Autumn is the Ultimate Season for Hygge

 

The art of living your best life

About 4 years ago, Hygge was taking the world by storm. It was even shortlisted as the Oxford Dictionary word of the year. If you looked up Hygge on Instagram, you would find 1.7 million posts about wooly socks and hot chocolate.

Hygge is the Scandinavian art of making things cozy. It is regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture. What was once a Danish custom became big in the U.S..

Meik Wiking is the author of “The Little Book of Hygge”, a best-seller that was reprinted 3 times before it’s release and is published in 26 countries. Mr. Wiking describes ‘Hygge’ is being consciously cozy, but it has also been described as ‘the art of creating a nice atmosphere”. It’s been called ‘the pursuit of everyday happiness’. It’s also been called ‘socializing for introverts’. It’s about being together with the people you love. It’s about relaxation. It’s about indulgence. It’s about good food. It’s about gratitude. It’s about equality. All these things mixed together is ‘Hygge’.

Hygge is not characterized as a lifestyle trend or self-help. To the Danes, Hygge is part of their culture. It’s part of their national DNA in the same way that Americans see freedom as inherently American. The Danish burn more candles than anyone in Europe and they eat a lot of candy per capita — all in pursuit of Hygge. Indulgence is key in terms of Hygge.

Danes are known for happiness. Denmark consistently places first in the UN’s World Happiness Report. It’s interesting to know that the U.S. with all our “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” has never cracked the top 10.

So what does America have to learn from Denmark in terms of happiness and hygge? For one, that at a certain point, additional income does not improve quality of life. You don’t always have to buy new stuff or have many material things to feel happy.

You can go for long walks in the crisp, cold air with something hot to drink. Feel that first draft of chilly air on your cheeks and have a sip of your hot drink — that’s Hygge. The beach is a great place to walk when it’s chilly — you can bundle up and sip your hot drink.

Wake up early on a day when you’re off work, do an activity — like walking your dog — then go back to bed for a few hours more. Crawling back into the covers that may still be warm — that’s Hygge.

Visit a flea market on the weekend. Even visiting and browsing in second-hand stores can be a fun and relaxing activity.

Bring Autumn into your home. Go to a forest and gather some pinecones to decorate your home. You can put them on a tray to make your space look like autumn. Buy some small pumpkins and put them as a centerpiece on your dinner table. Put some dried leaves in glass frames and place them around the house. Get all your blankets out and leave around the couch. Change out the pillowcases on your couch to some with more burnt colors.

Make some cinnamon buns and/or homemade breakfast buns. The smell and the taste is pure autumn. Make some tea or pumpkin spice coffee or your favorite autumn beverage and just bundle up and watch TV . -Enjoy some “off-screen” activities like reading a book or work on a puzzle — that’s Hygge.

Take a long weekend and rent a cottage. Wake up late, wonder around in comfortable clothes, go on long walks and make some homemade dishes — that’s Hygge.

Give your favorite room in your house a little makeover. This could mean just decluttering that room, lighting some candles and make it a real cozy activity. You don’t really have to redecorate — just make some small changes that make you happy- that’s Hygge.

Take a course that you’ve never taken before. It can be a few hours of happiness,relaxation and learning something new. It’s always healthy to keep your brain alive.

We are all doing a lot of these things already. We just didn’t know there was a word for it. It’s not all about candles,comfy pillows and blankets. It’s about being more intentional about life.

Add simple Hygge moments to your day and life.

Change Your Mind Change Your Life

Read short and uplifting articles here to help you shift…

Why The Gift of Inner Peace Will Change Your Life Forever

 

We must be willing to give up the life that we planned, so we can have the life that is waiting for us- Joseph Campbell

I’ve been seeing so many quotes about inner peace lately. It got me thinking about what I’ve done in my life to make it better, lighter, calmer and richer.

I’ve had some major changes in my life in the last 6 years or so. If I would have had to go through what I went through in 2020 ten years ago, I would have been a basket case.

The first thing that comes to mind is the expectations game. We all have expectations and certain standards for the people that are in our lives. If they don’t live up to our standards, we get upset, we get hurt. In fact, we sabotage our own happiness by expecting other people to live up to our standards.

