There’s a fun new movement making the rounds on social media: 30 days of Hygge in November—although we can truly do this any time of year.

The idea likely came from the book The Cozy Life by Pia Edberg.

You may be asking yourself what the hell Hygge (pronounced HOO-GAH) is and why anyone would do it. Honestly, the first time I had ever heard the term was on the TV show “Younger,” and the idea wasn’t explained. Instead, the show seemed to poke a little fun at the concept without ever really approaching what it was all about.

I thought no more about it until a friend shared a blog post about practicing this idea every day for 30 days. The friend who posted it loves many of the things I do, so I immediately opened the link to see what it was all about.

To briefly summarize, Hygge is a Danish creation that can be defined as “the art of creating intimacy.” It’s a mindfulness practice that focuses on all that is charming and cozy. For example, you can decorate your home in a way that honors this philosophy, and you can also do things to embrace that sense of charm and intimacy. It’s all about living a cozy sort of life, which sounds absolutely divine to me!

One of my favorite articles about the #30daysofhygge movement comes from a blog by Nicki Franklin. In it, she offers 30 wonderful suggestions for what to do during the month. As I read through the list, I became increasingly convinced that this Hygge stuff was definitely for me. Everything on this list charmed and enchanted, and I wanted to immediately do them all.

In fact, before the day was over, I had hung up a string of fairy lights, given myself a facial, and lit a scented candle. I couldn’t manage them all in a day, nor was I supposed to do so, but I began to see how incorporating this idea into one’s daily life could minimize stress while enhancing peace and personal growth. It’s all about being mindful and nurturing to ourselves.

We often equate self-care and indulgence with selfishness when in reality caring for ourselves should be a natural priority. If we don’t take care of our minds and bodies, it becomes difficult—if not downright impossible—to perform the other functions of our lives. Hygge encourages us to focus on the times we feel the most warm and fuzzy and giving those moments to ourselves.

It might mean wearing our softest outfit while snuggling in our most comfortable blanket on the coziest seat in our home while having a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate. It might mean taking brightly colored gel pens and coloring a beautiful picture while taking tiny bites of delicious handmade chocolates.

Or, it could even be taking a long walk in the woods and enjoying the beauty of nature. But none of it is about being selfish or ignoring others. In Franklin’s blog, she suggests a number of different ways to bring that intimacy to others. Examples include baking bread to give to a loved one or hosting a board game night with friends. There are so many ways we can take this concept and apply it to our own lives based on the things that we love to do.

I feel like I’ve spent my life longing for Hygge without the word to define it. I know that I’m a person who is often charmed by the whimsical, and yes, the cozy things of the world. I find the greatest joy in the simplest things, and if we’re looking for a mindfulness practice that is the very essence of love and gratitude, #30daysofhygge might just be the ticket!

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Author: Crystal Jackson
Image: Unsplash/Alex Geerts
Editor: Travis May
Copy Editor: Yoli Ramazzina
Social Editor: Waylon Lewis