December 12, 2024 • 18 mins
In this cozy episode of Wellness Inspired, I dive into the Danish concept of hygge and its power to elevate your holiday gatherings. Learn how to design a space that fosters connection, from setting up your dining table for meaningful dinners to using the “vacant chair” principle for a warm, inviting atmosphere. Discover tips for arranging seating to spark deeper conversations and incorporating sensory elements like lighting, scents, and textures for a cozy vibe. Whether hosting a large family or an intimate group, this episode will inspire you to slow down, savor the season, and carry hygge-inspired wellness into your everyday life.
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Wellness Riverboat Cruise
Magna On The Danube: https://www.amawaterways.com/destination/europe-river-cruises/2025/magna-on-the-danube
AmaMagna: https://youtu.be/23-5Qy3skM0
AmaMagna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM1GHLA2EF4
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Hi Wellness Warriors.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Wellness Insp inspired
podcast, a place where you canfind inspiration, motivation and
empowerment in the pursuit of awellness lifestyle.
I'm your host, sherry Davidson.
I'm a wellness coach,acupuncturist, trail runner and
former interior designer inHouston, texas, and I am deeply
passionate about health andwellbeing.
(00:41):
And, as always, I'm here withmy co-host, finn, and if you're
new to the podcast, finn is myTerrier, mix Rescue Dog, trail
runner and loyal companion.
He is also a therapy dog andgreeter at Element 5,
acupuncture and Wellness.
I have a timely andheartwarming episode for you.
Today we are diving into one ofmy favorite topics this time of
(01:04):
the year Well, actually any timeof the year, but especially
this time of year and it's the.
It's the concept of hygge.
Now, I heard about hygge earlyon in my my design design years
and once I discovered thisconcept, it has been a part of
my life since I can, since Ifirst read about it.
(01:26):
I mean even right now.
Like I decided to celebrate alittle bit more of this concept
as I'm doing the podcast todayand I have lit candles.
It is daylight, but I have somecandles lit.
I have a warm blanket.
I have some candles lit.
I have a warm blanket over mylap.
It's a little chilly.
I have created a nice cozy bedfor my dog, finn, to lay next to
(01:53):
me as I do the podcast.
It is definitely a cozy vibe,and that is the essence of what
hygge is it is a warm, safe,cozy space.
So if you're not familiar withthe term hygge, it is pronounced
hygge, so it's like H-O-O-G-Hand it is a beautiful Danish
(02:16):
concept centered on coziness,comfort and connection.
It's about creating spaces andmoments that feel warm, inviting
and meaningful, and theholidays are a time of gathering
with loved ones, and hyggeoffers a way to make those
moments more special.
So that's why I thought thatthis was a great time for this
(02:40):
content, and by intentionallydesigning your spaces for
connection, you can create anatmosphere that encourages
longer conversations, deeperbonds and joyful memories.
In this episode, we're focusingon how to use the hygge
principles to bring peopletogether.
From thoughtful table settingsthat inspire lingering dinners
(03:02):
to creating cozy nooks thatinvite heartfelt conversations,
I'll share practical tips tomake your holiday gatherings
truly magical.
So grab your favorite cozydrink and let's dive in.
But first you know what I haveto talk about.
For those avid listeners whohave turned into the podcast
over the past year, you'velikely caught wind of the
(03:23):
Wellness River Cruise.
Well, friends, the moment hasarrived.
Mark your calendars for April,the 20th 2025.
That's four months away.
We'll set sail on anunforgettable seven-night cruise
along the Danube River.
We'll traverse the picturesquelandscape of Austria, germany,
hungary and Slovakia.
Prepare for many activesightseeing adventures,
(03:44):
including invigorating hikes,scenic bike rides and even a few
brisk runs, maybe, or maybe along bike ride, not sure yet.
Alongside these activities,indulge in the serenity of yoga
sessions, engage in enlighteningwellness discussions and savor
the flavors of locally sourcedcuisine.
Excitement is already brewing,as several enthusiasts have
(04:06):
secured their spots.
For those intrigued, I'll putthe link in the show notes and,
if you want more information, inepisode 63 and 64, a journey of
wellness and wonder on theDanube with Ammo Waterways.