These days, if my friend doesn’t say anything about my new and gorgeous haircut or outfit, I’m gonna ask her what she thinks! I’m not going to wait and essentially set a trap and see if she’ll walk through it.

The second thing I had to change were the feelings of regret. Every time I felt myself go down the road of regret, I would pull it in and change my mindset before it was too late and my day was ruined. I trained myself to stop and replace those thoughts of regret with something positive.

Let’s face it, we’re not gonna live a life that is totally happy and without regret, but what we can do is replace those bad feelings and those bad memories with something positive. It took a while, but I learned to recognize those triggers and I can stop of feelings of regret. I learned that I can’t have inner peace if I’m upset with myself all the time- that what I did in the past was wrong. I have to move on and have a happy life.

The next thing I had to work on was my identity. At my age? Working on my identity? I remember being a teenager and working on self-love but, as we get older, we start looking at ourselves like a commodity that’s losing value because we’re aging. There is a lot of emphasis on thick hair, skin that doesn’t have any wrinkles, a body that moves smoothly and can wear the latest fashions.

It gets exhausting. For our own peace of mind, we have to stop viewing ourselves as a car that has excessive miles on it. We have to start putting things in motion that make us feel in control about who we are as a person. The point is that, who we are as a person has nothing to do with how thick our hair is or how many wrinkles we have.

We all want to be the best that we can be, but having value as a human being is about our heart and our mind, our soul, what we do, what we put forward. It has to do with the actions we take to make this world a better place.

So we have to actually sit down with ourselves and ask “Who am I? Who was I? and Who do I want to be?”. When you get that answer of ‘who you want to be’, your identity will come back.

One of the things that has given me peace and inspiration is reading about women who have been tremendous leaders in this world. I have gained so much from reading books or watching films about women that have made a difference. It makes me feel like it’s never too late to feel like I can make a difference.

We must do the things we think we cannot do — Eleanor Roosevelt

It’s time to step outside that circle of ourselves and get involved in the worlds of causes that exist out there. Feeling like we can make a difference makes us feel peaceful inside.

Heart Revolution

Join my mission to raise the vibration of humanity to a more loving one!!

Are YOU Ready for Hyperinflation?

 

How to prepare for rapid, excessive and out-of-control price increases…

As we all know, inflation is already happening. We’ve seen that gas has doubled since January 2021 in the U.S. so it’s on the rise again.

Hyperinflation, however, has not hit us yet. It is a conundrum facing central banks as they struggle to provide ultra-accommodative policy to help economies recover from the Covid crisis. Commodity prices have spiked and we are facing severe supply constraints, driving up inflation rates from Europe to the U.S.

There are very affordable things that you can still get now. The advice is to stock up on these things now before we become “Venezuela.”

The first item is food. This doesn’t mean you should go crazy on food, but we should have canned food in stock that will last a long time and that your family will eat. Foods such as beans, canned meats, canned tuna and white rice. You want to have canned food on hand in case you can’t go to the grocery store or can’t grow it. Try getting things that don’t have to be cooked a lot and get a variety. If you have a large freezer, it is advisable that you stock up on the canned foods first, then get your freezer stocked up.

It’s really good to have bottled water around but some kind of water filtration system will become necessary in an emergency situation. A lot of people don’t realize you can drain your hot water tank and use it for the toilet and for cleaning. You can even drink it in a pinch.

Medical supplies is next. Bandaids, neosporin, cough medicine, cough drops, anti-itch medication, burn cream, aloe with lidocaine which helps the pain from a burn situation. Anti-diarrheal medication will come in handy since you’ll be eating different foods than normal. Build up your prescription medications. Try to pick up your prescriptions a day or two before they expire — this gives you 1 to 2 extra doses per month. You will be surprised how quickly that adds up and give you extra medication on hand. Also, having extra medication on hand can be used for bartering during an emergency situation.

