03 July 2017

My hygge: Making the most of being stuck indoors

With ME keeping me indoors for much of the time, I started paying attention to hygge last year.

Pronounced 'hue-ga' or hoo-ga', the Oxford English Dictionary defines hygge as "Esp. with reference to Danish culture: a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being; contentment from simple pleasures, such as warmth, food, friends, etc." (oed.com, 2017).

In an attempt to create this coziness for myself, started using candles and moved on to making my own with beeswax. Something that I've found I enjoy - receiving a surprise anniversary gift of some candle moulds to make different shape candles. This adds an extra dimension to the hygge of candle making - and enjoying - because I didn't have to harvest every jam jar to fill with wax, but could be a bit more creative with it.


I've also made a little cacti garden in a pot, which I find helps with contentment - as does my current 90 streak of meditation.

Being stuck indoors for a lot of the time does suck, but at least this current trend of different lifestyle concept has given me a way of focusing some energy on improving well being while the wife and child are out doing their thing!