I had the pleasure of sittingdown with Laurie, a
representative from AmmoWaterways, and Tammy, my friend
(04:31):
and a seasoned travel concierge.
They came on the podcast todiscuss the full river cruise
experience.
So feel free to check out thoseepisodes if you want to learn
more.
And this all has to happenquickly.
The river cruise is around thecorner, four months away, like I
said, and there are only 129cabins on the boat.
They sell out quickly.
So if you're interested, putyour deposit down.
It's not a lot to hold yourspot.
Okay, let's get started.
(05:03):
One of the most beautiful thingsabout hygge is its focus on
relationships.
As Mike Wicking says in hisbook my Hygge, home hygge is the
art of creating a niceatmosphere.
It is about being with thepeople we love, a feeling that
we are safe, that we areshielded from the world and can
allow ourselves to let our guarddown.
(05:24):
Hookah is about how we turn ahouse into a home, a place where
we find comfort and connection.
So, as you can see, theholidays are a perfect time to
lean into this right.
Research consistently showsthat strong relationships are
one of the biggest contributorsto happiness and wellbeing.
And isn't that what theholidays are supposed to be
(05:45):
about?
Connection, love and belonging.
But here's the thing Connectiondoesn't always just happen, but
sometimes it takes a littleintentionality, and that's where
the design of your space canplay a huge role.
By making thoughtful choicesabout how to arrange your home
and host your gatherings, youcan create an environment that
(06:08):
invites deeper conversation,shared experiences and lasting
memories.
Conversation, sharedexperiences and lasting memories
.
All right.
So what I want to do now is Iwant to get into the practical
side of things.
So how do you design your spaceto foster connection this
holiday season?
Let's start with the diningtable.
I tend to like round diningtables because I feel that you
(06:32):
know it's, everybody can seeeach other and it's easy to have
conversation.
Nobody's really left out of theconversation is when you have a
square or rectangle table.
The people at the opposite endsometimes are not in
conversation with each other, soI tend to like round tables or
oval tables.
But when you have largegatherings, most of the time
you're going to see rectangulartables, so that's okay.
(06:55):
Your dining table is ground zerofor connection during the
holiday season.
So consider the dishes thatencourage longer meals.
So think fondue, sharedplatters or family style
servings.
You don't want to spend allyour time in your kitchen,
although that's how me and myfamily connect is cooking
together, so that's okay too.
(07:16):
We have a big joke we spend somuch time in the kitchen cooking
that when we sit down and weeat, it's like gone in like 10
minutes, right, and I thinkthat's okay.
We have very small gatherings,so we're able to connect with
each other in one space.
It's a little bit harder to dosomething like that when you
have, you know, 20 people overfor dinner.
So that's where sitting down ata dining table and applying
(07:42):
some of these concepts is reallyhelpful.
Okay, so, where was I?
We were talking about food.
Yeah, so we want to incorporatefoods that require a bit of
interaction.
That naturally.
This naturally slows the paceand creates opportunities for
conversations, right?
(08:03):
So if you are doing a fondue, Imean that takes some time.
It slows the eating processdown.
It opens up the space forconversation to take place.
Okay, so next is, when we'resetting the table, think about
how you can arrange it to makeeveryone feel included.
(08:24):
And if you're hosting a largergroup, try grouping people in a
way that sparks conversation.
Maybe mix up the family memberswith friends, or paired
introverts with chatty types.
Maybe that's not a good idea, Idon't know, but the idea is to
include everybody, be mindful ofeverybody and encourage
(08:47):
positive conversation.
And I'm going to tell you guysabout a principle here.
It's called the vacant chairprinciple, and maybe you've
heard of this before, maybe youhaven't, I don't know, but I
love it, especially when youhave really large groups and you
are integrating different sidesof family maybe friends and
(09:09):
family but a situation where notnecessarily maybe everybody
knows each other, or even kids,you know, if you have kids
running around.
But this is a concept from hyggethat I absolutely love.
It's about creating room, bothphysically and emotionally, for
unexpected guests, guests thatdon't know each other very well,
(09:32):
or spontaneous moments.
