November 24, 2025 • 42 mins
Learn the Danish secret to feeling calm, cozy, and connected—no matter the season. In this episode, we unpack the 10 pillars of hygge from Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge and explore simple, soulful ways to create warmth and ease in your home, your energy, and your daily rhythm.
From soft light and comfort food to gratitude, togetherness, and boundaries that protect your peace, you’ll walk away with practical ways to bring hygge, self-care, and intuitive calm into your own life.Plus I’ll give some personal shares of ho why bestie and I are implementing in our own lives!
💜Whether it’s candles and cocoa or sunshine and sea air, this is your reminder that you can cultivate cozy connection and a calmer nervous system—right where you are.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:01):
Joy. Hey, beautiful soul, welcome to spirit. Speak
Easy. I'm Joy Giovanni, joyfulmedium. I'm a working psychic
medium, energy healer andspiritual gifts mentor. This
podcast is like a seat at thetable in a secret club, but with
mediums, mystics and thespiritual luminaries of our
time. So come behind the velvetropes with me and see inside my
(00:24):
world as I chat insider stylewith profoundly gifted souls, we
go deep, share juicy stories,laugh a lot, and it wouldn't be
a speakeasy without greatinsider secrets and tips. You
might even learn that you havesome gifts of your own. So step
inside the spirit speakeasy.
Hey, beautiful soul, welcome infor another episode of spirit
(00:46):
speakeasy. In today's episode,we are exploring the Danish art
of hygge, a beautiful word thatdescribes a feeling of hominess,
cozy connection, contentment,and how you can use it to shift
your energy, reconnect withyourself, and bring more warmth
and ease into your everydaylife, especially during this
(01:08):
current season, you'll learnwhere hygge comes from, the 10
core elements you need to createhygge that meek, wicking, I
apologize for mispronouncingthat name shares in the little
book of hygge and simple,practical ways to create that
feeling of hygge, no matter whatthe season where you live and on
(01:29):
any budget. I'll walk youthrough what wicking says and
how my bestie and I are eachapplying this in real life, and
how you can turn these ideasinto your own ritual of self
care intercom and cultivate yourown restorative practices and
hominess. So I want to justshare briefly how the
(01:49):
inspiration for this episodestarted. So my bestie and I
really are more about creatingexperiences as people. It's just
kind of how we work, and lessattached to material things. And
she actually suggested, becausea friend had suggested to her,
Oh, this season, let's focus onthis idea of coziness. There's
(02:10):
this whole coziness movementthat was popularized, and let's
focus on this. And so bestieactually suggested this as a way
to have kind of a positive focusfor this crazy period in time,
and to create a special feelingfor ourselves through these
winter months, which both of ustend to find, the cold weather
and the lack of sunlight justdifficult for us personally. So
(02:34):
she was starting it herself, andI, as she would tell me about it
on our everyday chats, I gotkind of interested, and then I
wanted to understand what thismysterious practice actually was
like, the real practice of itand the intention behind it. And
as I was deep diving for all ofthat, I realized that this could
(02:54):
be a really fun episode to giveus a positive focus and that
warm and fuzzy feeling at a timewhen we all need it. So what are
we talking about when we sayhygge? Hygge is spelled, h, y,
G, G, E, but it's pronouncedhygge. It's a Danish term with
Norwegian origins, and there'sno exact translation for hygge,
(03:18):
and it can show up as anemotion, an adjective, a verb, a
noun. It's really a vibe, a wayof being, and it's so deeply
embedded in the culture thatactually, in the book that I'm
going to tell you about, theauthor actually talks about if
you were in his country andlooking for a restaurant or a
(03:40):
coffee shop to go to. One of themost searched terms is hygge or
Hoogly, because they're wantingplaces that exemplify this
feeling. It's a really importantcultural experience, and
possibly why they are rankedamong the most happy content
people in all of the world. It'sthat soulful, homey feeling of
(04:05):
coziness, this hygge. It'screating a warm, friendly
atmosphere that feels pleasantand full of well being. It's
taking time to be together andenjoy life's quieter pleasures.
Think of warmth, trust, unrushtogetherness. It's kind of like
a hug without touching, but itgoes way beyond that. The vibe
(04:27):
of hygge is things likehandcrafted over store bought,
intentional over overpowering,vintage or well worn or even
thrifted over new as apreference, board games over at
video games, it often carries anostalgic feeling and
remembering hygly moments,whether they were from years
(04:49):
past or just this past weekend,the reminiscing about the
feeling of hygge is part ofhygge itself. It's soft, warm
light and yummy, but. Bakedtreats and feet up by the
fireplace. All of that is partof this mysterious vibe of hygge
that I'm going to share with youtoday. And while fall and winter
(05:11):
are considered the most hyglytimes of year, you can enjoy it
all year round, no matter theseason and on the cheap. So get
excited for those of you thatare feeling thrifty right now,
think of steamy cocoa or teawarming your hands your closest
friends comfy on couches underblankets or soft sweaters,
(05:33):
toasty wool socks, maybe a cardgame going on while the
fireplace crackles candles andsoft, warm light gently flooding
the space while you can smellthe tasty stew simmering in the
slow cooker just off in thekitchen. Hygge is a practice.
It's a way of being. It's not ashopping list. And for this
(05:55):
episode, I bought the book Imentioned the little bit, the
little book of hygge by meekweekings. I hope I'm saying that
right, but I know that I'm not.
And this person also happens tobe the CEO of the happiness
research institute inCopenhagen, and again, as part
of his research, the Danes, yearover year, are recognized as
(06:15):
some of the happiest people inthe research and hygge is
thought to be a big part of whythey are so happy. I also
listened to the audio book. Iwent through the hard copy of
the book, and I made lots ofnotes. It's not a very big book,
and it's kind of small, so it'san easy read, and I highly
(06:36):
recommend it. The book talksabout the 10 pillars of hygge.
So we're going to go over themtogether, because these are kind
of like the 10 ingredients, therecipe of this feeling or of
this cultural way of beinghygge. So we're going to talk
about all of those 10 pillars,what they mean, how we can apply
them, and I'll share also whatI'm doing and what my bestie is
(06:59):
doing for each one to helpinspire you and get your wheels
turning for how you can infusemore hygge into your experience.
So let's dive in and look atwhat actually creates the
feeling of hygge. And again, Ihighly recommend the book and
the audio book. I really lovedgetting to hear all of this in
the author's own voice. So whatactually creates the feeling of
(07:23):
hygge weakens himself,researched and popularized his
10 Point hygge manifesto in thisbook, and I'll share some of his
examples, and then again, whatI'm doing and what bestie is
doing for each of these. So thefirst of these 10 ingredients
that we need to create hygge isatmosphere. Make puts the
(07:44):
lighting first and mostimportant, it's things like turn
down the lights, candles, iconicDanish lamps. There is a segment
in one of these chapters. Well,there's a whole chapter on
candles, but a segment about afamous artist who is thought to
have invented light architecturefor the home, like light design.
(08:06):
And I learned that candles areso important in Danish culture
that it's totally common forthere to be several candles in
people's workplaces, not just athome, in coffee shops or places
you might go, even inclassrooms. Now I do think some
of this is because where theyare placed right geographically.
In the winter months, they getso much darkness. In the summer
(08:31):
months, they get tons of lightand have long hours of daylight.
But in the winter, it's verydark and cold where they are. So
it makes sense that you wouldwant a warm atmosphere. So in
the book, it's lighting,lighting, lighting. Think of
like soft glow lamps instead ofharsh overhead light with UV, UV
bulbs, candles, a little PSAhere, little caution the Danish
(08:56):
authorities have reported, andit's in this book that candle
particulates, like when you burnthe candle, that the
particulates go into the air. Sorespiratory cautions here, but
it actually also specifies thatin Danish culture, natural
ingredients materials areactually preferred. And again,
that's just the general vibe,handmade or small batch crafted
(09:19):
over like big box store bought.
So as you're perhaps floodingyour place with light, and
thinking about how you can usesoft lighting and candles just
kind of PSA, their fire safety,and also chemical and particles
and things like that. So forlighting, for atmosphere, there
(09:41):
are some things that I'm doingand that bestie is doing that I
want to share. So for me, Iactually have kind of been
working on this one for thewhole year without realizing it.
I really have been payingattention to wanting to create
different feels in my home withlighting. Those of you that
watch on YouTube or my websitesee the light. Lights behind me
that cast the purple and bluesfor this podcast. I actually
(10:04):
have some different warm lightsettings and cozy settings that
I use. And I just ordered it ona really good sale, kind of at
the beginning of last year. AndI use, there are some light
strips and some little domethings that cast light? But then
I also, you can't see it where Iposition now, but around my
(10:24):
house, these light bulbs canactually go inside my regular
lamps. And then there's a app.
