Hygge. Ever heard of it?

I hadn't until just recently, but after understanding what it now means, I am quite interested in the aspect.

According to hyggehouse.com, "hygge", (pronounced hue-guh, not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special.

This is something I never even knew could be put into words. All this time, I had ever only believed it to be a feeling of pure contentment. Immediately upon discovering this new word, I delved into researching its meaning and all the ways I could incorporate it into my life. After reading through several Pinterest boards and blogs, I finally came to realize that I already possessed several of the qualities needed to initiate "hygge".

For one, you have to set the mood. I have a fondness for low lighting, particularly accented with string lights for a nice glow. This is one of the many ways I would think that one could really incorporate this new word into daily life. Ambiance means a lot to me. Even now as I sit in my living room typing this, I am sipping on coffee, wearing warm socks, and admiring the glowing Christmas tree in the room. If this isn't hygge I don't know what is.

One thing I noted about the concept of hygge, is that throughout all of the literature I discovered, the phrase "be present" kept appearing. I think that nowadays we find ourselves constantly in the midst of Facebook statuses, Instagram updates, and Netflix binges so often that we forget that time is like sand through our fingers. We forget, and sometimes take advantage of the fact, that these distractions in life can and mostly will take away precious, valuable time to spend with others and ourselves. If you're reading this, please don't think I am against any of these so-called "distractions", because I too have my guilty pleasures (*cough* Gilmore Girls). I do however think that we should focus more on enjoying quality time without the endless array of media that is available to us.

I think this concept isn't really as new as Pinterest or other media platforms makes it out to be. It is almost as if people are wanting to revert back to simpler times. I mean, think about it. You have parents trying out natural medicine that works instead of running to the doctor for every stuff nose. You have people cooking from home and eating clean instead of becoming regulars in the dine out scene. While these may not seem like much, I think they are slow transitions into a simpler, fuller life. Add a little hygge to the mix, and you've got it made.