So maybe this means adding anextra chair or two to your
dining room, maybe adding anextra chair to your living room,
or having cozy floor cushionsready to pull out when the
conversation moves away from thetable.
The idea of this is to makeeveryone feel welcome and
(09:55):
included.
Okay, let's go on to the nextone.
You want to arrange yourseating for intimacy, so think
about how your chairs and sofaare positioned.
Are they facing each other in away that invites conversation,
or are they aligned towards theTV?
You know, small adjustmentslike creating a circle of chairs
(10:17):
or pulling a love seat closerto the coffee table can make a
big difference on how peopleinteract.
I think what you'll find if youimplement some of these.
You're going to find that thesesmall changes have a huge
impact.
You'll be super surprised, okay.
So once you have set yourphysical space up to encourage
great conversation.
The other thing to remember isthat stimulating and meaningful
(10:38):
conversations don't alwayshappen naturally.
So you can inspire them withlittle details, like a jar of
conversation starters on thetable or a stack of nostalgic
photo albums for people to flipthrough.
So I have a personal story.
When I was married, my husbandat the time was in Boston Well,
(11:03):
he was from Massachusetts and wewould alternate every other
Christmas, so we'd spend aChristmas at my parents, we'd go
there and spend a Christmaswith his family, and the first
time I went I thought that I wasgoing to get a white Christmas.
Um, cause, I've never.
I'm from Texas and I've neverhad a white Christmas.
(11:24):
And so when we went I did notget that.
They had like a heat wave andthen when we left they ended up
having like a blizzard.
So, um, go figure, but I didnot have a white Christmas.
But that year, uh, my parentson the Gulf coast got a foot of
snow on Christmas Eve.
Can you believe that?
I cannot believe that myparents took pictures of that
(11:46):
wonderful evening that they hadthere without me and they put it
in a photo album.
So every year I am remindedthat I was not there the only
Christmas that it ever snowed.
I could have had a whiteChristmas if I stayed in Texas,
in Houston, actually rightoutside of Houston, on the San
(12:08):
Bernard River.
So it's a great conversationstarter.
We talk about it every singleyear and I flip through it every
single year to remind myselfthat I was not there for my
white Christmas.
Okay, so that's just oneexample, but you could also set
up like a memory station if youwanted to get really, really
fancy and set up a memorystation where guests can jot
(12:30):
down their favorite holidaymemories to share.
Sometimes, once you get theball rolling, it just starts to
take a life of its own.
So I highly encourage doingsomething fun like that.
But you also want to focus onsensory details.
Fuga is all about this.
It's all about atmosphere, andthat includes sound, smells and
(12:54):
touch.
So play soft, inviting music,light a candle with a subtle
scent like cinnamon or pinesomething that reminds you of
the holidays and drape blanketsover chairs for an extra
coziness.
We do this all the time, eventhough we're in Texas and it's
super hot all the time.
It just adds a bit of cozinessand comfort and that safe space
(13:19):
that we can let our guard downin.
These little touches really domake people feel more at ease,
which sets the stage for thatconnection, because people do
drop their guard down and theywill start talking more and
connecting more Also, the lastthing I want to talk about.
My last tip is to build inpauses for presence.
(13:39):
You guys know how much I lovemindfulness and really
connecting to the here and thenow, and so I want to talk about
that here, because I think thatthat is also part of what hygge
is.
Consider designing moments intoyour gathering where everyone
can pause and appreciate themoment.
This could be gratitude circlefor dinner or a quiet break in
(14:03):
the evening to sip hot cocoa bythe fire If you're lucky enough
to have a fire, which I hope weare this year, because I really
do love doing that.
But those mindful moments,those moments to just be silent
and just appreciate what youhave, I think are so, so
(14:23):
essential to our, to ourwellbeing.
Okay, so the last thing I wantto touch on before we wrap
things up here is you know Italk a lot about who go during
the holidays because it seems tobe, uh, something that you
think about when it's colderoutside and um, you're seeing
more family.
(14:44):
But here's the thing you don'thave to save these ideas for the
holidays.
Designing for connection issomething you can carry into
your everyday life throughoutthe year.