Of course, there's an app foreverything, but I use the
Philips Hue. I'm not sponsored.
It's just the one that was onsale that I thought was kind of
cool. So there's an app, and youcan adjust the brightness,
because I always really want adimmer, but it's so hard to find
lights with true dimmers thataren't that harsh led feel
(10:47):
so with these type of lightbulbs and lighting, you can use
your existing lamps, and you canjust on this app, choose
different colors for each lamp.
You can make it really warm andcozy. You can dim or increase
the light if you're wanting,like task lighting, and i
Besides, if you're watching thiscandle that you see beside me,
that was a gift last year thatI'm still working through. I'm
using more of, like the batteryoperated candles, just for
(11:10):
safety and chemicalconsiderations. And I'm also
using salt lamps, which I justhappen to have. I didn't buy any
of these for this project, Ijust have a salt lamp at my
office, and I have a salt lampin my living room. They do just
cast a really lovely, warm, richeither like there's some that
(11:31):
are kind of a white, yellowishglow, and some that are more
orange, into those pinks andorange colors. And they do have
those really inexpensive at lotsof stores as well. But again,
I'm doing just the batteryoperated candles, which you can
pick up at, like $1 store typeplace, if you have never seen
them before, but I think mostpeople have them. Bestie has was
inspired by visiting me becauseI did all these special light
(11:56):
settings for her as part of thevibe I was creating for her
visit here this summer? So shewas inspired by my lights and
decided to get kind of like a anAmazon version of the light
bulbs. They have them at alldifferent price points, all
different companies make them.
So she got some like that forher house to be able to control
the different lighting scapesfor different seasons or vibes
(12:17):
that she wanted to create. Sheis using real candles. And at
the beginning of this project,she treated herself to a special
candle to kick off the season.
She has kind of scent themes inher home, so she wanted a really
specific one. But it really isjust about thinking about, how
do we turn off harsh lighting?
Unless, of course, it'ssunlight, the more sunlight, the
(12:37):
better, right? But in thosedarker months, particularly, how
do we craft an environment, anatmosphere like the number one
says, of just soft lighting andthe feeling of warmth and like
that, diffused lighting, ratherthan very harsh lighting, okay,
the second on this 10 Pointmanifesto of hygge is presence.
(12:59):
This means Be Here Now, kind oflike with the Ram Dass right,
put your phones away, singletask conversations, meaning not
multitasking, slowing down,maybe even playing board games.
So both bestie and I are prettygood at this one already, just
as part of who we are as humanbeings, to the point where we
both seem to always even forgetto take pictures when we're
(13:23):
together or together with otherfriends. Are any of you like
that where you realize like, ohmy gosh, I have no pictures of
me with my friends because weare so focused on being together
that we don't take pictureseverywhere we go. That's
happened to me a lot in theselast couple years. So I don't
have a problem putting my phoneaway for togetherness and
presence and being like fullyhere now. And I love board
(13:45):
games. Bestie does not, but Ido. My kids grew up playing
board games with me, and I thinkit's just a really fun way to
come together. So number two onthe list is presence. Number
three is you're gonna reallylove this one pleasure. So this
really focuses on things likesmall treats and slow cooked
comfort food. Cake is hygge,coffee, cocoa, Stew. And there's
(14:11):
a whole chapter for food anddrink in this book. And there
are even some really specialfamily memories, Danish family
memories that the authorincludes in the book, a couple
for some sweet almost likebread, kind of like I would
think of, like a pumpkin loaffor a banana loaf, like those
kind of, like breads and cakes,and then a couple for some
(14:31):
really hearty stews that Ithought was just such a special
addition to this book. So howare bestie and I doing this and
pleasure? I mean, who doesn'tlove a tasty, warm from the oven
baked treat, or like a longcooked stew that just really
smells so good for me, I learnedhow to make masala chai as part
(14:52):
of this project that we'redoing, and I'm experimenting
with the different various warmspices. Is like cardamom and
cloves and nutmeg, and yousimmer them in a pot with if you
like, a little bit of sweetener,if you don't, and you also put
some black tea in there, whetheryou use a tea bag or steeper or
however you do it, to createthose warm scents and tastes,
(15:17):
and just to make a massage Chai.
So I'm learning that thisseason, I personally don't like
anise or anise that spice, butyou could also use that one.
It's part of what is sometimesin Masala Chai. And I always
make a few different stewsthroughout this season. It's
something I've done for many,many years now. So I'm right on
board with that one, and Iactually make a little bit extra
(15:41):
now that it's just me at homeand I don't have a whole huge
family here anymore, I will makeextra of these stews and soups
that I do, and I will freezesome, which I will tell you,
came in super handy this lastyear when I ended up getting the
flu right after the winter time,I just went into my freezer and
I had some, like, amazinghomemade chicken soup, and it
was a lifesaver. And I alsorecently treated myself to a
(16:06):
better coffee maker, which,again, you don't have to spend
money for this. You could get areally simple French press, even
if you don't have a coffeemaker, for like, 10 or $15 or
even you could probably find oneat a thrift store. Really, I
treated myself to a little bitof a better coffee maker than
the one I had for many years,and this one does espresso, so I
decided sometimes I'm a betterperson espresso so that I can
(16:28):
make it myself at home, becauseI really don't like going to the
expensive coffee shops andgetting it, and I've been
experimenting with which coffeebeans I like the best to really
bring the hygge into myexperience. And bestie is always
working on recipes. This womanmakes the most amazing. She just
(16:49):
this week she made like achicken shawarma from scratch
with all the herbs and spicesand seasonings. She's amazing.
She's also been teachingher kids this season how to do
some of their favorite recipesthat she has, and she is famous
in her little family for hermatzo ball soup, which she also
makes from scratch and scratchmatzo balls with roasted
(17:10):
chicken, and it is all the ravein her family. So what are some
family recipes maybe you couldbring to life again, or your own
versions of recipes that youreally like. We are both talking
about also making some mulledspice wine, some warm kind of,
like a Christmassy sangria, isthe way I'm thinking of it
(17:32):
anyway. And of course, you couldalso do this with, like a mulled
cider with herbs and spices likecinnamon and nutmeg or clove or
whatever else you might want toput in there. I like a little
bit of orange peel or orangezest also in there, and maybe
some cranberries. I will be sureto post picture on my social
media when I do actually makeit, and I'm probably gonna make
it next week. So if you're noton Instagram, get on there and
(17:55):
follow me. That's where I'mmostly posting things. So I'll
pick I'll see if she'll send mea picture of her mulled wine,
and I'll put mine. I don't knowif anyone else thinks of it like
a Christmassy sangria. I thinkof it so that is number three on
this list of hygge. I don'tthink I have to tell you about
making baked treats and yummydeliciousness. And in the book,
he did draw connect some dotsfor me. If you back east, we do
(18:19):
call them Danish here, theydon't really necessarily call
them Danish in California, butthose sweet, crispy pastries
that are like part croissant andpart something delicious like
cinnamon or sweet cheese orfruit, that's Danish. So they
are masters of hygge, and whatis more cozy feeling than a warm
coffee or tea and a deliciousdanish pastry, right? So number
(18:43):
three pleasure. Number four isequality in the way the author
says it, we over me. Everyonecontributes, shared tasks,
shared air time, like at thetable, everyone gets to share
and talk and be part of theconversation, the book really
leans on something that theycall convivial togetherness,
(19:04):
which is like happy, Jolly, easytogetherness. Both bestie and I
are pretty intentional with ourfriends and chosen family that
we have in our lives. So this iskind of a natural part of what
we both do already with ourclosest friends. We invite,
sharing and follow up, and weboth intentionally plan time,
not just together with eachother, but with our friends that
(19:26):
are locally, where we each areas well. So it's really just
making sure that you are notjust putting out right, but that
you're allowing others to shareequality, that one's pretty
easy, and yeah, that'sdefinitely part of the homey,
cozy feeling, I think for all ofus, right. Number five on this
list, the 10 items manifestohygge, is gratitude, of course.
(19:50):
So take a moment Meek's tone, orMike. I think it's meek, but
Mike's tone repeatedly not.
Judges, appreciative savoringwithin these simple scenes, a
shared meal, the light, thecompany, and just really having
an appreciation, not only asyou're having that experience,
(20:12):
but later, I learned a big partof hygge is the aspect of this
culture of also reminiscing onhow Hoogly a Hangout was,
whether it was a year ago andwe're still reminiscing on, oh,
that cake that so and so bakedand we had that Hoogly time, or
whether it was even just lastweekend or yesterday, a big part
(20:35):
of this gratitude is reminiscingabout the Hoogly times that
we've experienced together, orwhen someone made like a really
Hoogly get together, theyreminisce about it pretty
regularly. And I think that'ssomething we can all do pretty
easily, and have this spirit ofgratitude and like, wow, that
was so nice, the simplicity andappreciating it. I think bestie
(20:55):
and I also get a gold star onthis one. We both do something a
little different than the book.
