How To Bring More Cozy Into Your Life with Hygge
In this article we are going to take an in-depth look at how to bring more cozy into your life. You will learn about the Hygge lifestyle from Denmark, plus some easy ways to care for your mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health in order to live a happier, more cozy lifestyle.
I bet you know people who seem HAPPY all the time, right? It seems like nothing ruffles their feathers and they genuinely maintain a heart of gratitude that keeps them happy all the time.
Have you ever looked at someone and wondered how they make life look so easy? Or how their life looks so cozy and perfect without the challenges that most people face? Have you wondered how to bring more cozy into your life?
I used to ask mental health professionals, “How do some people make life look so comfy and cozy but others seem to struggle so much?” The professionals all agreed:
It’s a matter of MINDSET and CREATING THE LIFE YOU WANT. Achieving happiness isn’t as hard as you might think!
So we are going to look at how to bring more cozy into your life. We are going to explore many of the practices I’ve learned throughout my life to create a more happy and peaceful existence for myself and my family.
I doubt if anyone has the perfect life, but I believe we can all do things to make life more comfortable, cozy, and happy.
We’re going to start with something called a Hygge Lifestyle and go from there! Then we’ll get into how to bring more cozy into your life with simple lifestyle and mindset changes!
Get Cozy with Hygge
Wouldn’t it be great to live a peaceful life of tranquility and happiness? Let’s talk about a Danish word – hygge – to help us understand how to bring more cozy into your life.
What Is Hygge? Hygge is pronounced hue-gah (it kind of rhymes with cougar but without the /r/); it’s a Danish word that doesn’t translate easily to English because it’s more of a feeling than a thing.
It’s like an atmosphere of calm and cozy. A feeling of comfort and satisfaction.
Hygge is a feeling of contentment and well-being that comes from being mindful and present in the moment. It’s a happy, satisfying relationship with friends and family who enjoy those moments together.
Hygge is about taking good care of yourself and creating a cozy, relaxing environment around you. These efforts should bring you more joy and comfort, without having too many rules.
With hygge, you have a lot of flexibility when creating your cozy life because only YOU know what it takes to create that kind of life.
There are many components of hygge and it can mean somewhat different things for different people. But for everyone, it’s a cozy, warm, and comfortable feeling that you feel in your own skin and in your environment.
Before I continue, let me share an article from Business Insider about the secret to why Denmark is the happiest country in the world. Personally, I think it’s more than a coincidence that Denmark has its own unique word for a happy, cozy life and they are the happiest people in the world. Happiness is obviously a priority in Denmark.
More About Hygge and A Cozy Life
Hygge is a Danish way of life that encourages people to find peace and happiness in the everyday world around them. It’s whatever makes you feel cozy, happy, and at home.
Whenever you experience a moment that makes you appreciate life and the people around you, that is hygge.
It can be the feeling you have when you’re sitting at the dinner table with your family and everyone is enjoying each other’s company, laughing and talking together.
And it’s the feeling you get when you are catching up with a dear friend over lunch in a quiet café with few distractions. Phones are turned off and your focus is on nothing but enjoying each other’s company.
Additionally, hygge is about appreciating what you have, enjoying the company of those around you, and embracing each moment. When you live a hygge lifestyle, you are focused on how to relax and reduce your stress, take care of yourself through acts of self care, and how to live a simple life and be happy.
It’s about spending more time on your own mental and emotional wellness to create a happy life and feeling of contentment.
Where Did Hygge Come From?
Originally, the word hygge came from the Norwegian language. It spread to Denmark in the 18th century and Denmark became the capital of hygge.
With the extreme winters in Denmark and a lack of resources in the country, the Danish people needed to focus on overcoming these obstacles. With hygge, they were able to find comfort in small things to help them stay happy during the harsh winters.
The hygge lifestyle is centered around the feeling of coziness and spending time with the ones you love, especially while you are all consuming warm comfort food in the happy space you have created.
This lifestyle came to America around 2016 and became a popular lifestyle with a focus on self care and a comfortable, cozy life.