So maybe it's rearranging yourliving room to feel more
welcoming, or starting atradition of Sunday dinners with
friends.
I keep saying I'm going to doit every single year.
(15:05):
It's on my it's on my um newyear's resolutions list that I'm
going to have a dinner at homefor friends once a month, and um
, I think I've done it a coupleof times and then I've kind of
fall off.
I just get so busy.
But you know, hookah is aboutcreating spaces and rituals that
(15:25):
bring us closer to the peoplewho matter the most.
It's about choosing connectionover distraction and presence
over perfection.
So here's your challenge Thinkabout one small change you can
make this week to design forconnection.
Maybe it is as simple aslighting a candle at dinner or
rearranging your chairs to faceeach other.
(15:46):
Whatever it is, I would love tohear about it.
That's it for today's episodeof the Wellness Inspired Podcast
.
I hope that you feel inspiredto create a hygge-inspired space
that brings people togetherthis holiday season and, like I
said, if you try these tips,share them with me on social
media.
Use the hashtag wellnessinspired hygge.
(16:06):
I would love to see how you'redesigning for connection this
holiday season.
Thank you so much for tuning inand don't forget to subscribe
so you never miss an episode.
Until then, stay cozy, stayconnected and I'll see you next
time on the wellness inspiredpodcast.
If you like what you hear,please subscribe to the podcast
(16:34):
and share with your family andfriends.
You can also give me a ratingand review.
Wherever you listen to yourpodcast, it helps others find me
as well.
To get updates on new episodesand wellness inspiration in your
inbox, please join the wellnessinspired community.
Go to the wellness inspiredpodcastcom to sign up.
I'll put the link to thewebsite in the show notes so you
can click and join.
(16:54):
Also, there's a Facebookcommunity at the wellness
inspired and you can follow meon Instagram at wellness
underscore inspired.
If you're in the Houston area orjust visiting and interested in
our services acupuncture,herbal medicine, cupping,
zinchiatsu or dry needlingtherapy contact us.
You can find out more on ourwebsite at element5omcom that's
(17:16):
element5, the number 5, omcom,and again I'll put the link in
the show notes.
If you're interested in healthand wellness coaching.
We can connect in the clinic oron zoom.
Reach out to us and we'll getyou on the schedule and, as
always, I would love to hearyour feedback.
I am dedicated to bringing yougreat content that is inspiring
and informative, with an artsy,fun, edgy spin.
(17:37):
Thank you so much for listening.
We'll meet here again next timeand remember, never stop
exploring, learning, loving andbeing you.
Bye.
Hi Wellness Warriors.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Wellness Insp inspired
podcast, a place where you canfind inspiration, motivation and
empowerment in the pursuit of awellness lifestyle.
I'm your host, sherry Davidson.
I'm a wellness coach,acupuncturist, trail runner and
former interior designer inHouston, texas, and I am deeply
passionate about health andwellbeing.
(00:41):
And, as always, I'm here withmy co-host, finn, and if you're
new to the podcast, finn is myTerrier, mix Rescue Dog, trail
runner and loyal companion.
He is also a therapy dog andgreeter at Element 5,
acupuncture and Wellness.
I have a timely andheartwarming episode for you.
Today we are diving into one ofmy favorite topics this time of
(01:04):
the year Well, actually any timeof the year, but especially
this time of year and it's the.
It's the concept of hygge.
Now, I heard about hygge earlyon in my my design design years
and once I discovered thisconcept, it has been a part of
my life since I can, since Ifirst read about it.
(01:26):
I mean even right now.
Like I decided to celebrate alittle bit more of this concept
as I'm doing the podcast todayand I have lit candles.
It is daylight, but I have somecandles lit.
I have a warm blanket.
I have some candles lit.
I have a warm blanket over mylap.
It's a little chilly.
I have created a nice cozy bedfor my dog, finn, to lay next to
(01:53):
me as I do the podcast.
It is definitely a cozy vibe,and that is the essence of what
hygge is it is a warm, safe,cozy space.
So if you're not familiar withthe term hygge, it is pronounced
hygge, so it's like H-O-O-G-Hand it is a beautiful Danish
(02:16):
concept centered on coziness,comfort and connection.
