the idea, according to the Swedish proverb, that "seriousness and pleasure should thrive together." This has always been something that I missed about my time in London. Although maybe not as present as in Scandinavian countries, there's a cafe culture where sharing a drink with a friend and having a conversation is an important ritual. The Swedish really take it to the next level and I LOVE that!

"In Sweden, fika is a whole concept, a state of mind. Instead of giving you a boost to speed things up, it's all about slowing things down for a while and taking the time to savor a great cup of coffee, along with some sweet treats." The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness provides a wealth of information about how to implement fika into your daily life, whether it's setting the scene, or recipes for sweet treats and coffee- it's all there for you to start this ritual yourself.

Last, but certainly not least is Hygee, another concept that Americans are probably already aware of. Meik Wiking, head of the Institute of Happiness says "Hygee has been called everything from 'the art of creating intimacy,' 'coziness of the soul,' and 'the absence of annoyance,' to 'taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things,' 'cozy togetherness,' and my personal favorite, 'cocoa by candelight." It's a philosophy that's hard to pin down, to describe in words, because it's more of a feeling. "It's about reveling in the cozy, the familiar, and the safe, about having a personal space to retreat to and cocoon- or having a few friends over for a great evening of good times and good company."

When very little in our world feels comforting or safe or cozy at the moment, I think hygee is more important than ever. I'm making an effort from here on out to implement hygee into my life now to hopefully make this unpredictable year feel a little safer.

[Becca Koblin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of want to rant about this book. I am a pretty big lover of hygge and just kind of a nordic nerd in general so I love picking up cozy books like this to read through. Of the ones I have read this is not the best one but there was something that REALLY bugged me about it and it happened within the first chapter. The idea of this book is that it explores different countries which typically rank pretty high in happiness (all of which are nordic) and explores their mottos and ways of life. The first section is on Lagom which is all about moderation. The idea of Lagom itself is totally fine and I was interested to explore it. My issue is that the author suggests within a section called Lagom and health, that it is appropriate to tell people to try fasting... and says and I quote "feeling true hunger puts you back in touch with your body and needs." Just no, like no all the way around. First of all, fasting is something you should never do without first consulting your personal doctor or medical professional. It can be dangerous and in no way is fasting a practice in moderation. Obviously, I am not making a comment on religious fasting at all (that is completely different). I just think to suggest that a healthy way to function around food is to ignore your hunger cues and starve yourself for part of the day is ridiculous. It really put me off the rest of this book which is unfortunate because the other sections were totally fine (which is why I gave it the 2 stars).

[Lydia Ramirez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covered a vast amount of subject in a very concise way. Everything that it brought up was relevant to daily life and I really enjoyed that it was tailored towards Americans who clearly live differently from Scandinavian countries.

Overall I would say that this was a helpful book but it was also really repetitive. Multiple point were brought up more than once with different wording. Another thing I personally did not enjoy was how the tips were laid out as a kind of bullet-point list with minimal elaboration. I think it could have benefited from more statistics and real-world examples of the ideas being implemented.

However, this book also has a spirited and encouraging voice that ultimately made it a worthwhile read. There are point that I will be more mindful of in my personal life.

[Noheli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Must read! Truly has changed my life and way of thinking. This book has only further enhanced my spiritual transformation in life, existing, nature, and so on. I’ve always wanted to visit the Scandinavian area and/or potentially move there and this was certainly the icing on the cake to wanting to visit and planning the journey even more. I love culture and people and this was a good insight. 20/10 would recommend the read. It’s easy and to the point. Very enlightening and positive.

Oh! And they include a couple of recipes. Can’t wait to attempt to make a few at home and share them with family and friends!

[Patti]

Fun story, I actually ended up with this book because I found it misshelved amongst the Batman books at the library and picked it up to reshelve it, but checked it out instead. It's a cute little thing! I feel like it's more of a series of Buzzfeed articles than an actual book. The writing was a little too surface level and conversational to feel like a book, book and there were some funny typos. But this was pretty much as advertised, a series of nice, simple reminders of reasons/ways to seek balance and calm. I really liked the Sisu chapter! Also the book design was lovely! There are some really nice patterns and designs in it.