Stock up on lots of blankets. Blankets to cover up the windows to keep the cold air from coming in. Blankets to cover up the doorways or stairwells. If you lose your heat, you have to stay in the most interior or warmest room in your house and use blankets to cover up the areas. Another idea is to get a tent or two. If it gets really cold and you lose your heat, you can set up the tent inside your house and your body heat will stay in the tent. Electric blankets don’t use a lot of electricity and can be run with a small generator.

Get yourself some basic tools so that you can fix things around the house. Plyers, screwdrivers, wirecutters, hammers, a small ax, a hand saw.

When it comes to clothing, you don’t need a lot. You can survive with 2 shirts, 2 pants and 2 underwears. Make sure every family member has 2 pairs of shoes and extra pairs of socks. You might have to go up to 2 years without being able to buy underwear or socks. Jeans are clothes that will be hard to get.

Have some kind of fuel source. A generator may not do you very good for very long. A grill, with propane and charcoal as well will provide an alternate heat source to heat up food or boil water. Make sure you have extra propane tanks and keep them full.

The worst things get, the more we will have to deal with pests. In order to keep them away from our homes and our food, we have to stock up on mouse traps and bug spray.

Diapers — cloth diapers, that is. We all witnessed our share of meltdowns last year during the toilet paper and diaper shortage due to Covid. It’s not necessary to stockpile a room full of disposable diapers. Have some disposable, but get a package of 12 cloth diapers with the pins and the rubber pants to have as a backup in case you can’t get the disposables any more.

Start paying attention to the things you use every day. Things like glues and tapes that may come in handy in an emergency situation.

In an emergency situation, just getting yourself cleaned up can change your attitude. Get bars of soap ( they last longer) to have on hand and can also be used to barter. Get soaps that you can use for your body, your hair, and even for dishes and laundry. If you travel a lot, save the hotel bars — those are also good for bartering.

Make sure you have reliable transportation. If you have a car, make sure its tires are good and it’s up to date on its repairs and maintenance. Have alternate transportation such as a bicycle with a basket to carry items around.

A basic “how to” book on how to repair things would be a handy item to have when we don’t have the internet available to look up things.

This may sound like are headed for some version of Armaguedon. In truth, hyperinflation can be catastrophic to a nation. It has happened in Ancient Babylon, in Egypt, China, Rome, various leading nation states in Europe, and some experts believe it will eventually hit the U.S..

While there hasn’t been a case of hyperinflation in a developed country in over 100 years, the smartest guys in finance are deeply worried. Better to be safe than sorry — just saying.

Don't Be Fooled. Consumerism Doesn't Work Anymore

 

Walk away and feel like a millionaire!

I recently turned on YouTube and watched a young woman sitting in front of a camera with shopping bags filled with her “haul” from a store. As she pulled out each item, she described it, explained why she bought it, why it’s so fabulous, and why YOU should have it too.

Haul videos are just one example of viral consumerism. Viral as in a disease, an infection. A haul is not one item but an overdose of purchasing. A ‘spree’ or a ‘splurge’. The purpose of the video is to create envy, to make the viewer feel jealous and to inspire purchasing. Influencers on YouTube and social media often get their haul products free or are paid in some way to make more videos. They earn their living by shopping for things they don’t need.

Consumerism is trying to part us with our money. Haul videos urge you to buy. Desire is endless, and marketing is made to create desire after desire. It makes you want more and more. Haul videos are made to create envy. We are beholden to blind consumerism and unrealistic beauty standards. Something like makeup can be as radical as it represents the ability to self-transform. It makes us think ‘If she has the money and she has every color, she must be better than me.’

Enter the “anti-haul” movement. This is the new movement presenting the marketing world’s top, ‘must have’ products and telling you why “I don’t want it. I’m not gonna buy it”. You can save lots of money and gain freedom from the clutter of products that will not be used and eventually, tossed. Anti-haul videos give you good reason NOT to buy. They open our eyes to the power of marketing.

‘Limited editions’ are just bait. They are created to jump start a new desire and to create urgency. It makes us think if we don’t buy a ‘special’, limited edition that we’re missing out on something cool.