How to Bring More Cozy Into Your Life
Although the English language doesn’t have a word that means hygge, we can still talk about how to get that warm, cozy feeling in our lives with hygge lifestyle tips!
We are really exploring how to live a hygge lifestyle and how to make your home feel warm and welcoming for all, while also learning to practice high-quality self care and self love habits every day.
This lifestyle includes self care, mindfulness, mental health, social health, your 5 senses, trying new things, creating a cozy environment in your home, seeking out and creating happiness in your life, responding rather than reacting to struggles, and much more.
The benefits of a hygge lifestyle are huge, so let’s explore how we can live this cozy, happy lifestyle with hygge inspiration!
By the way, did you know Denmark is always at the top of the list of happiness countries in the world?? Maybe we all need to seriously consider their lifestyle choices.
Take Good Care of Yourself
–Make more free time for yourself
You need to have time to decompress, reflect and analyze, rest your brain, do something special for yourself, spend time with friends, and stay mindful of your goals.
Go behind a closed door and JUST BE. Slow down and enjoy life in all of its glory! Give yourself permission to be positively selfish.
–Start a new morning routine
A solid morning routine is known to help you set the standard for each day and get ahead of your daily goals. Wake up at the same time, go through the same procedures, and stay in that routine daily. These rituals will help you to get into a mindful, joyful mood.
–Get enough sleep
This is an essential self care tip for every aspect of your life – your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health. Sleep hygiene becomes even more important as you get older.
Related Article: Bedtime Affirmations for Good Sleep
Emotional Wellness
–Use daily affirmations
Did you know your brain learns to believe what you tell it? There are an infinite number of daily affirmation books available to choose from, or you can make your own!
Affirmations are different from inspirational quotes because they are specific to you; they are spoken as *I* statements, about YOU. So your brain hears these wonderful, positive affirmations about you and starts to believe them.
Positive affirmations for self love are some of the best! You can improve your confidence, happiness, worth, self-acceptance, and much more.
One of my favorite blog writers has a great post about 100 Positive Emotional Affirmations. Click the link and check it out! You can also read
–Set boundaries
Setting boundaries for yourself is an essential part of self care. You need to set boundaries to protect yourself from invasive people or those who try to take advantage of you.
You also need to set boundaries for your own time and behavior – limit the time you spend with people who are negative; communicate what you expect and need from others; stay focused on your feelings and needs.
Setting boundaries for both yourself and others in your life is crucial to managing your self care and self love practices.
Your happiness depends on setting boundaries. And don’t worry – people will learn to respect you for doing so.
–Become more mindful and present
You improve your life in many ways when you practice being mindful and present all the time. You can do this by teaching yourself to focus on finding the random moments in each day that bring you happiness, make you smile, or give you a warm cozy feeling.
The unexpected moments of pure joy. Little things. A child’s laugher. A daffodil peeking through a field of green. The breeze across your cheeks.
Related Article: 21 Easy-Peasy Ways to Make Today a Great Day
These moments can come in the least expected ways.
It could be while cleaning the house and your favorite music comes on the radio. Or while you’re driving to work and see the sunlight beam through the tree branches. Or hearing your cat purr as he curls up next to you.
But you need to be mindful and present to notice these moments of joy.
Those who keep an eye out for pleasurable moments are cultivating mindfulness in their everyday lives. When you do this, you are creating a lifestyle habit that supports your efforts to bring more cozy into your life.
The overall lifestyle benefits that come from being mindful and present include:
- decreased stress
- fewer depressive symptoms
- increased self-awareness
- overall happy, peaceful feeling
All of these emotional wellness strategies will help you develop a more happy, cozy life. You might be surprised about the many benefits of mindfulness.
–Respond Instead of React
When faced with a challenge, crisis, or emergency in your life, one way to maintain a calm mindset is to respond instead of react. This sometimes takes practice, but if you look at the people who always seem to be happy, they almost always respond to crises calmly and make it look easy. They are very good at finding calm in the chaos of life.
These people have the same kind of problems in life that we all have but they respond to them differently. By responding, they are facing the problem from a mindset of calm and control. They take time to consider options and possibilities and then take action that lead to a more positive outcome.