We each find lots of Hooglycomfort in very specific shows
and movies playing in thebackground, like for ambiance,
or for me, like when I'm workingfrom home. She loves the 80s
movies with the Griswolds thatChristmas vacation being her
very best favorite. And she alsoloves old Hallmark movies and
(21:19):
bonus points if they are holidaythemed or winter themed, I enjoy
those too. But I also likereally cheesy, like, I'll take
any cheesy Christmas movie. Itdoesn't have to be Hallmark
hers, or specifically she likesthat style. I'll take any of
them. And of course, I alwayslove a show like friends in the
background that I've seen amillion times all the episodes.
(21:42):
So thinking about how you canjust feel that presence of
appreciation and gratitude andease as you go through this
season to create your Hooglyatmosphere. Number six is
harmony. Keep it relaxed and noncompetitive. The overall
guidance is kind of keep it lowstakes, right? Like very chill.
(22:02):
Nothing expected. Ease come asyou are cozy conversation, no
performance needed. You don'tneed to come with something
prepared for the group or tobrag about your accomplishments.
It's very low key and easygoing, which already makes you
feel a little bit Hugo, right?
(22:23):
Both bestie and I tend to bethis way anyway. Hence the
tighter circles that I justmentioned. There's enough
competition energy out there inthe world. I don't need it in my
closest friendships, and neitherdoes she, and neither of us
wants that kind of attitude inour cozy zone, so to speak,
plus, we both believe everyonecan win, and I really strongly
(22:46):
believe and so does she incelebrating other people's wins
and being happy for them, evenif I maybe I'm going through
something hard, but someone'stelling me something great, I
want to keep it happy. I want tocelebrate them. I want to I want
to hear, I want them to share,right? It's not about
performance or competition. It'sabout really just being mellow
(23:09):
together and sharing that timeand space with each other. So
both of us tend to do that justkind of naturally. Number seven
on this 10 Point manifesto ofhygge is comfort. Yes, think of
like wool socks and cozyblankets and soft layers and
comfort clothing and really cozytextures. Really the book
(23:31):
suggests like, Get comfy, take abreak where I grew up, in
Boston, for many people, thiswould also include like, things
like switching out those veryairy drapes for heavier winter
curtains like to kind of blockthe draft, or even maybe you're
bringing out the down blanketsor big throws, maybe even
getting your area rugs for thosewarm to warm up those like cold
(23:55):
floors, really just getting outyour thermals and sweaters.
California is maybe not sointense in that way. But are you
doing a swap over in your home?
Of like, maybe pillows that youhave in the summer are lighter
or more playful, and maybe inthe winter, we're wanting to go
for like, more of a sweater ytexture or something cozy,
right? So for me on thiscomfort, as you might imagine,
(24:16):
I'm prettygood at this one, and so is she
warm.
Wooly socks and cozy slippersare always cozy favorites of
mine, and I have plenty that Ihave collected over the years.
I'm it's a thing I do kind ofevery holiday season when the
like warmest, coziest, fuzziestwooly socks are on sale. I
(24:37):
always buy a couple on reallygood sale that kind of have
lasted me many, many years. Andactually, right now, I'm on the
hunt for an electric blanketbecause mine gave up. And I also
sometimes, if it's a year thatmy electric blanket has given
up, I will use my trusty oldheating pad to, like, get the
sheets toasty, or to put on thecouch with me, which. Which, of
(25:00):
course, costs nothing at all. Iactually already keep a cute
assortment of hotel styleslippers, like those single use
slippers that you can just takewith you, or really cute socks
by my front door, because I'm ano no shoes house, so I think I
got to offer socks or slippersor something cozy for people. So
you could even consider puttinga new basket of socks, like not
(25:24):
old used socks, right? We wantfresh, or those little slippers
so that people can feel morehygge at your house. Bestie
(26:33):
loves a cozy robe and slippers.
Every year, the only thing sheasks for for Christmas is a cozy
robe, because she really wearshers out every year. This year,
she picked up an electricblanket, and she also picked up
some microwavable socks, which Ihad no idea was a thing she gets
really very cold beatsies. Andso she wanted the microwavable
socks, which I'm excited to hearabout. So number eight on this
(26:55):
list, I mean, comfort, I think,is pretty easy for all of us,
but it's like really beingintentional about it, maybe even
like layering blankets I tend tohave I keep looking because this
my office is kind of part of myliving room here, so I have a
couch blanket on two sides of mycouch and a chair blanket,
because I love a blanket to justcozy up with, even sometimes in
(27:17):
the summer. Remember I said wecan do this all seasons. Air
Conditioning is a little muchfor me, or in the evening, I get
a cool breeze sometimes, so Ilove a little something cozy to
wrap around me. I definitelyhave favorite cozy sweats and
things that come out in thewinter time, and I'm sure that
you do too, and I would love tohear what are your favorite
comfort items for number seven.
(27:39):
Number eight is truce. Now I'mgonna keep this one simple. This
is about creating a drama freespace. The manifestos truce is
widely cited with kind of like aspirit of park your politics for
today, so people can just relaxtogether. Think of like a
gentle, cordial, comfortable,friendly vibe, where we're not
(28:02):
going to talk about anything tooserious or anything too hard,
we're just going to keep iteasy.
Bestie andI, I do think it makes sense for
gatherings to keep it light. Letme start by saying that and
maybe certain family members aredifferent than friends, but I
will tell you that both bestieand I have let a lot of people
go from our lives over theselast many years who don't align
(28:25):
with our own basic values. Forme, that's a part of feeling
Hoogly. Let me say it this way,if someone doesn't believe
hungry kids should have lunch orthat women shouldn't have their
own voices, then we probablyaren't friends anyway. So I we
don't need to tell people not tosay things, because even if
we're not talking about it, Ireally try to choose good
(28:47):
people. So that is my two centson number eight truths. Number
nine is about togetherness.
Think of like small groups thatare intentionally chosen device
free meals, where we're all justreally appreciating and enjoying
the pleasure of the food and thecomfort of it, and maybe we're
(29:08):
playing some games or somecharades, or who knows what type
of board games. I would love tohear your favorite board games.
Maybe we're sharing storiesabout other Hoogly times or our
day, or maybe we're just tellingtall tales. There's a full
chapter in this book ontogetherness, which is one of
the many reasons I think youshould check it out. So for me,
(29:30):
I have been really making aneffort to intentionally nurture
my friendships these past coupleof years. I'm thinking I might
create a very small kind of NewYear's inspired gathering with
just a couple friends To eatyummy food and play games and
hang around in our sweats andkeep the lighting very soft and
(29:51):
warm. The introvert in me isstill deciding if I'm actually
going to do this, but that isthe idea I have at this moment.
Bestie also has been reallycarefully curating a special,
small friend group of her own aswell. And I think the truth is,
we're all so busy these days andso much is expected from us that
(30:12):
it can feel really hard toconnect with our closest
friends, and we can all easilygo several months without seeing
a specific friend, right? Soboth bestie and I are fans of,
let's just get it on thecalendar so we can have it
planned. And anyone that knowsme knows I'm saying, like, just,
let's get on the calendar. Like,when can we do this? When can we
(30:32):
because for me, it's part of,like, I build it into my
schedule, because thattogetherness with people I want
to be in togetherness,togetherness with is so
important to me. So if you aresomeone that finds a hard to
like, get come up for air. Thinkabout carving out time on your
calendar, on your schedule,reaching out to the people you
do want to spend this Hooglytime with and say like, Hey,
(30:55):
when? When can we all betogether? Or even just two at a
time, whatever works for you orI. Grew up, there's this idea
of, like, a corner pub or acoffee shop that people might
see each other pretty regularly.
Like several times a weekthey're going down to the corner
pub and having a meal, andusually often, like, also
seasonal, special things toBoston and maybe a pint,
(31:16):
whatever they like. And so youmight see a lot of these people
really regularly. And I know alot of Europe is also like that.
California and also Vegas, wherebestie lives, is not really like
that for the most part, at leastin my experience. So for me,
togetherness doesn't reallyhappen without intentionally
calendaring it, but I do thinkit's really important and
(31:38):
wanting to just share inpeople's lives with them that I
really care about. So maybeconsider how you can have more
togetherness, not with everyone,but with the group that you feel
the most Hoogly. With number 10is shelter. Hygge is about safe
haven, and in the book, Meekweekends describes a Christmas
(32:00):
Day where he gives like his hispicture of Hoogly or hygge.