[Harrison Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. It is simply written, but gives some clearly reachable goals for achieving a happier life. Although I have completed reading it, it is more in the nature of a guide to refer back to for additional ideas -- such as how to use "alone" time to generate a happier disposition. So, I look forward to using this on a frequent basis. There are also some great recipes for Scandinavian baked treats!

[TheNinjaReadsHorror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short read that does a little dive into Nordic culture. Full of helpful meditations, grounded perspectives, and optimistic but realistic and balanced practices. It certainly helps that I was already interested in moving to either Denmark or Sweden because of the pillars their society is built on. I mean let's face it, what reader doesn't love a bit of hygge now and then, or if you're me, all the time.

[Brittany-Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the philosophies in this book and hope to keep them in mind going forward. The suggestions for each philosophy get a bit repetitive as you go- this can be expected since some of the philosophies themselves are similar. It’s a quick read and I’m glad I read it, but I desired a little more of something- I think more historical and cultural context. This book gives a good gist of things but nothing too deep.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book about these philosophies, but it is coming from a very outside US-centric perspective and simplifies these philosophies and ways of life down a lot when there is a lot to each of these Philosophies that the books talk about. It also equates nordic and Scandinavian being the same thing which they are not the same thing. It is a good starter book with these philosophies and ways of life and I do appreciate the way the author gives ways people can do this in action.

[Lauren Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy and I like the quotes and phrases in this one a lot. Gives a lot of practical tips and I really like the concepts in this one. It’s a little more broad than the little book of Hygge but was similar in structure. Read it in abt 45 mins, and will be copying down some of the quotes to hang up. Liked it more than the other one, but was still a little on the shallow side. Cute though and will use it! 🧦🤍

[Nancy Schalk · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful collection of cultural perspectives for healthy lifestyles and choices. Many of them are very familiar though I did not know their origin before this. I found a lot of affirmations for directions I have followed or shared in my lifetime. No matter how many years one practices these, there is always a time to bring them back to mind and put back into practice.
Thank you, Whitney for sharing this. I loved it!

[Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels really good to see the Havamal quoted, and like hot coffee poured straight down my spine to hear about the cultural competencies and comforts of my ancestors and kin a world away but still not so far. Not so much inspiring as much as a gentle reminder of who I really am. Immensely comforting and opened a lot of writing prompts for me.

[Dody B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book before coming to Iceland. It was a gift and very appropriate for someone traveling to any of the countries it talks about. Highly recommend for a gift. Enjoyed reading the book. Easy book and some basic reminders to slow down and enjoy the world. The twist was learning what the words mean. Enjoyed it.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find books like this relaxing and this isn’t a bad book but it’s a very brief overview and if you’ve read about these concepts before you will likely be bored. No real insights here but pleasant enough especially if this is your first exposure. Hygge is better developed in Miek Wiking’s book. Start there.

[Rachel Franke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very light and easy read. I easily could’ve finished this in one day. However, I found it to be somewhat boring. Each concept felt like a vague summary, and didn’t go much into the cultural significance of these ideas for their respective countries. More cultural background and less practical application would’ve been much better, since the application portions were highly repetitive.

[Natalia Faure · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book! I was given this by my professor that is leading my study abroad to the Nordics and so it was awesome to get to know a little bit more about the culture I will be immersing myself in.

Not the normal fiction type books I read so motivation wise it took me a little longer to finish but I did it!

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short book (about 120 pages) and could be even shorter were it not for a couple of recipe sections midway through - so it’s a very quick read. It’s cute, and practical - reminders of things most readers already know, but put into the context of the Scandinavian country whose culture most bears out the themes.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and simple — an easy read to start 2022 and a nice and positive first book for the year. While sweet and charming, I found this slightly repetitive which did take away some of my enjoyment of this book.

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise that I was really looking forward to. However, I was hoping for a lot more depth on the Scandinavian principles, their cultural relevance, history etc. and fewer surface level how-to's and repeated cliches. Unfortunate- it had great potential

[Kanako Okiron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veeery interesting read, I learned so much and now I want to visit Scandinavia ten times more!! There seems to be a negative image associated with Swedes in particular, but if this book doesn’t prove how lovely they all are, nothing will.

[Livie Skoglind · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked learning about the cultural differences mentioned in the book, but the “advice” was basic and was stuff I could look up on google. However, I enjoyed learning about different Scandinavian cultural ideals overall.