It's about creating spaces andmoments that feel warm, inviting
and meaningful, and theholidays are a time of gathering
with loved ones, and hyggeoffers a way to make those
moments more special.
So that's why I thought thatthis was a great time for this
(02:40):
content, and by intentionallydesigning your spaces for
connection, you can create anatmosphere that encourages
longer conversations, deeperbonds and joyful memories.
In this episode, we're focusingon how to use the hygge
principles to bring peopletogether.
From thoughtful table settingsthat inspire lingering dinners
(03:02):
to creating cozy nooks thatinvite heartfelt conversations,
I'll share practical tips tomake your holiday gatherings
truly magical.
So grab your favorite cozydrink and let's dive in.
But first you know what I haveto talk about.
For those avid listeners whohave turned into the podcast
over the past year, you'velikely caught wind of the
(03:23):
Wellness River Cruise.
Well, friends, the moment hasarrived.
Mark your calendars for April,the 20th 2025.
That's four months away.
We'll set sail on anunforgettable seven-night cruise
along the Danube River.
We'll traverse the picturesquelandscape of Austria, germany,
hungary and Slovakia.
Prepare for many activesightseeing adventures,
(03:44):
including invigorating hikes,scenic bike rides and even a few
brisk runs, maybe, or maybe along bike ride, not sure yet.
Alongside these activities,indulge in the serenity of yoga
sessions, engage in enlighteningwellness discussions and savor
the flavors of locally sourcedcuisine.
Excitement is already brewing,as several enthusiasts have
(04:06):
secured their spots.
For those intrigued, I'll putthe link in the show notes and,
if you want more information, inepisode 63 and 64, a journey of
wellness and wonder on theDanube with Ammo Waterways.
I had the pleasure of sittingdown with Laurie, a
representative from AmmoWaterways, and Tammy, my friend
(04:31):
and a seasoned travel concierge.
They came on the podcast todiscuss the full river cruise
experience.
So feel free to check out thoseepisodes if you want to learn
more.
And this all has to happenquickly.
The river cruise is around thecorner, four months away, like I
said, and there are only 129cabins on the boat.
They sell out quickly.
So if you're interested, putyour deposit down.
It's not a lot to hold yourspot.
Okay, let's get started.
(05:03):
One of the most beautiful thingsabout hygge is its focus on
relationships.
As Mike Wicking says in hisbook my Hygge, home hygge is the
art of creating a niceatmosphere.
It is about being with thepeople we love, a feeling that
we are safe, that we areshielded from the world and can
allow ourselves to let our guarddown.
(05:24):
Hookah is about how we turn ahouse into a home, a place where
we find comfort and connection.
So, as you can see, theholidays are a perfect time to
lean into this right.
Research consistently showsthat strong relationships are
one of the biggest contributorsto happiness and wellbeing.
And isn't that what theholidays are supposed to be
(05:45):
about?
Connection, love and belonging.
But here's the thing Connectiondoesn't always just happen, but
sometimes it takes a littleintentionality, and that's where
the design of your space canplay a huge role.
By making thoughtful choicesabout how to arrange your home
and host your gatherings, youcan create an environment that
(06:08):
invites deeper conversation,shared experiences and lasting
memories.
Conversation, sharedexperiences and lasting memories
.
All right.
So what I want to do now is Iwant to get into the practical
side of things.
So how do you design your spaceto foster connection this
holiday season?
Let's start with the diningtable.
I tend to like round diningtables because I feel that you
(06:32):
know it's, everybody can seeeach other and it's easy to have
conversation.
Nobody's really left out of theconversation is when you have a
square or rectangle table.
The people at the opposite endsometimes are not in
conversation with each other, soI tend to like round tables or
oval tables.
But when you have largegatherings, most of the time
you're going to see rectangulartables, so that's okay.
(06:55):
Your dining table is ground zerofor connection during the
holiday season.
So consider the dishes thatencourage longer meals.
So think fondue, sharedplatters or family style
servings.
You don't want to spend allyour time in your kitchen,
although that's how me and myfamily connect is cooking
together, so that's okay too.
(07:16):
We have a big joke we spend somuch time in the kitchen cooking
that when we sit down and weeat, it's like gone in like 10
minutes, right, and I thinkthat's okay.