Whereas, reactions are usually quick actions without much thought or consideration that often don’t have an impact on the outcome. The reaction comes from a frantic mindset that does not reflect calm, control, and mindful decisions. This is usually not aligned with the kind of lifestyle we seek.
As you practice all the strategies that will bring cozy into your life, it will become easier to respond instead of react when something goes wrong. Take time to think. It’s a mindset of calm.
Physical Wellness
–Exercise regularly
You don’t have to do anything fancy, competitive, or crazy difficult. Start where you are right now!
Move your body. Swing your arms. Bend and twist your body. Dance to your favorite music. Buy a couple of 5lb weights for arm exercises. Go to your local warm water indoor pool and do aqua exercises or just move through the water. Ride bikes, play tennis, walk the local high school track, walk your dog. You get the idea!
–Eat properly
We all know the guidelines and recommendations for healthy eating. Fruits, veggies, non-processed foods, organic foods, lean meat, fish, poultry, the right amount of dairy, whole grains, not too much sugar, etc.
One way that people are eating better today is healthy charcuterie boards. There are so many options of healthy foods to choose for your boards nowadays. And they are so simple and fun to make!
Today, we can also find more Farmer’s Markets and grocery stores that specialize in health food so healthy eating is easier than ever before! Make sure you are exploring all the cool options available to get in your health foods each day!
Sometimes we are better at eating properly than other times. but it should always be a priority. People have very personal beliefs about foods. Plus, it should be something you consult with your doctor about to make sure you are doing what’s best for you.
For me, Noom worked wonders! It helped me change my relationship with food and changed my life. I don’t always eat right, but I certainly eat better than I used to before the program, plus I lost 55 lbs!
Related Article: Staying Healthy After 60 (My Best Tips)
–Take care of Hair, Skin, and Body
This probably sounds silly because who doesn’t already do this? Well, sometimes we don’t! As seasons change, or our bodies change, we often neglect to make the necessary changes that our bodies need.
We also neglect to do basic self care rituals if they don’t fit into our schedules. Think about how often you go outside without sunscreen because you forget or don’t have time.
Or how many times have you neglected to drink enough water in a day because you aren’t focused on your self care rituals? You know your hair, skin, and body all need plenty of water to stay healthy!
Get your hair trimmed regularly and use a silk pillow case to keep your hair healthy. Make a point of using soaps and lotions that work well to protect and keep your skin nourished and healthy.
Get enough sleep to make sure your body can function properly. Did you know your skin cells actually renew themselves while you are sleeping?
All of these simple self care practices contribute toward bringing more cozy into your life. The simple acts of practicing mindfulness, setting priorities, and taking care of yourself on a regular basic help you become happier.
Spiritual Wellness
–Realize that less is more
Believing that you will be happier as you acquire more material possessions is a common misconception.
Happiness doesn’t come from things. Happiness comes from within.
As you make changes in your lifestyle that support a peaceful, cozy life, you begin to realize that you can find happiness with exactly what you have in front of, and around you.
This doesn’t mean you should feel shameful if you have a desire for certain material possessions. If a particular purchase brings you joy and you are going to create memories with it, you will most likely be supporting a cozy, happy lifestyle down the road. Just don’t depend solely on material possessions to bring your happiness.
–Observe and make changes in areas where you are not happy
When you’re always searching for joy and finding ways to obtain it (mindfulness), it becomes very clear which areas of your life are making you unhappy.
For example, you may discover that your home life is amazing but that your work environment lacks joy and comfort.
Once you realize this, you can act on your observations. You can decorate your office area in things that make you happy or socialize more with your colleagues to form positive relationships.
When you set out to purposefully create a more happy, cozy life, it isn’t just about enjoying moments as they come, it is about cultivating moments as well.
Use your observations as opportunities to cultivate joy in your life and improve areas that may not be adding to your happiness.
–Listen to your inner voice
Listening to your inner voice will help elevate you both mental and emotionally. It enables you to become better at handling problems and moving toward the life you desire for yourself and your loved ones.
Your inner voice can also help you protect your peace of mind and spiritual peace, if you learn to listen carefully.