Think about in this scene theway he describes it. It's
Christmas Day. He's with friendsin a woodsy cabin, and after a
really nice hike through thesnow, they come back and are all
sitting around a crackling fire.
(32:23):
They've already taken off theirwet boots and coats, and they've
put on, like, really warmsweaters that they're wrapped up
in and wooly socks, and they'resipping like warm mulled wine
the group you know, in the wayhe describes it, they sat
together just listening to thefire completely content in that
(32:43):
quiet appreciation, and as thegroup sat together in that
comfortable quiet and shared thewarmth, one of the friends
asked, Could this be any morehygge? And another friend paused
and replied, Yes, if the stormoutside was raging and even that
line, could this be even morehygge? Yes, if a storm outside
(33:04):
was raging, kind of captures itperfectly and gives you that
vibe. A hygge place feels like aplace of peace and security and
the way he says, it is with yourtribe. So for me, since I
am not shelter insecure, I feellike this one is more about a
safe sanctuary feeling in yourliving environment. Or actually,
(33:27):
my office feels like this too.
So where you hang out the most.
I like to feel cozy everywhere Iam. And quite honestly, part of
what it is in my office isdifferent textures of fabrics
and nothing that's too bright oroffensive and the light is warm
and soft, and most people, whenthey come into the office,
actually remark some version ofhow soft and warm or cozy or
(33:49):
safe and nurturing my officefeels. I have a couple textured,
neutral blankets hanging up forpeople to wrap up and if they
want. And so it's really justabout creating a feeling of
coziness in whatever area youwant to identify as shelter for
you. And I really even sometimeshere create just a little hygge
(34:12):
zone or Hugo y zone, where Ipull a chair up so I could see
the view out of my window, and Iwrap up in a blanket with maybe
like a warm cup of coffee. And Ido also like to have this is,
this is maybe like a doesn'tquite qualify, because it's
electronic. I don't have afireplace, but I do like to have
on my TV in the living room. Iput YouTube on, and there are
(34:33):
these different channels orsettings you can find that have
like fireplace and happy jazz orbossa nova. So I like to have
that on the background, oftenbecause it feels like a fire,
and it makes the crackly firenoise, just to kind of make it
feel cozy. Bestie loves tocuddle up on her couch with her
two little dogs, pickles andpopcorn, and with her Christmas
(34:54):
Hallmark movies that we talkedabout, with her candles all
around and you really can createyour version of this with
whatever you have right now.
It's more about a feeling and anexperience and a way of being
than any specific like items youhave to get. And all of this,
again, can be applied to anyseason in the summer. It might
feel more like beach days withopen fire cookouts with family
(35:17):
all chipping in to help, maybe agame of charades, or what's that
one, where you toss the beanbags into the hole, maybe
tossing on a thin sweatshirt inthe evening over like sun kissed
skin, golden light streaminginto the evening sky, feeling
playful and easy and kind of afeeling of home that comes from
(35:38):
inside. Actually, my kiddos whenthey were growing up, anytime we
do a beach day and visit thebeach, I always put something
like a stew or like a chili inthe crock pot in the morning
before we would go. There isnothing more Hoogly than coming
home from a long day at thebeach under the sun and getting
beat by the waves. And you. Kindof Sandy and exhausted, and then
(36:01):
taking a nice hot shower andcozying up with a warm bowl of
chili and toppings, andespecially as a mom, not having
to, like cook it after all ofthat, it just is so cozy to get
together and snuggle up andwatch a movie with your like,
warm bowl of chili after a longbeach day. So it really can be
applied to any season with verylittle extra than what you
(36:24):
probably already have right now.
Or could even trade with afriend for for example, if they
don't use their crock potanymore and you don't use your
tea kettle anymore, you couldswap, or you could find a lot of
these things, even at like athrift store or second hand of
some kind. So an extra idea thatI had that I just wanted to
share with you, that I thoughtwould be kind of a fun idea as
(36:47):
we're moving towards holidayseason, if you're listening to
this at the time it's released,I thought it might be a really
fun idea to give, like a hyggegift kit. And this could be just
a playful basket, right? You caninclude the book, which was, I
want to say, like, right around$10 I think, is what I paid for
(37:07):
it. And the audiobook was freeon my platform, so you could put
in a basket, you know, like someeven electronic candles, or real
candles, if you like, a couplelittle chocolates, maybe some
tea or coffee, a pair of warmfuzzy socks or, like an
inexpensive throw blanket. Maybea favorite book, this book or a
film, maybe a notebook or a penfor journaling. Maybe you could
(37:32):
write them a little letter orinclude some photos. Maybe you
frame them. Maybe you don't justmake it like a cozy kind of to
go kit that you could give as aholiday gift. And you could, of
course, adapt this to fiveitems, if it feels like that's
the easiest, but you can reallyadapt it to your your individual
(37:53):
friends, likes or needs, andjust to give them, like a basket
of hygge, a basket of like ahygge starter kit, kind of a
cozy, cozy little starter kit,right? But I thought that'd be a
really fun, inexpensive, easyidea. I actually used to do kind
of a version of this. There wasa time in my life where I really
loved making gift baskets. Manyyears ago, I used to work for a
(38:14):
florist, and I would do all ofthe gift baskets, and there was,
like a gourmet food section. Andso I many times over the years,
have given a gift basket whereit's to be honest, a lot from
the dollar store or discountstore where it's like a mug, a
type of like instant cocoa ortea, or something special like
that, maybe some marshmallows,maybe some sweets or something
(38:37):
tasty in there, maybe a littlejournal and a pen, or even, like
a little tiny notebook, or maybesomething that has a sweet
little saying. I've done a moviethemed where it's like a couple
of movie snacks. I did it for adear friend after she had a bad
accident and was bedridden forseveral months while she was
recovering. And I put, like, acouple of her favorite DVDs,
when you could get those forlike, two for $10 in those giant
(39:00):
bins at those big stores. And Iput a cute little, it was almost
like the the type of paperpopcorn things that if you go
somewhere and they have apopcorn machine, you just fill
it up in that little container.
So a little popcorn containerand some microwave popcorn in
there for her. And I think Ieven had some warm socks, and I
might have had, like a littlecozy shoulder throw or something
in there. So there's lots ofways you could do this for very
(39:23):
inexpensive. And I think itmakes a really fun gift for
something like a white elephantor something where you're only
supposed to spend like $25 or$30 or something. And it is
really nice idea too, if youmaybe are hosting something for
the holidays and you want tohave a couple extra gifts
around, just in case someonebrings a guest and you don't
want them to feel like left out.
(39:45):
You could always stash a coupleof like, warm fuzzy socks and
little journals and pens orsomething somewhere to give,
like a Hugo y gift to spread thespirit of huga. So I'm really
curious what this has kind ofstirred up in you, and if you've
been getting thinking a littlebit about how you could make
your space more hygge, even withwhatever you have right now at
(40:07):
your disposal. As you couldtell, Hyuga is much more than
just candles and cocoa. It isreally about safety, simplicity,
presence, the slow way creatingspaces and moments where your
body and spirit can finallyexhale and maybe even feel a
little bit nurtured each ofMichigan's 10 pillars,
(40:29):
atmosphere, presence, pleasure,equality, gratitude, harmony,
comfort, truce, togetherness andshelter offer a different layer,
a different doorway into thatexperience of calm and
belonging. You can build hyggein any season, in winter with
(40:50):
soft lights and slow meals andcozy materials, or in summer,
with sunsets and laughter andbare feet in the sand, what
matters the most is intense.
Attention, bringing mindfulcomfort to whatever moment that
you're in. And as you movethrough this week and even this
season, notice the little hyggemoments already happening around
you. The warmth of your mug.
(41:13):
Maybe it's like mine that Idon't have next to me right now,
a mug that was handmade bysomeone and gifted to me. Many,
many, many, many, many yearsago, probably more than 30 years
ago. And maybe you havesomething like that that's very
simple that you just really lovethe feeling of and you can just
appreciate that warmth. Maybefor you, it's the sound of a
(41:36):
friend's voice or the glow ofthe evening light, and just let
those simple things remind youthat peace is a practice, and
that your intuition really doesthrive when your energy feels
safe and cared for. So here's tofinding your own version of
hygge, inside and out, and toletting that cozy, grounded
energy guide you through theseason ahead. If you have had
(42:00):
any ideas about how you mightmake your space more hygge. I
would love if you would dropthem in the comments wherever
you're listening or watching tothis, or you could even post
pictures of the way you'remaking your space more Hoogly
and send them to me on socialmedia, I am at joyful medium on
Instagram and Facebook, and justtag me. I'd love to see them,
and I will try to pepper mysocial media with little
(42:23):
glimpses of my Hoogly zonesthroughout this holiday season,
and I hope that this leaves youfeeling cozy and warm and Hoogly
inside. Big hugs. Lots of love.
