I recently bumped into something that perked me up immediately--The Little Book of Hygge, Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking who calls himself the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. "Hygge" is a Danish word (pronounced hoo-ga) which the jacket describes as being about "savoring the simple pleasures in life." Such as staying in with "your tribe" on a winter's eve with board games, a luscious dessert, and cups of hot chocolate or mulled wine. All ways, the author adds, that Danes manage to survive their dark, miserable winters.
So I decided to come up with a perking-up list of my own.
- First, think spring!
- Engage in, appreciate, and promote humor. (Think Norman Cousins, the vitamin C man, who in conquering an illness, watched Marx Brothers movies regularly so that he could have the body-and-soul benefit of some good guffaws.)
- Sit in candlelight (or firelight) some evenings. No electricity.
- Go on a news/media fast. (Think Dr. Andrew Weil, the holistic health guru, who speaks of the health benefits of no-news/ media.)
- Eat chocolate.
- Buy yourself some daffodils.
- Get out in nature. Hikes are good. Family picnics.
- Plan your garden so that it will be filled with flowers. Or your windowsill with herbs.
- Give someone a surprise gift. I received a surprise bouquet recently; I can't describe what pleasure it gave me!
- Play a musical instrument on a regular basis. Or sing. Or take lessons.
- Laugh with your book group. If you don't have one, start one. (Ours is currently reading Annie Dillard's An American Childhood. Highly recommended.)
- Come up with a worthy project: beginning your memoirs, serving in a soup kitchen, decluttering something, learning to sing jazz, clearing out your storage unit ...
- Appreciate! Beauty, flexibility, a new understanding about something, a pet, a wise choice you once made, a good night's sleep, your tribe ...
And right now I appreciate March because all those wintry months are finally taking a powder. Whoopee!!
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