But first you have to calm your mind, take time for yourself, and learn to connect with your inner self. You have to be in touch with your highest self, your inner soul.
Listen to your inner voice. Do you need more compassion in your life? Do you need to slow down and take better care of yourself? What does your body need? Your inner voice will help guide you toward what you need in life to be a happier, healthier, and more fulfilled person. So make sure you are taking time to listen to it.
Your inner voice comes from your authentic self but sometimes day-to-day chaos drowns out your inner voice and destroys your inner peace.
Visualize your highest self and stay connected with her so you are always living as your most authentic self. Being mindful, surrounding yourself with good people, and taking care of yourself will help you stay connected to your inner voice.
Related Article: How to Protect Your Peace of Mind
–Learn to Enjoy Being By Yourself
A traditional hygge lifestyle places emphasis on happiness and coziness through moments shared with others. However, as the hygge lifestyle continues to spread around the world, people are learning how to enjoy being all by themselves, too.
Some of you may have trouble spending time by yourself and learning to enjoy it. But the strategies being shared here will help you realize that you do not need to be surrounded by a bunch of things or people to be happy.
Although these times can be enjoyable, a beautiful, happy moment experienced on your own can be just as powerful.
When you carve out a special time for yourself, you should make it feel special. You should focus on the pleasure of treating yourself kindly and making yourself feel cozy and peaceful. It should be an experience of pure and genuine self love.
Work on the strategies presented here and being by yourself will become more comfortable and natural. Love yourself enough to give it a try!
Mental and Social Health for a Cozy Life
Mental Health
–Express Gratitude
A cozy lifestyle is best experienced when you have an attitude of gratitude. Everyday, use a gratitude journal to write down 3-10 things that you are grateful for in your life. You can also purchase a Gratitude Journal that provides you with prompts to give you some ideas. As you become more mindful of the things you are grateful for, and become unbothered by things that aren’t important, you will become more aware of the small, joyful moments in your life. You will find true happiness is a feeling of contentment and peace. It will make a tremendous difference in your life!
Related Article: Celebrate Life Every Day
–Relax and refocus
Be sure to schedule time to relax and refocus each day. Stop multitasking and stay aligned with your authentic spirit so you have a clear mind that can focus on the lifestyle you want to achieve. In other words, find your zen and calm the chaos in your life.
–Get creative
Spending time being creative can do a lot to calm your mind. It’s also a great way to reduce daily stress. If you enjoy craft projects, schedule regular times to work on your craft projects. You may be more inclined to enjoy practical solutions to everyday problems. If so, find a craft project you can do to protect the environment by repurposing non-toxic waste materials. If you don’t have a creative craft hobby that you enjoy, go to your local craft store or parks and recreation program and find a class you might enjoy. Creative solutions are everywhere!
–Don’t always do everything alone: ask for help
Cleaning out your garage? Ask someone to come over to help you and then enjoy a nice meal together. Need a ride to the airport? Ask a friend to take you and schedule a special get-together when you return. Don’t spend too much time alone. Invite your closest friends and family over to enjoy the comfy, cozy home you’ve created for your new lifestyle.
–Spend time with your pets
Spending time with your pets can be one of the more relaxing times of your day. It can practically be the definition of a hygge lifestyle. Our pets give us unconditional love and we get warm fuzzy feelings in return. Enjoy more of those moments! We should be celebrating our pets more often!
Social Health
–Make New Friends and Socialize
Studies show there is a significant connection between a strong social network and a happy, healthy life. Even if you are an introvert, you should make connections with people and be as social as you can.
When you socialize with other people, you get validation for your own feelings, have trusted people to talk to when you need to, and emotional support when needed. You have an outlet to share your feelings and opinions, opportunities to support others, and opportunities to laugh, reflect, and share. Spending time with people you enjoy is party of a cozy lifestyle.
Articles Related to Social Health:
The Importance of Positive Social Interactions to Your Overall Health
29 Meaningful Friendship Quotes to Warm Your Heart
–Find a New Hobby You Enjoy
Find a new, creative hobby that gives you an immediate sense of pleasure and happiness. There are so many hobbies out there in the world, it should be easy to find one you enjoy.