Beware of sales. Marketers are keen on sales because this is where consumers make their biggest purchasing mistakes. They key advice is: don’t buy something just because it’s on sale. If it’s not something you’d pay full price for, don’t buy it on sale. Many times in the case with cosmetics, they offer a set — as in a cream, a lipstick and a body oil for a few dollars more. When it comes to a set, ask yourself, I’m I really going to use the whole set? The answer is usually no. Buy what you need and nothing more.

Today, shopping has become entertainment. You’re bored, you buy a lipstick. You’re depressed, you buy a dress. Save your money and deal with your emotions in a healthier way: call a friend, read a book, go on a walk, learn a language. Save your money for something else like a well-deserved vacation.

“I don’t need it. I don’t want it. I’m not gonna buy it”. Say it three times, walk away and feel fabulous. You are a part of the new anti-consumerism movement that just may make you feel like a millionaire!

Downsizing is Not Downgrading

 

Seize the opportunity to design a new lifestyle!

Chances are that you, like most Americans, only use a small percentage of the rooms in your big home. This means most of the space in your home is either unused or not used to its maximum capacity. This could be costing you time, money and energy — all valuable resources that could be better utilized to travel, spend more time with family and friends or enjoying a newfound passion or business venture.

Like most Americans, you may have become accustomed to more space, rooms and closets. This raises a concern that if you downsize your home, you may also be downgrading your life and your lifestyle.

Start analyzing just how many rooms you actually use. Pay attention to how many of those areas are being used for storing things you no longer use, need or want. When you get tired of wasting extra time, money, and energy on cleaning, organizing and maintaining the unused or underused areas of your home, downsizing becomes a desirable opportunity to live in a smaller space where every inch is fully utilized. This involves consolidating and minimizing your possessions to only what you want, use, and love.

Once you downsize, you will be surprised at how much space you actually need to live comfortable and well.

My interior designer friend is frequently tasked to maximize space and make it work well for her clients. She uses visual tricks that make the space feel and look bigger. According to her, when you don’t have a lot of space, every inch needs to work for you and your lifestyle. She recommends built-ins, wall-to-wall, floor to ceiling seamlessly integrated into the space to provide display, storage, and work areas. Outdoor spaces like patios, decks, or balconies, can become another room if they are made liveable.

You must declutter and edit items you no longer want, need or use when you choose to live in a smaller space. Find spaces for the things you need to keep such as a cabinet or drawer for keys, wallet and glasses. Use a system for bills, mail and magazines. Perhaps a tray for remotes kept close to the TV and audio equipment?

Use small scale furnishings so you don’t overcrowd your space. Choose furniture that is multi-functional , that expands and contracts as needed, to save space. Ottomans serve as storage, cocktail table, or additional seating. Some tables expand out of a credenza. Murphy beds that, when closed, serve as a desk, bookcase, and storage.

Use mirrors (mirrored doors, mirrored closets, mirrored walls) to visually expand space and light. Glass partitions serve to divide open spaces providing privacy without closing the room in. Natural light and ambient light illuminate spaces, making them appear higher, wider, and brighter.

When I downsized, I started to recognize that I made room for a whole new life and lifestyle. I started to enjoy the benefits and opportunities that “less” provides. Less space to clutter. My home now is easy to maintain and care for. I have less temptation to accumulate more because I don’t have the space for it. I have more time to nurture relationships and create new memories together. I have freedom to travel and enjoy new experiences. More time and energy for self-care, health, wellness and personal development.

I’ve worked hard and learned a lot along the way. I’ve lived in big houses and learned that bigger is not necessarily better. I’ve learned that more stuff doesn’t make me happier but more experiences will.

Once I fully embraced the lifestyle of living with less, I began to realize I haven’t compromised anything at all. It’s not just about living in a smaller footprint. It is also about seizing the opportunity to design a new lifestyle.

How To Trick Yourself Into Thinking You Are European

 

Adapting a European-inspired lifestyle can be done anywhere.

There is a certain romance about life in Europe. I’ve always dreamed about living there and I’ve fantasized about a glamorous looking lifestyle like the ones I’ve seen in movies.