We have very small gatherings,so we're able to connect with
each other in one space.
It's a little bit harder to dosomething like that when you
have, you know, 20 people overfor dinner.
So that's where sitting down ata dining table and applying
(07:42):
some of these concepts is reallyhelpful.
Okay, so, where was I?
We were talking about food.
Yeah, so we want to incorporatefoods that require a bit of
interaction.
That naturally.
This naturally slows the paceand creates opportunities for
conversations, right?
(08:03):
So if you are doing a fondue, Imean that takes some time.
It slows the eating processdown.
It opens up the space forconversation to take place.
Okay, so next is, when we'resetting the table, think about
how you can arrange it to makeeveryone feel included.
(08:24):
And if you're hosting a largergroup, try grouping people in a
way that sparks conversation.
Maybe mix up the family memberswith friends, or paired
introverts with chatty types.
Maybe that's not a good idea, Idon't know, but the idea is to
include everybody, be mindful ofeverybody and encourage
(08:47):
positive conversation.
And I'm going to tell you guysabout a principle here.
It's called the vacant chairprinciple, and maybe you've
heard of this before, maybe youhaven't, I don't know, but I
love it, especially when youhave really large groups and you
are integrating different sidesof family maybe friends and
(09:09):
family but a situation where notnecessarily maybe everybody
knows each other, or even kids,you know, if you have kids
running around.
But this is a concept from hyggethat I absolutely love.
It's about creating room, bothphysically and emotionally, for
unexpected guests, guests thatdon't know each other very well,
(09:32):
or spontaneous moments.
So maybe this means adding anextra chair or two to your
dining room, maybe adding anextra chair to your living room,
or having cozy floor cushionsready to pull out when the
conversation moves away from thetable.
The idea of this is to makeeveryone feel welcome and
(09:55):
included.
Okay, let's go on to the nextone.
You want to arrange yourseating for intimacy, so think
about how your chairs and sofaare positioned.
Are they facing each other in away that invites conversation,
or are they aligned towards theTV?
You know, small adjustmentslike creating a circle of chairs
(10:17):
or pulling a love seat closerto the coffee table can make a
big difference on how peopleinteract.
I think what you'll find if youimplement some of these.
You're going to find that thesesmall changes have a huge
impact.
You'll be super surprised, okay.
So once you have set yourphysical space up to encourage
great conversation.
The other thing to remember isthat stimulating and meaningful
(10:38):
conversations don't alwayshappen naturally.
So you can inspire them withlittle details, like a jar of
conversation starters on thetable or a stack of nostalgic
photo albums for people to flipthrough.
So I have a personal story.
When I was married, my husbandat the time was in Boston Well,
(11:03):
he was from Massachusetts and wewould alternate every other
Christmas, so we'd spend aChristmas at my parents, we'd go
there and spend a Christmaswith his family, and the first
time I went I thought that I wasgoing to get a white Christmas.
Um, cause, I've never.
I'm from Texas and I've neverhad a white Christmas.
(11:24):
And so when we went I did notget that.
They had like a heat wave andthen when we left they ended up
having like a blizzard.
So, um, go figure, but I didnot have a white Christmas.
But that year, uh, my parentson the Gulf coast got a foot of
snow on Christmas Eve.
Can you believe that?
I cannot believe that myparents took pictures of that
(11:46):
wonderful evening that they hadthere without me and they put it
in a photo album.
So every year I am remindedthat I was not there the only
Christmas that it ever snowed.
I could have had a whiteChristmas if I stayed in Texas,
in Houston, actually rightoutside of Houston, on the San
(12:08):
Bernard River.
So it's a great conversationstarter.
We talk about it every singleyear and I flip through it every
single year to remind myselfthat I was not there for my
white Christmas.
Okay, so that's just oneexample, but you could also set
up like a memory station if youwanted to get really, really
fancy and set up a memorystation where guests can jot
(12:30):
down their favorite holidaymemories to share.
Sometimes, once you get theball rolling, it just starts to
take a life of its own.
So I highly encourage doingsomething fun like that.
But you also want to focus onsensory details.