Bye for now from inside spiritspeakeasy, you.
Joy. Hey, beautiful soul, welcome to spirit. Speak
Easy. I'm Joy Giovanni, joyfulmedium. I'm a working psychic
medium, energy healer andspiritual gifts mentor. This
podcast is like a seat at thetable in a secret club, but with
mediums, mystics and thespiritual luminaries of our
time. So come behind the velvetropes with me and see inside my
(00:24):
world as I chat insider stylewith profoundly gifted souls, we
go deep, share juicy stories,laugh a lot, and it wouldn't be
a speakeasy without greatinsider secrets and tips. You
might even learn that you havesome gifts of your own. So step
inside the spirit speakeasy.
Hey, beautiful soul, welcome infor another episode of spirit
(00:46):
speakeasy. In today's episode,we are exploring the Danish art
of hygge, a beautiful word thatdescribes a feeling of hominess,
cozy connection, contentment,and how you can use it to shift
your energy, reconnect withyourself, and bring more warmth
and ease into your everydaylife, especially during this
(01:08):
current season, you'll learnwhere hygge comes from, the 10
core elements you need to createhygge that meek, wicking, I
apologize for mispronouncingthat name shares in the little
book of hygge and simple,practical ways to create that
feeling of hygge, no matter whatthe season where you live and on
(01:29):
any budget. I'll walk youthrough what wicking says and
how my bestie and I are eachapplying this in real life, and
how you can turn these ideasinto your own ritual of self
care intercom and cultivate yourown restorative practices and
hominess. So I want to justshare briefly how the
(01:49):
inspiration for this episodestarted. So my bestie and I
really are more about creatingexperiences as people. It's just
kind of how we work, and lessattached to material things. And
she actually suggested, becausea friend had suggested to her,
Oh, this season, let's focus onthis idea of coziness. There's
(02:10):
this whole coziness movementthat was popularized, and let's
focus on this. And so bestieactually suggested this as a way
to have kind of a positive focusfor this crazy period in time,
and to create a special feelingfor ourselves through these
winter months, which both of ustend to find, the cold weather
and the lack of sunlight justdifficult for us personally. So
(02:34):
she was starting it herself, andI, as she would tell me about it
on our everyday chats, I gotkind of interested, and then I
wanted to understand what thismysterious practice actually was
like, the real practice of itand the intention behind it. And
as I was deep diving for all ofthat, I realized that this could
(02:54):
be a really fun episode to giveus a positive focus and that
warm and fuzzy feeling at a timewhen we all need it. So what are
we talking about when we sayhygge? Hygge is spelled, h, y,
G, G, E, but it's pronouncedhygge. It's a Danish term with
Norwegian origins, and there'sno exact translation for hygge,
(03:18):
and it can show up as anemotion, an adjective, a verb, a
noun. It's really a vibe, a wayof being, and it's so deeply
embedded in the culture thatactually, in the book that I'm
going to tell you about, theauthor actually talks about if
you were in his country andlooking for a restaurant or a
(03:40):
coffee shop to go to. One of themost searched terms is hygge or
Hoogly, because they're wantingplaces that exemplify this
feeling. It's a really importantcultural experience, and
possibly why they are rankedamong the most happy content
people in all of the world. It'sthat soulful, homey feeling of
(04:05):
coziness, this hygge. It'screating a warm, friendly
atmosphere that feels pleasantand full of well being. It's
taking time to be together andenjoy life's quieter pleasures.
Think of warmth, trust, unrushtogetherness. It's kind of like
a hug without touching, but itgoes way beyond that. The vibe
(04:27):
of hygge is things likehandcrafted over store bought,
intentional over overpowering,vintage or well worn or even
thrifted over new as apreference, board games over at
video games, it often carries anostalgic feeling and
remembering hygly moments,whether they were from years
(04:49):
past or just this past weekend,the reminiscing about the
feeling of hygge is part ofhygge itself. It's soft, warm
light and yummy, but. Bakedtreats and feet up by the
fireplace. All of that is partof this mysterious vibe of hygge
that I'm going to share with youtoday. And while fall and winter
(05:11):
are considered the most hyglytimes of year, you can enjoy it
all year round, no matter theseason and on the cheap. So get
excited for those of you thatare feeling thrifty right now,
think of steamy cocoa or teawarming your hands your closest
friends comfy on couches underblankets or soft sweaters,
(05:33):
toasty wool socks, maybe a cardgame going on while the
fireplace crackles candles andsoft, warm light gently flooding
the space while you can smellthe tasty stew simmering in the
slow cooker just off in thekitchen. Hygge is a practice.
It's a way of being. It's not ashopping list. And for this
(05:55):
episode, I bought the book Imentioned the little bit, the
little book of hygge by meekweekings. I hope I'm saying that
right, but I know that I'm not.
And this person also happens tobe the CEO of the happiness
research institute inCopenhagen, and again, as part
of his research, the Danes, yearover year, are recognized as
(06:15):
some of the happiest people inthe research and hygge is
thought to be a big part of whythey are so happy. I also
listened to the audio book. Iwent through the hard copy of
the book, and I made lots ofnotes. It's not a very big book,
and it's kind of small, so it'san easy read, and I highly
(06:36):
recommend it. The book talksabout the 10 pillars of hygge.
So we're going to go over themtogether, because these are kind
of like the 10 ingredients, therecipe of this feeling or of
this cultural way of beinghygge. So we're going to talk
about all of those 10 pillars,what they mean, how we can apply
them, and I'll share also whatI'm doing and what my bestie is
(06:59):
doing for each one to helpinspire you and get your wheels
turning for how you can infusemore hygge into your experience.
So let's dive in and look atwhat actually creates the
feeling of hygge. And again, Ihighly recommend the book and
the audio book. I really lovedgetting to hear all of this in
the author's own voice. So whatactually creates the feeling of
(07:23):
hygge weakens himself,researched and popularized his
10 Point hygge manifesto in thisbook, and I'll share some of his
examples, and then again, whatI'm doing and what bestie is
doing for each of these. So thefirst of these 10 ingredients
that we need to create hygge isatmosphere. Make puts the
(07:44):
lighting first and mostimportant, it's things like turn
down the lights, candles, iconicDanish lamps. There is a segment
in one of these chapters. Well,there's a whole chapter on
candles, but a segment about afamous artist who is thought to
have invented light architecturefor the home, like light design.
(08:06):
And I learned that candles areso important in Danish culture
that it's totally common forthere to be several candles in
people's workplaces, not just athome, in coffee shops or places
you might go, even inclassrooms. Now I do think some
of this is because where theyare placed right geographically.
In the winter months, they getso much darkness. In the summer
(08:31):
months, they get tons of lightand have long hours of daylight.
But in the winter, it's verydark and cold where they are. So
it makes sense that you wouldwant a warm atmosphere. So in
the book, it's lighting,lighting, lighting. Think of
like soft glow lamps instead ofharsh overhead light with UV, UV
bulbs, candles, a little PSAhere, little caution the Danish
(08:56):
authorities have reported, andit's in this book that candle
particulates, like when you burnthe candle, that the
particulates go into the air. Sorespiratory cautions here, but
it actually also specifies thatin Danish culture, natural
ingredients materials areactually preferred. And again,
that's just the general vibe,handmade or small batch crafted
(09:19):
over like big box store bought.
So as you're perhaps floodingyour place with light, and
thinking about how you can usesoft lighting and candles just
kind of PSA, their fire safety,and also chemical and particles
and things like that. So forlighting, for atmosphere, there
(09:41):
are some things that I'm doingand that bestie is doing that I
want to share. So for me, Iactually have kind of been
working on this one for thewhole year without realizing it.
I really have been payingattention to wanting to create
different feels in my home withlighting. Those of you that
watch on YouTube or my websitesee the light. Lights behind me
that cast the purple and bluesfor this podcast. I actually
(10:04):
have some different warm lightsettings and cozy settings that
I use. And I just ordered it ona really good sale, kind of at
the beginning of last year. AndI use, there are some light
strips and some little domethings that cast light? But then
I also, you can't see it where Iposition now, but around my
(10:24):
house, these light bulbs canactually go inside my regular
lamps. And then there's a app.
Of course, there's an app foreverything, but I use the
Philips Hue. I'm not sponsored.
