Hello 2017! Welcome, we’ve been expecting you. A brand new shiny year, full of possibilities. Full of potential. If you’re stuck for ideas on the resolutions front, how about a lovely simple one – find happiness.
It’s impossible to be too happy isn’t it? Even if you’re off to a cracking start, happiness wise, there’s always room for a top up. It’s what we’re all striving for, every plan, purchase, promotion. The ultimate #lifegoal.
So who better to look to for happiness inspo than the happiest nation on the planet. The Danish.
Denmark seems to have it sussed. They top all the Happiest Nation polls. And it’s more than Hygge. It’s a state of mind, an attitude. A resolve. So to help your happiness, some tips on how to live life Danish Style.
CUSHIONS
The Danish are big on cushions. They fill their homes with them, and update them seasonally. Shopping for new cushions to welcome in a new season is a thing. (When I relayed this fact to The Husband he asked me, deadpan, if I was planning our relocation.)
In anecdotal evidence, my Mum has an entire loft full of cushions and she is one upbeat human. Though her soft furnishing updates are not limited to cushions – she has seasonal rugs. Trailblazer.
Hobbies are in. Join a club. Sports, books, crafts. If you can’t find one that floats your boat, start your own. You could join a sewing club and make cushions! Happiness squared. Wine Club has a rather nice ring to it.
VOLUNTEER
In Denmark, volunteering is something that most people do in some capacity. Nothing major, just giving a bit of time for a bit of good. Think small, think local.
PLANTS
For every houseplant sold in the UK, consumers in Denmark will buy five. Houseplants act as air purifiers for the home. NASA (yes, that NASA) recommends having one plant per 100 square feet of home. The NASA Clean Air Study found that certain common indoor plants may provide a natural way of removing toxins from the air. You need an Aloe Vera plant, ASAP.
If plants enrich the air, flowers nourish the soul. Buy them for yourself, a little indulgence for Project Happiness. It doesn’t need to be a grand bouquet, a single stem in a jam jar is simply lovely too.
BAKING
The Nords love to bake, bread and pastries in particular. So if The Great British Bake Off has yet to inspire you, get the pinny out and find your happy in a homemade cinnamon swirl.
The choice is yours. Buy a plant and bake some buns or Dry January and a diet. Whatever makes you happiest.
Til next time,
Hayley
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