Fuga is all about this.
It's all about atmosphere, andthat includes sound, smells and
(12:54):
touch.
So play soft, inviting music,light a candle with a subtle
scent like cinnamon or pinesomething that reminds you of
the holidays and drape blanketsover chairs for an extra
coziness.
We do this all the time, eventhough we're in Texas and it's
super hot all the time.
It just adds a bit of cozinessand comfort and that safe space
(13:19):
that we can let our guard downin.
These little touches really domake people feel more at ease,
which sets the stage for thatconnection, because people do
drop their guard down and theywill start talking more and
connecting more Also, the lastthing I want to talk about.
My last tip is to build inpauses for presence.
(13:39):
You guys know how much I lovemindfulness and really
connecting to the here and thenow, and so I want to talk about
that here, because I think thatthat is also part of what hygge
is.
Consider designing moments intoyour gathering where everyone
can pause and appreciate themoment.
This could be gratitude circlefor dinner or a quiet break in
(14:03):
the evening to sip hot cocoa bythe fire If you're lucky enough
to have a fire, which I hope weare this year, because I really
do love doing that.
But those mindful moments,those moments to just be silent
and just appreciate what youhave, I think are so, so
(14:23):
essential to our, to ourwellbeing.
Okay, so the last thing I wantto touch on before we wrap
things up here is you know Italk a lot about who go during
the holidays because it seems tobe, uh, something that you
think about when it's colderoutside and um, you're seeing
more family.
(14:44):
But here's the thing you don'thave to save these ideas for the
holidays.
Designing for connection issomething you can carry into
your everyday life throughoutthe year.
So maybe it's rearranging yourliving room to feel more
welcoming, or starting atradition of Sunday dinners with
friends.
I keep saying I'm going to doit every single year.
(15:05):
It's on my it's on my um newyear's resolutions list that I'm
going to have a dinner at homefor friends once a month, and um
, I think I've done it a coupleof times and then I've kind of
fall off.
I just get so busy.
But you know, hookah is aboutcreating spaces and rituals that
(15:25):
bring us closer to the peoplewho matter the most.
It's about choosing connectionover distraction and presence
over perfection.
So here's your challenge Thinkabout one small change you can
make this week to design forconnection.
Maybe it is as simple aslighting a candle at dinner or
rearranging your chairs to faceeach other.
(15:46):
Whatever it is, I would love tohear about it.
That's it for today's episodeof the Wellness Inspired Podcast
.
I hope that you feel inspiredto create a hygge-inspired space
that brings people togetherthis holiday season and, like I
said, if you try these tips,share them with me on social
media.
Use the hashtag wellnessinspired hygge.
(16:06):
I would love to see how you'redesigning for connection this
holiday season.
Thank you so much for tuning inand don't forget to subscribe
so you never miss an episode.
Until then, stay cozy, stayconnected and I'll see you next
time on the wellness inspiredpodcast.
If you like what you hear,please subscribe to the podcast
(16:34):
and share with your family andfriends.
You can also give me a ratingand review.
Wherever you listen to yourpodcast, it helps others find me
as well.
To get updates on new episodesand wellness inspiration in your
inbox, please join the wellnessinspired community.
Go to the wellness inspiredpodcastcom to sign up.
I'll put the link to thewebsite in the show notes so you
can click and join.
(16:54):
Also, there's a Facebookcommunity at the wellness
inspired and you can follow meon Instagram at wellness
underscore inspired.
If you're in the Houston area orjust visiting and interested in
our services acupuncture,herbal medicine, cupping,
zinchiatsu or dry needlingtherapy contact us.
You can find out more on ourwebsite at element5omcom that's
(17:16):
element5, the number 5, omcom,and again I'll put the link in
the show notes.
If you're interested in healthand wellness coaching.
We can connect in the clinic oron zoom.
Reach out to us and we'll getyou on the schedule and, as
always, I would love to hearyour feedback.
I am dedicated to bringing yougreat content that is inspiring
and informative, with an artsy,fun, edgy spin.
(17:37):
Thank you so much for listening.
We'll meet here again next timeand remember, never stop
exploring, learning, loving andbeing you.
Bye.
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