Some examples of hobbies may include knitting, singing, writing, cooking gardening, swimming, and photography. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that you feel genuinely happy, comfortable, and peaceful every time you do it.
This is what a hygge lifestyle is all about. Finding pleasurable moments and creating a life of joy.
—Enjoy a Favorite Seasonal Activity
Sometimes our interests and pleasures will change with the seasons. Be sure to explore new options you have for fun during each season.
For example, in the winter you may be able to ski or ice skate. Around the holidays, there are special activities and holiday lights to visit. Make a point of doing activities that you enjoy each season. Baking is generally more fun during cold weather, so find new recipes and spend time in the kitchen while the weather is cold. But when the weather is hot, visit a local beach and enjoy the cool water.
Most local communities and entertainment businesses also offer special seasonal activities. Be sure to check those out, as well! Animal Adventure Park is an example of a place that has different activities for its guests during each season! It’s one of my favorite family places in the world!
Overall Wellness for a Cozy life
Make it a Habit to Use Your Five Senses
–Smell
Your sense of smell is an important part of your memory. By taking the time to breathe in fragrances and process them on a deeper level, you’re engaging parts of your brain that heavily connect to memory. Research even suggests that strong smells can increase brain activity, and boost memory functionality.
We can surround ourselves with our favorite fragrances by using essential oils, candles, personal care products, and more. Choose your favorites and use them regularly to enhance your surroundings! Let them bring more cozy into your life!
–Taste
Have you ever considered how different food flavors can change your mood or energy level?
Taste is another important component of self care. Taste has endless possibilities for mindfulness and self care. In addition to the nutritional value, certain tastes can be associated with memories, places, people, and experiences. If we are mindful, we should be able to reflect on the tastes of certain foods and identify feelings, moods, needs, and more.
–Sound
Your sense of sound is another powerful stimuli that supports a cozy lifestyle. Listening to music can be a highly engaging, enjoyable activity. It can bring back memories you’ve lost over time and break-up the endless sounds of daily activities. Listening to soothing music or sounds of nature can help you get and stay grounded and ready to face the outside world.
–Touch
Skin is the largest body organ and it is always in touch with something. It gives us endless opportunities to be curious about the sensations we feel and possibilities for intrigue. Plus, physical touch like massage therapy or being hugged by a loved one has positive impacts on our emotional well-being. Touch is a sense that has serious potential to bring more cozy into your life!
And don’t forget about clothing! We always want to choose fabrics that are comfortable against the skin and heighten our sense of touch. In the winter, soft warm sweaters will help bring cozy into your life. In the warmer months, flowy cotton dresses will create that same feeling.
What about night wear? Have you ever considered how a new soft, flannel nightgown helps you sleep better? You know, the ones that don’t have piling all over them?
Have you considered how a silk or satin nightgown feels against your skin in the warmer months? I sure sleep better better in a nice new satin nightgown than I do in a rough old tee shirt!
–Sight
Sight is the sense that most naturally keeps us continually intrigued and focused on the world around us. This is the sense we use most often to stay mindful as we are finding the beauty around us. Yet it’s something that can be so easily taken for granted if we are not mindful and present.
As you are learning to be more mindful and connected to the world around you, take time to ask yourself, “What am I surrounded with and how does it make me feel at this moment?” Then ask yourself, “What am I drawn to and why?”
Do Something New Once in A While
Have plenty of candlelight in your home. Candles create a cozy ambience and awaken the senses. Put them throughout your home and make a habit of lighting them regularly.
Cook your favorite comfort foods. During the cold months, or when you are feeling blue, you can overcome the feeling of darkness by cooking your favorite comfort foods. You may want to have a warm bowl of macaroni and cheese, or mashed potatoes with fried chicken. To increase the feelings of coziness and comfort, you may even want to invite friends to your home to enjoy a potluck buffet of comfort foods. Let your favorite foods bring more cozy into your life on occasion!