It's just the one that was onsale that I thought was kind of
cool. So there's an app, and youcan adjust the brightness,
because I always really want adimmer, but it's so hard to find
lights with true dimmers thataren't that harsh led feel
(10:47):
so with these type of lightbulbs and lighting, you can use
your existing lamps, and you canjust on this app, choose
different colors for each lamp.
You can make it really warm andcozy. You can dim or increase
the light if you're wanting,like task lighting, and i
Besides, if you're watching thiscandle that you see beside me,
that was a gift last year thatI'm still working through. I'm
using more of, like the batteryoperated candles, just for
(11:10):
safety and chemicalconsiderations. And I'm also
using salt lamps, which I justhappen to have. I didn't buy any
of these for this project, Ijust have a salt lamp at my
office, and I have a salt lampin my living room. They do just
cast a really lovely, warm, richeither like there's some that
(11:31):
are kind of a white, yellowishglow, and some that are more
orange, into those pinks andorange colors. And they do have
those really inexpensive at lotsof stores as well. But again,
I'm doing just the batteryoperated candles, which you can
pick up at, like $1 store typeplace, if you have never seen
them before, but I think mostpeople have them. Bestie has was
inspired by visiting me becauseI did all these special light
(11:56):
settings for her as part of thevibe I was creating for her
visit here this summer? So shewas inspired by my lights and
decided to get kind of like a anAmazon version of the light
bulbs. They have them at alldifferent price points, all
different companies make them.
So she got some like that forher house to be able to control
the different lighting scapesfor different seasons or vibes
(12:17):
that she wanted to create. Sheis using real candles. And at
the beginning of this project,she treated herself to a special
candle to kick off the season.
She has kind of scent themes inher home, so she wanted a really
specific one. But it really isjust about thinking about, how
do we turn off harsh lighting?
Unless, of course, it'ssunlight, the more sunlight, the
(12:37):
better, right? But in thosedarker months, particularly, how
do we craft an environment, anatmosphere like the number one
says, of just soft lighting andthe feeling of warmth and like
that, diffused lighting, ratherthan very harsh lighting, okay,
the second on this 10 Pointmanifesto of hygge is presence.
(12:59):
This means Be Here Now, kind oflike with the Ram Dass right,
put your phones away, singletask conversations, meaning not
multitasking, slowing down,maybe even playing board games.
So both bestie and I are prettygood at this one already, just
as part of who we are as humanbeings, to the point where we
both seem to always even forgetto take pictures when we're
(13:23):
together or together with otherfriends. Are any of you like
that where you realize like, ohmy gosh, I have no pictures of
me with my friends because weare so focused on being together
that we don't take pictureseverywhere we go. That's
happened to me a lot in theselast couple years. So I don't
have a problem putting my phoneaway for togetherness and
presence and being like fullyhere now. And I love board
(13:45):
games. Bestie does not, but Ido. My kids grew up playing
board games with me, and I thinkit's just a really fun way to
come together. So number two onthe list is presence. Number
three is you're gonna reallylove this one pleasure. So this
really focuses on things likesmall treats and slow cooked
comfort food. Cake is hygge,coffee, cocoa, Stew. And there's
(14:11):
a whole chapter for food anddrink in this book. And there
are even some really specialfamily memories, Danish family
memories that the authorincludes in the book, a couple
for some sweet almost likebread, kind of like I would
think of, like a pumpkin loaffor a banana loaf, like those
kind of, like breads and cakes,and then a couple for some
(14:31):
really hearty stews that Ithought was just such a special
addition to this book. So howare bestie and I doing this and
pleasure? I mean, who doesn'tlove a tasty, warm from the oven
baked treat, or like a longcooked stew that just really
smells so good for me, I learnedhow to make masala chai as part
(14:52):
of this project that we'redoing, and I'm experimenting
with the different various warmspices. Is like cardamom and
cloves and nutmeg, and yousimmer them in a pot with if you
like, a little bit of sweetener,if you don't, and you also put
some black tea in there, whetheryou use a tea bag or steeper or
however you do it, to createthose warm scents and tastes,
(15:17):
and just to make a massage Chai.
So I'm learning that thisseason, I personally don't like
anise or anise that spice, butyou could also use that one.
It's part of what is sometimesin Masala Chai. And I always
make a few different stewsthroughout this season. It's
something I've done for many,many years now. So I'm right on
board with that one, and Iactually make a little bit extra
(15:41):
now that it's just me at homeand I don't have a whole huge
family here anymore, I will makeextra of these stews and soups
that I do, and I will freezesome, which I will tell you,
came in super handy this lastyear when I ended up getting the
flu right after the winter time,I just went into my freezer and
I had some, like, amazinghomemade chicken soup, and it
was a lifesaver. And I alsorecently treated myself to a
(16:06):
better coffee maker, which,again, you don't have to spend
money for this. You could get areally simple French press, even
if you don't have a coffeemaker, for like, 10 or $15 or
even you could probably find oneat a thrift store. Really, I
treated myself to a little bitof a better coffee maker than
the one I had for many years,and this one does espresso, so I
decided sometimes I'm a betterperson espresso so that I can
(16:28):
make it myself at home, becauseI really don't like going to the
expensive coffee shops andgetting it, and I've been
experimenting with which coffeebeans I like the best to really
bring the hygge into myexperience. And bestie is always
working on recipes. This womanmakes the most amazing. She just
(16:49):
this week she made like achicken shawarma from scratch
with all the herbs and spicesand seasonings. She's amazing.
She's also been teachingher kids this season how to do
some of their favorite recipesthat she has, and she is famous
in her little family for hermatzo ball soup, which she also
makes from scratch and scratchmatzo balls with roasted
(17:10):
chicken, and it is all the ravein her family. So what are some
family recipes maybe you couldbring to life again, or your own
versions of recipes that youreally like. We are both talking
about also making some mulledspice wine, some warm kind of,
like a Christmassy sangria, isthe way I'm thinking of it
(17:32):
anyway. And of course, you couldalso do this with, like a mulled
cider with herbs and spices likecinnamon and nutmeg or clove or
whatever else you might want toput in there. I like a little
bit of orange peel or orangezest also in there, and maybe
some cranberries. I will be sureto post picture on my social
media when I do actually makeit, and I'm probably gonna make
it next week. So if you're noton Instagram, get on there and
(17:55):
follow me. That's where I'mmostly posting things. So I'll
pick I'll see if she'll send mea picture of her mulled wine,
and I'll put mine. I don't knowif anyone else thinks of it like
a Christmassy sangria. I thinkof it so that is number three on
this list of hygge. I don'tthink I have to tell you about
making baked treats and yummydeliciousness. And in the book,
he did draw connect some dotsfor me. If you back east, we do
(18:19):
call them Danish here, theydon't really necessarily call
them Danish in California, butthose sweet, crispy pastries
that are like part croissant andpart something delicious like
cinnamon or sweet cheese orfruit, that's Danish. So they
are masters of hygge, and whatis more cozy feeling than a warm
coffee or tea and a deliciousdanish pastry, right? So number
(18:43):
three pleasure. Number four isequality in the way the author
says it, we over me. Everyonecontributes, shared tasks,
shared air time, like at thetable, everyone gets to share
and talk and be part of theconversation, the book really
leans on something that theycall convivial togetherness,
(19:04):
which is like happy, Jolly, easytogetherness. Both bestie and I
are pretty intentional with ourfriends and chosen family that
we have in our lives. So this iskind of a natural part of what
we both do already with ourclosest friends. We invite,
sharing and follow up, and weboth intentionally plan time,
not just together with eachother, but with our friends that
(19:26):
are locally, where we each areas well. So it's really just
making sure that you are notjust putting out right, but that
you're allowing others to shareequality, that one's pretty
easy, and yeah, that'sdefinitely part of the homey,
cozy feeling, I think for all ofus, right. Number five on this
list, the 10 items manifestohygge, is gratitude, of course.
(19:50):
So take a moment Meek's tone, orMike. I think it's meek, but
Mike's tone repeatedly not.
Judges, appreciative savoringwithin these simple scenes, a
shared meal, the light, thecompany, and just really having
an appreciation, not only asyou're having that experience,
(20:12):
but later, I learned a big partof hygge is the aspect of this
culture of also reminiscing onhow Hoogly a Hangout was,
whether it was a year ago andwe're still reminiscing on, oh,
that cake that so and so bakedand we had that Hoogly time, or
whether it was even just lastweekend or yesterday, a big part
(20:35):
of this gratitude is reminiscingabout the Hoogly times that
we've experienced together, orwhen someone made like a really
Hoogly get together, theyreminisce about it pretty
regularly. And I think that'ssomething we can all do pretty
easily, and have this spirit ofgratitude and like, wow, that
was so nice, the simplicity andappreciating it. I think bestie
(20:55):
and I also get a gold star onthis one. We both do something a
little different than the book.
