Get Lost In The Things You Love
“Slow down you crazy child Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while It's alright, you can afford to lose a day or two When will you realize... Vienna waits for you?” – Billy Joel, Vienna
Hello Dear Friend,
I’m not much for New Year's resolutions but I began this year wanting to adopt a mentality known in the Danish culture as "Hygge". Hygge, pronounced hoo-gah, is loosely translated to mean well-being. It is the art of being present and celebrating the everyday. It's putting focus on building a sanctuary and community for yourself while you put your attention on enjoying the good things in life that opens up your heart and leaves you feeling alive. It's embracing coziness, warmth and closeness while bringing contentment to your soul as you look at the things that bring you joy and as you incorporate those things in your day to day living.
I love making my weekend trips down the mountain to visit my parents and the time that we get to spend together talking, laughing and just being there to enjoy each other’s company. But recently I’ve also grown to love Saturday mornings spent alone in my apartment. My Saturday (and sometimes Sunday) mornings alone have become a beautiful time for some solitary self-care.
Yesterday morning I got up greeting the day. I opened my curtain to let in the early morning rays and was immediately bathed in light that gently cascaded through the glass window as if to say, “Good morning, dear one! It’s good to see you!” I move out to the kitchen and get my coffee started. It's not long before the strong aroma of freshly brewed beans infused with hazelnut fills the room and I start my day practicing the Hygge lifestyle.
As I wait for my coffee I light some candles, the smell of their fragrance combined with the soft light coming from the flames automatically provide a sense of happiness and comfort. I bring a couple of them into my living room and set them on my coffee table. Since it's winter and my apartment is a little chilly I begin to arrange my heating pad, pillows and a blanket on my sofa to form a cocoon that invites me to snuggle into its warmth.
I pull out my computer and cue up Spotify. Although I’ve never been one who got into the whole Harry Potter phenomenon craze I'm a huge fan of the film franchise's composer, John Williams. So lately, the Harry Potter soundtracks is the playlist running on repeat for me which happens to be the perfect choice for the day since my goal is to spend at least part of my morning writing. The coffee is ready now and I go to pull out one of my favorite mugs and begin pouring myself a steaming cup before grabbing the vase of fresh carnations I'd just bought for myself and bringing both my coffee and flowers with me to the living room. I arrange the flowers in a position where I can easily see them and place my coffee mug within reach of where I plan to plant myself for the morning.
This is the beautiful life, I think to myself as I nestle in. I'm quickly getting caught up in the easy slow living lifestyle. In that moment, I'm fully content and grateful for the beautiful simplistic joy coming from all the little things that make me happy. As a new energy starts stirring inside me I'm finally ready to get lost in something else I love and I begin writing.
With love,
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