Find a favorite local cafe to visit with your friends where you can sit for hours talking about nothing while drinking cups of coffee/tea and eating delicious desserts. While spending time with your friends, you may have an intense feeling of contentment or coziness that is indescribable, making it a hygge moment.
Go for walks along a nearby shoreline or visit a local park. Enjoy the moments. The sounds, sights, smells, feels.
Schedule regular cozy moments. Plan an evening sitting by the fireplace alone or with a loved one. Enjoy a long, warm bubble bath before taking care of your skin with a soft, fragrant location.
Create a Cozy Oasis Inside Your Home
You should have a quiet oasis inside your home where you can rest and relax — it’s fondly described as Hygge decor. This special area might be a window seat that is filled with soft pillows and a warm blanket so that you can read your favorite book. Or, you might have a quiet area in your living room or bedroom that makes you feel peaceful and cozy.
You need some place where you can do simple things such as enjoy a cup of tea, read, or watch a sunset. Make it cozy and comfortable. You may want to be near a window where you can enjoy the world outside.
Many people are even looking at their home decor nowadays and realizing that a more minimalist approach is healthier and cozier, so they are decluttering and simplifying their entire oasis!
–How to Make A Cozy Oasis
A minimalist décor will help your oasis support your cozy lifestyle. Physical clutter can interfere with a calm mind.
An easy color palate of soft coordinating hues will also bring calm to your mind and promote bringing cozy into your life. Soft, comfortable lighting that is easy on the eyes will also support your cozy, comfortable goals. (But make sure if you are going to read in this area, your lighting is sufficient to avoid eye strain.)
Make soft, soothing music available in your oasis. Choose music that you enjoy and brings you a sense of inner peace and comfort. Avoid technology, if possible. We all know that research indicates technology stimulates our minds and makes relaxation difficult. Your oasis (or sometimes I refer to it as my sanctuary) should be a place where you can rest and relax your mind and body.
Now let’s move on to your body. You will need comfortable, cozy furniture in your sanctuary. Or pillows and blankets. Maybe you will prefer a grown-up bean bag chair that you can snuggle into? Whatever you choose, it should be a place where you are warm, comfortable and cozy. Soft, smooth fabrics will be better than rough materials.
You can also add fairy lights, plants, nature artwork, coordinating wall decor, candles, and anything else that brings you a sense of warm fuzzies and calm. You are creating this sanctuary for YOU so it should bring cozy to your oasis for a cozy morning routine, or a Saturday afternoon nap, or even to relax and watch your favorite movies. Make yourself a hygge home for all your comfy cozy needs.
Final Cozy Thoughts
As you explore the hygge lifestyle, or how to bring more cozy into your life, it becomes easier to look for and pursue pleasurable moments. Remember, these moments do not always have to be spectacular in nature to be enjoyable.
Pleasure and coziness can be found in even the most mundane of moments.
The process of creating the moments of coziness is part of the lifestyle. The feeling of warmth and security around you can come in many forms. But peace of mind, relaxation, calm, and mindfulness are major contributing factors to creating this lifestyle.
Related Article: Benefits of Regular Massage Therapy
So relax and focus on giving yourself permission to build happiness, peace, and coziness around you. Take time to mull over the choices you make each day. Actively focus on ideas, plans, and the entire process that leads to a cozier lifestyle. You will be happier and so will those around you.
Remember, the people in Denmark are among the happiest in the world! So use some of the lessons we’ve learned from them and bring more cozy into your life!
Related Article: Intentional Ways to Improve Your Happiness
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Love to ALL! ~Susan
How to Bring More Cozy Into Your Life: Are You Going to Work on Creating a Hygge Lifestyle?
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below:)
What a great post! I enjoyed reading about hygge and how to find more joy and comfort in everyday life.
Thank you, Cindy! I appreciate your feedback! I hope your continue to find more joy and comfort in life! xoxo
I had never heard of Hygge.. what a neat article! I love the positivity of it. Thanks for this, Susan. I want to read a few more now! 🙂
Aaaawwww, thanks Abby! Your feedback means a lot! Our websites are very similar in niche… we can inspire each other! You’re going to do great! xoxo:)