But adapting a more European-inspired lifestyle can be done anywhere. It centers around two things: Simplicity and Appreciation. There are some simple and easy ways that I adapted to my lifestyle — and you can use them no matter where you live.

One of the easiest ways that I’ve adopted a more European-inspired life is to walk more. In European cities, towns and small villages, people walk to get to where they are going. I’ve gotten into the habit of walking to the store, the post office and opting for public transportation and getting off the bus or metro a stop or two before my destination. Even making small changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator is a great way to move my body like I would do if I lived in Europe.

Consumerism is not as big in Europe as it is in the U.S.. Apartments are a lot smaller. Closet spaces are minimally built. Even the cars are a lot smaller in Europe. Because of the space limitations, a lot of people adapt to capsule wardrobes. I’ve been practicing intentional living and have adopted a more minimalist lifestyle. I live simply in small ways like shopping at the farmer’s market with reusable bags and getting food without plastic. These are just ways that the Europeans live simply, minimally and environmentally healthy as well.

Seasonal cooking is very popular in Europe. I often walk or take the metro to my closest outdoor market to pick up the produce that is currently in season. There is a strong sense of community in farmer’s markets. I tend to see a lot of the same people each time I go. It’s a great way to form community.

I’ve also been pampering myself — giving some extra love to myself through self-care practices. The Europeans love pleasure, and not just the pleasure of eating well and drinking good wine. Just in the simple act of wearing my favorite perfume every day to re-connect myself with my senses and smell something pleasant. The desire to want to pamper myself and make myself feel beautiful is not a narcissistic or vain thing to do. In fact, when I treat my body with love, care and respect and I adorn it with things that make me feel good and bring me joy — that’s a way to show myself self-love.

I am learning to excel at the art of doing nothing. I’m allowing myself to sit still, listen to some music and sip a glass of wine while preparing a meal.

I now prioritize mealtimes. Like the Europeans, I treat my meals as sacred and treasure my time spent at the table — whether with family or friends or alone. I always eat at the table — never on the couch. I don’t snack often. I eat 2–3 meals a day — a small breakfast, a nice lunch with hot food and sometimes even dessert and I eat dinner around 8pm or later.

I wear my nice clothes often. I make sure they fit me well and make me feel good in them — make me feel confident. I’m becoming more aware of fabrics and which ones make me feel luxurious. I’ve noticed that just stepping out into the day wearing clothes and jewelry that flatter me makes me feel more confident and pulled together. It makes me feel more inspired. I can truly say these things have enhanced and elevated my life on an everyday level.

I live slowly. In the U.S., a lot of people feel like if they slow down, they’re going to miss out. I strongly feel that if we intentionally slow down our lives and say “no” to things that don’t coincide with our core essence, we can live a simpler, more satisfying life.

These are things that I can do anywhere I live. I don’t have to live in Europe to live a more European lifestyle.

The Best Thing I've Done For My Life Is Minimalism

 

Living with less is freeing

It feels like just yesterday I was decluttering my home and my life for the first time. It’s been a year and, in that time, I’ve learned a lot of lessons that have stuck with me.

It took a while before I ever would have considered myself a minimalist. I had an idea in my head that I needed to declutter to reach a certain number of possessions and that , once I reached that point, then I can call myself a minimalist.

However, over time I’ve learned that the whole point of minimalism is that it’s about an attitude and an approach, not a number. Our lives will change and evolve naturally over time.

You can’t just “one and done” declutter and be done with it forever.

As our lives change, we need to continually curate our possessions. There is no end goal or destination with minimalism. It’s about that journey and that process of embracing the benefits and simplicity of intentionality over the course of our lives. We need to work on changing our mindsets and attitude.

How much you need, own, or use is going to be personal to you. There are a lot of different ways of which minimalism can look. It can mean living out of a backpack and travelling the world, staying in a tiny house and living the “van” life, or simply living in an ultra minimal apartment. If that lifestyle is what you get value from, then go for it.

Some people prefer to have a few more everyday comforts available to them while still being intentional with what they own. It has taken almost a year for me to understand that I fall into that second camp. We should take the time to determine what the right number of possessions is for us. I believe that minimalism can and should look different from person to person.

