What is Hygge (HOO-gah)? It’s a Danish philosophy of life that roughly means a warm feeling of coziness and well being, being contented with life’s simple pleasures; living in the moment and enjoying the everyday. Spending time with people you love, surrounded by warmth, candlelight, good food and drink. It has gained a popularity in the US of late, but has been a way of life in Denmark and the surrounding Nordic countries for centuries. The Danes also have the phrase Lykke (LOO-ka)—pursuing and finding the good that exists in the world around us every day. As my favorite quote says, from Alex Haley, “Find the good - and praise it.”

The Swedish (my tribe), also have a similar but slightly different idea, Lagom, a philosophy of not too little, not too much. The perfect balance. This refers to food, decor, and how you spend your time and your resources. One Swedish concept that I especially wholeheartedly endorse is the Fika, a moment to slow down and enjoy quality time alone or with friends, often with a cup of coffee and pastries or sweet treats. Since incorporating this little sweet interlude into my day, when I enjoy a sliver of cake and coffee, I have found that I crave sweets less, and they were my downfall. I make it a ceremony, I make it special, and yes, I often light a candle.

An author on these ideas that I heartily recommend is Meik Wiking, who wrote “The Little Book of Hygge,” and “The Little Book of Lykke,” and “The Art of Making Memories.” He is the director of The Happiness Institute in Denmark.