We each find lots of Hooglycomfort in very specific shows
and movies playing in thebackground, like for ambiance,
or for me, like when I'm workingfrom home. She loves the 80s
movies with the Griswolds thatChristmas vacation being her
very best favorite. And she alsoloves old Hallmark movies and
(21:19):
bonus points if they are holidaythemed or winter themed, I enjoy
those too. But I also likereally cheesy, like, I'll take
any cheesy Christmas movie. Itdoesn't have to be Hallmark
hers, or specifically she likesthat style. I'll take any of
them. And of course, I alwayslove a show like friends in the
background that I've seen amillion times all the episodes.
(21:42):
So thinking about how you canjust feel that presence of
appreciation and gratitude andease as you go through this
season to create your Hooglyatmosphere. Number six is
harmony. Keep it relaxed and noncompetitive. The overall
guidance is kind of keep it lowstakes, right? Like very chill.
(22:02):
Nothing expected. Ease come asyou are cozy conversation, no
performance needed. You don'tneed to come with something
prepared for the group or tobrag about your accomplishments.
It's very low key and easygoing, which already makes you
feel a little bit Hugo, right?
(22:23):
Both bestie and I tend to bethis way anyway. Hence the
tighter circles that I justmentioned. There's enough
competition energy out there inthe world. I don't need it in my
closest friendships, and neitherdoes she, and neither of us
wants that kind of attitude inour cozy zone, so to speak,
plus, we both believe everyonecan win, and I really strongly
(22:46):
believe and so does she incelebrating other people's wins
and being happy for them, evenif I maybe I'm going through
something hard, but someone'stelling me something great, I
want to keep it happy. I want tocelebrate them. I want to I want
to hear, I want them to share,right? It's not about
performance or competition. It'sabout really just being mellow
(23:09):
together and sharing that timeand space with each other. So
both of us tend to do that justkind of naturally. Number seven
on this 10 Point manifesto ofhygge is comfort. Yes, think of
like wool socks and cozyblankets and soft layers and
comfort clothing and really cozytextures. Really the book
(23:31):
suggests like, Get comfy, take abreak where I grew up, in
Boston, for many people, thiswould also include like, things
like switching out those veryairy drapes for heavier winter
curtains like to kind of blockthe draft, or even maybe you're
bringing out the down blanketsor big throws, maybe even
getting your area rugs for thosewarm to warm up those like cold
(23:55):
floors, really just getting outyour thermals and sweaters.
California is maybe not sointense in that way. But are you
doing a swap over in your home?
Of like, maybe pillows that youhave in the summer are lighter
or more playful, and maybe inthe winter, we're wanting to go
for like, more of a sweater ytexture or something cozy,
right? So for me on thiscomfort, as you might imagine,
(24:16):
I'm prettygood at this one, and so is she
warm.
Wooly socks and cozy slippersare always cozy favorites of
mine, and I have plenty that Ihave collected over the years.
I'm it's a thing I do kind ofevery holiday season when the
like warmest, coziest, fuzziestwooly socks are on sale. I
(24:37):
always buy a couple on reallygood sale that kind of have
lasted me many, many years. Andactually, right now, I'm on the
hunt for an electric blanketbecause mine gave up. And I also
sometimes, if it's a year thatmy electric blanket has given
up, I will use my trusty oldheating pad to, like, get the
sheets toasty, or to put on thecouch with me, which. Which, of
(25:00):
course, costs nothing at all. Iactually already keep a cute
assortment of hotel styleslippers, like those single use
slippers that you can just takewith you, or really cute socks
by my front door, because I'm ano no shoes house, so I think I
got to offer socks or slippersor something cozy for people. So
you could even consider puttinga new basket of socks, like not
(25:24):
old used socks, right? We wantfresh, or those little slippers
so that people can feel morehygge at your house. Bestie
(26:33):
loves a cozy robe and slippers.
Every year, the only thing sheasks for for Christmas is a cozy
robe, because she really wearshers out every year. This year,
she picked up an electricblanket, and she also picked up
some microwavable socks, which Ihad no idea was a thing she gets
really very cold beatsies. Andso she wanted the microwavable
socks, which I'm excited to hearabout. So number eight on this
(26:55):
list, I mean, comfort, I think,is pretty easy for all of us,
but it's like really beingintentional about it, maybe even
like layering blankets I tend tohave I keep looking because this
my office is kind of part of myliving room here, so I have a
couch blanket on two sides of mycouch and a chair blanket,
because I love a blanket to justcozy up with, even sometimes in
(27:17):
the summer. Remember I said wecan do this all seasons. Air
Conditioning is a little muchfor me, or in the evening, I get
a cool breeze sometimes, so Ilove a little something cozy to
wrap around me. I definitelyhave favorite cozy sweats and
things that come out in thewinter time, and I'm sure that
you do too, and I would love tohear what are your favorite
comfort items for number seven.
(27:39):
Number eight is truce. Now I'mgonna keep this one simple. This
is about creating a drama freespace. The manifestos truce is
widely cited with kind of like aspirit of park your politics for
today, so people can just relaxtogether. Think of like a
gentle, cordial, comfortable,friendly vibe, where we're not
(28:02):
going to talk about anything tooserious or anything too hard,
we're just going to keep iteasy.
Bestie andI, I do think it makes sense for
gatherings to keep it light. Letme start by saying that and
maybe certain family members aredifferent than friends, but I
will tell you that both bestieand I have let a lot of people
go from our lives over theselast many years who don't align
(28:25):
with our own basic values. Forme, that's a part of feeling
Hoogly. Let me say it this way,if someone doesn't believe
hungry kids should have lunch orthat women shouldn't have their
own voices, then we probablyaren't friends anyway. So I we
don't need to tell people not tosay things, because even if
we're not talking about it, Ireally try to choose good
(28:47):
people. So that is my two centson number eight truths. Number
nine is about togetherness.
Think of like small groups thatare intentionally chosen device
free meals, where we're all justreally appreciating and enjoying
the pleasure of the food and thecomfort of it, and maybe we're
(29:08):
playing some games or somecharades, or who knows what type
of board games. I would love tohear your favorite board games.
Maybe we're sharing storiesabout other Hoogly times or our
day, or maybe we're just tellingtall tales. There's a full
chapter in this book ontogetherness, which is one of
the many reasons I think youshould check it out. So for me,
(29:30):
I have been really making aneffort to intentionally nurture
my friendships these past coupleof years. I'm thinking I might
create a very small kind of NewYear's inspired gathering with
just a couple friends To eatyummy food and play games and
hang around in our sweats andkeep the lighting very soft and
(29:51):
warm. The introvert in me isstill deciding if I'm actually
going to do this, but that isthe idea I have at this moment.
Bestie also has been reallycarefully curating a special,
small friend group of her own aswell. And I think the truth is,
we're all so busy these days andso much is expected from us that
(30:12):
it can feel really hard toconnect with our closest
friends, and we can all easilygo several months without seeing
a specific friend, right? Soboth bestie and I are fans of,
let's just get it on thecalendar so we can have it
planned. And anyone that knowsme knows I'm saying, like, just,
let's get on the calendar. Like,when can we do this? When can we
(30:32):
because for me, it's part of,like, I build it into my
schedule, because thattogetherness with people I want
to be in togetherness,togetherness with is so
important to me. So if you aresomeone that finds a hard to
like, get come up for air. Thinkabout carving out time on your
calendar, on your schedule,reaching out to the people you
do want to spend this Hooglytime with and say like, Hey,
(30:55):
when? When can we all betogether? Or even just two at a
time, whatever works for you orI. Grew up, there's this idea
of, like, a corner pub or acoffee shop that people might
see each other pretty regularly.
Like several times a weekthey're going down to the corner
pub and having a meal, andusually often, like, also
seasonal, special things toBoston and maybe a pint,
(31:16):
whatever they like. And so youmight see a lot of these people
really regularly. And I know alot of Europe is also like that.
California and also Vegas, wherebestie lives, is not really like
that for the most part, at leastin my experience. So for me,
togetherness doesn't reallyhappen without intentionally
calendaring it, but I do thinkit's really important and
(31:38):
wanting to just share inpeople's lives with them that I
really care about. So maybeconsider how you can have more
togetherness, not with everyone,but with the group that you feel
the most Hoogly. With number 10is shelter. Hygge is about safe
haven, and in the book, Meekweekends describes a Christmas
(32:00):
Day where he gives like his hispicture of Hoogly or hygge.
Think about in this scene theway he describes it. It's
Christmas Day. He's with friendsin a woodsy cabin, and after a
really nice hike through thesnow, they come back and are all
sitting around a crackling fire.