When I started my minimalism journey, I started with my physical possessions. I went through my kitchen, my wardrobe, my bedroom, my bathroom and got rid of a ton of items that I didn’t need and wasn’t using. This was a freeing experience.

To my surprise, the most valuable benefit for me has been opening the door of minimalism and the idea of simplicity to other areas of my life. This extended to my finances, my schedule, how I prioritize and do my work. It has really had an impact on the way that I approach life in general. I find that I am less stressed and really able to pursue the things that I enjoy.

I learned that you can’t buy happiness. I was always thinking about my next purchase or my next upgrade, without really being content with what I had. I learned that the dopamine rush or momentary happiness is transitory. Minimalism led me to grasp the meaning of the fact that the best things in life aren’t things. It opened me up to realize the things that really are meaningful — the people, the relationships, the growth and the experiences that really do fill our lives with purpose and joy.

On a simple level, it frees up my time and attention because I don’t have to worry about my possessions or spending the time and effort to a lot of cleaning and tidying.

Contrary to popular opinion, minimalism is not about what you’re giving up. It’s about making room and having the availability to pursue the things that we love. It’s going to look different from person to person but that’s really the beauty of it. It helps us focus on what’s important to us.

It really has been an incredible journey. It hasn’t been easy, but creating an intentional life and home is so worth it.

Why Mindfulness Will Change Your Life Forever

 

It may as well be a superpower!

About six years ago, I was stressed and had constant chatter and clutter in my head. It was around this time that I was introduced to the concept of mindfulness. The goal of mindfulness is for one to focus in the present moment with a “quiet mind”. This was not, by any means, easy to do.

Mindfulness was becoming more popular in those years. I’d say today it has become mainstream. Professional sports teams, corporate America, fire and police personnel, along with television and music performers are practicing mindfulness. Scientific studies have proven the positive effects of mindfulness. It can enhance productivity, performance, and focus. It can also reduce anxiety, stress, and even depression.

The objective in mindfulness is to focus in the present moment with a “quiet mind”. The mindfulness lifestyle has brought me many positive effects from health benefits to my outlook on life an a general sense of well-being. It’s no surprise that there is a growing “mindful movement”.

As I understand it, the mindful movement combines the benefits of physical activity with the benefits of mindfulness. I’ve been practicing walking, yoga and meditation, but there are other popular types of mindful movements such as Tai Chi and Qigong. They are all easy to do with low cost and great health benefits.

Just about anyone, at any age from the youth to seniors, can do these practices.

Most people these days are filled with stress and anxiety. They also lack activity and movement. This causes them to experience shortness of breath and a lack of deep breathing, which will result in poor health. The key part of a mindful movement is focusing on your breath which is one of our body’s most natural powers. Good breathing habits are important for health, relaxation, and reduction of stress.

Walking does not need to be long to be beneficial. Research has shown that a 15-minute walk after a meal is just as beneficial as a 30-plus minute walk during the day. Within minutes of walking, your body will burn up to five calories per minute compared to only one per minute when at rest. Why not park a distance away from your destination, taking the stairs, walking while on the phone, or taking short walk around your neighborhood? It can strengthen your heart and lungs and prevent half the causes of diabetes as well as put a smile on your face and improve your attitude.

Almost all types of yoga aim at enhancing the energy that flows through the body with the benefits of breathing. It includes stretching and strengthening postures, mindful breathing, and meditation to connect us to our mind, body and spirit.

Meditation is another practice of being mindful that requires little movement. You are only required to breath deeply in a relaxed position. This practice was adapted from the ancient teachings of Buddhism. Basically, it involves taking a few minutes each day to focus on your breath. Practicing meditation for just five minutes each morning helps to support inner balance for the rest of your day. Recent studies have shown that practicing meditation daily can help slow down unwanted side effects of aging. Personally, I have to say it helps me to keep calm and clear.

It’s important to keep in mind for all the mindful movement practices that simple works best. None of the movements have to be complicated, just getting into a relaxed flow state of mind, both physically and mentally. Remember to breathe, quieten your mind, and focus on the present moment.