(32:23):
They've already taken off theirwet boots and coats, and they've
put on, like, really warmsweaters that they're wrapped up
in and wooly socks, and they'resipping like warm mulled wine
the group you know, in the wayhe describes it, they sat
together just listening to thefire completely content in that
(32:43):
quiet appreciation, and as thegroup sat together in that
comfortable quiet and shared thewarmth, one of the friends
asked, Could this be any morehygge? And another friend paused
and replied, Yes, if the stormoutside was raging and even that
line, could this be even morehygge? Yes, if a storm outside
(33:04):
was raging, kind of captures itperfectly and gives you that
vibe. A hygge place feels like aplace of peace and security and
the way he says, it is with yourtribe. So for me, since I
am not shelter insecure, I feellike this one is more about a
safe sanctuary feeling in yourliving environment. Or actually,
(33:27):
my office feels like this too.
So where you hang out the most.
I like to feel cozy everywhere Iam. And quite honestly, part of
what it is in my office isdifferent textures of fabrics
and nothing that's too bright oroffensive and the light is warm
and soft, and most people, whenthey come into the office,
actually remark some version ofhow soft and warm or cozy or
(33:49):
safe and nurturing my officefeels. I have a couple textured,
neutral blankets hanging up forpeople to wrap up and if they
want. And so it's really justabout creating a feeling of
coziness in whatever area youwant to identify as shelter for
you. And I really even sometimeshere create just a little hygge
(34:12):
zone or Hugo y zone, where Ipull a chair up so I could see
the view out of my window, and Iwrap up in a blanket with maybe
like a warm cup of coffee. And Ido also like to have this is,
this is maybe like a doesn'tquite qualify, because it's
electronic. I don't have afireplace, but I do like to have
on my TV in the living room. Iput YouTube on, and there are
(34:33):
these different channels orsettings you can find that have
like fireplace and happy jazz orbossa nova. So I like to have
that on the background, oftenbecause it feels like a fire,
and it makes the crackly firenoise, just to kind of make it
feel cozy. Bestie loves tocuddle up on her couch with her
two little dogs, pickles andpopcorn, and with her Christmas
(34:54):
Hallmark movies that we talkedabout, with her candles all
around and you really can createyour version of this with
whatever you have right now.
It's more about a feeling and anexperience and a way of being
than any specific like items youhave to get. And all of this,
again, can be applied to anyseason in the summer. It might
feel more like beach days withopen fire cookouts with family
(35:17):
all chipping in to help, maybe agame of charades, or what's that
one, where you toss the beanbags into the hole, maybe
tossing on a thin sweatshirt inthe evening over like sun kissed
skin, golden light streaminginto the evening sky, feeling
playful and easy and kind of afeeling of home that comes from
(35:38):
inside. Actually, my kiddos whenthey were growing up, anytime we
do a beach day and visit thebeach, I always put something
like a stew or like a chili inthe crock pot in the morning
before we would go. There isnothing more Hoogly than coming
home from a long day at thebeach under the sun and getting
beat by the waves. And you. Kindof Sandy and exhausted, and then
(36:01):
taking a nice hot shower andcozying up with a warm bowl of
chili and toppings, andespecially as a mom, not having
to, like cook it after all ofthat, it just is so cozy to get
together and snuggle up andwatch a movie with your like,
warm bowl of chili after a longbeach day. So it really can be
applied to any season with verylittle extra than what you
(36:24):
probably already have right now.
Or could even trade with afriend for for example, if they
don't use their crock potanymore and you don't use your
tea kettle anymore, you couldswap, or you could find a lot of
these things, even at like athrift store or second hand of
some kind. So an extra idea thatI had that I just wanted to
share with you, that I thoughtwould be kind of a fun idea as
(36:47):
we're moving towards holidayseason, if you're listening to
this at the time it's released,I thought it might be a really
fun idea to give, like a hyggegift kit. And this could be just
a playful basket, right? You caninclude the book, which was, I
want to say, like, right around$10 I think, is what I paid for
(37:07):
it. And the audiobook was freeon my platform, so you could put
in a basket, you know, like someeven electronic candles, or real
candles, if you like, a couplelittle chocolates, maybe some
tea or coffee, a pair of warmfuzzy socks or, like an
inexpensive throw blanket. Maybea favorite book, this book or a
film, maybe a notebook or a penfor journaling. Maybe you could
(37:32):
write them a little letter orinclude some photos. Maybe you
frame them. Maybe you don't justmake it like a cozy kind of to
go kit that you could give as aholiday gift. And you could, of
course, adapt this to fiveitems, if it feels like that's
the easiest, but you can reallyadapt it to your your individual
(37:53):
friends, likes or needs, andjust to give them, like a basket
of hygge, a basket of like ahygge starter kit, kind of a
cozy, cozy little starter kit,right? But I thought that'd be a
really fun, inexpensive, easyidea. I actually used to do kind
of a version of this. There wasa time in my life where I really
loved making gift baskets. Manyyears ago, I used to work for a
(38:14):
florist, and I would do all ofthe gift baskets, and there was,
like a gourmet food section. Andso I many times over the years,
have given a gift basket whereit's to be honest, a lot from
the dollar store or discountstore where it's like a mug, a
type of like instant cocoa ortea, or something special like
that, maybe some marshmallows,maybe some sweets or something
(38:37):
tasty in there, maybe a littlejournal and a pen, or even, like
a little tiny notebook, or maybesomething that has a sweet
little saying. I've done a moviethemed where it's like a couple
of movie snacks. I did it for adear friend after she had a bad
accident and was bedridden forseveral months while she was
recovering. And I put, like, acouple of her favorite DVDs,
when you could get those forlike, two for $10 in those giant
(39:00):
bins at those big stores. And Iput a cute little, it was almost
like the the type of paperpopcorn things that if you go
somewhere and they have apopcorn machine, you just fill
it up in that little container.
So a little popcorn containerand some microwave popcorn in
there for her. And I think Ieven had some warm socks, and I
might have had, like a littlecozy shoulder throw or something
in there. So there's lots ofways you could do this for very
(39:23):
inexpensive. And I think itmakes a really fun gift for
something like a white elephantor something where you're only
supposed to spend like $25 or$30 or something. And it is
really nice idea too, if youmaybe are hosting something for
the holidays and you want tohave a couple extra gifts
around, just in case someonebrings a guest and you don't
want them to feel like left out.
(39:45):
You could always stash a coupleof like, warm fuzzy socks and
little journals and pens orsomething somewhere to give,
like a Hugo y gift to spread thespirit of huga. So I'm really
curious what this has kind ofstirred up in you, and if you've
been getting thinking a littlebit about how you could make
your space more hygge, even withwhatever you have right now at
(40:07):
your disposal. As you couldtell, Hyuga is much more than
just candles and cocoa. It isreally about safety, simplicity,
presence, the slow way creatingspaces and moments where your
body and spirit can finallyexhale and maybe even feel a
little bit nurtured each ofMichigan's 10 pillars,
(40:29):
atmosphere, presence, pleasure,equality, gratitude, harmony,
comfort, truce, togetherness andshelter offer a different layer,
a different doorway into thatexperience of calm and
belonging. You can build hyggein any season, in winter with
(40:50):
soft lights and slow meals andcozy materials, or in summer,
with sunsets and laughter andbare feet in the sand, what
matters the most is intense.
Attention, bringing mindfulcomfort to whatever moment that
you're in. And as you movethrough this week and even this
season, notice the little hyggemoments already happening around
you. The warmth of your mug.
(41:13):
Maybe it's like mine that Idon't have next to me right now,
a mug that was handmade bysomeone and gifted to me. Many,
many, many, many, many yearsago, probably more than 30 years
ago. And maybe you havesomething like that that's very
simple that you just really lovethe feeling of and you can just
appreciate that warmth. Maybefor you, it's the sound of a
(41:36):
friend's voice or the glow ofthe evening light, and just let
those simple things remind youthat peace is a practice, and
that your intuition really doesthrive when your energy feels
safe and cared for. So here's tofinding your own version of
hygge, inside and out, and toletting that cozy, grounded
energy guide you through theseason ahead. If you have had
(42:00):
any ideas about how you mightmake your space more hygge. I
would love if you would dropthem in the comments wherever
you're listening or watching tothis, or you could even post
pictures of the way you'remaking your space more Hoogly
and send them to me on socialmedia, I am at joyful medium on
Instagram and Facebook, and justtag me. I'd love to see them,
and I will try to pepper mysocial media with little
(42:23):
glimpses of my Hoogly zonesthroughout this holiday season,
and I hope that this leaves youfeeling cozy and warm and Hoogly
inside. Big hugs. Lots of love.
Bye for now from inside spiritspeakeasy, you.
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