The secret of happiness!

The Danes´s secret of Happiness In 2012, the UN declared March 20 as World Happiness Day. Since then Denmark has held the top spot for three consecutive years followed by: Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden as the ten happiest countries worldwide, according to The World Happiness Report 2016.

What is their secret to happiness in this cold country that has only four hours of sunshine a day in winter, one of the highest tax rates in the world and a larger population of pigs than of humans? No, it's not the little pigs. They call it Hygge, and it is of Danish Origin. Hygge directly translates as "cozy", although it comes from a Norwegian word meaning "Well-being". The idea of this concept appeared written for the first time in the 19th century and has continued to evolve forming part of Danish culture. If a Dane described it, they would say it is sitting in front of the fireplace on a cold night with a cup of hot chocolate (or a glass of whiskey, for those who prefer) next to a friend or partner. Beyond this nice description, Hygge is deeper and more abstract than that.

Its concept is not related to something in itself but rather to a state or attitude. It has more to do with a way of feeling than anything else. This could be taken in different ways, such as: watching a movie in the living room of our home, lying in our favorite chair with a hot coffee, a family reunion, hugging our partner under the sheets while we talk all night, playing a football game every Sunday with our friends or even the time we spend reading a good book.

The idea is to relax and feel "at home" as much as possible. It is a concept that transcends social classes because it can be found in the simplest form. Once or twice a year I would meet with my twin brothers, we would sit in the garden of our family home on a wooden bench, it was not exactly comfortable but it faced the pool. In the summer the moon was white, probably more white than the skin of the Danes with their 4 hours of sunshine.

Although none of us smoke, we would light a Cuban cigar and pass  it around as if it were a peace pipe shared among American Indians, chatting for a few hours while the dogs slept around us. We also played football every Sunday, but I guess those talks really embody the idea of Hygge for me, Argentinian style.

According to Helen Russell, author of the book "The Year of Living in Danes:

Discovering the Secrets of the Happiest Country in the World". The great Danish secret is: "Spend a relaxed and cozy time with friends and family, drink coffee or beer". "Hygge has to do with being good to yourself: pamper yourself, have a good time, not to punish yourself or deny yourself of anything." Despite the simplicity of the concept, an interesting point of all this is to be able to recognize how it can affect our happiness if we put it into practice.

Remember it has little to do with routine, it´s more of a state of being or feeling. Another point that I personally think plays an important role in Hygge is trust. In her Ted Talk "Planting Seeds Of Happiness The Danish Way" Malene Rydahl announces that in Denmark 80% of people trust in others while in the rest of Europe it fluctuates by 25%. The important thing is to start with yourself, to be a reliable person, because that is the basis for any relationship. Being a dependable person is based on doing what you say you will, and saying when you will not.

During my travels I meet a Danish girl called Manna who readley responded to some questions about Hygge.

Here are the answers:

1 - How do you describe Hygge? Hygge can be a lot of different things. To understand it fully, you first must understand that there are different types of the word. You can use the word as a noun, verbum or adjective. How you use it, depends on the situation.

Noun: Hygge as a noun can be a feeling, an action or an atmosphere. Feeling: ”Jeg hygger mig virkelig til denne genforening/Det var virkelig hyggeligt at se dig” (I’m really having a good time during this reunion/It was really nice seeing you again) Verbum: “Kom, lad os hygge os!" (Come, let’s have fun”) Adjective: “Hvor bor I hyggeligt” (Wow, you guys live really cozy”)

2 - Which are the more normal ways to have Hygge in Denmark

In Denmark it is normal to hygge each day! Hygge is, to me, about finding it in very little part of the day. Whether it is on the job or in your spare time. The more normal ways to hygge in Denmark, is with your family or good friends.

- A summer evening, the barbeque is on and you all sit in the sun, talking about everything - you feel glad and all worries have left your body.

- A winter evening, with your significant other. The snow is laying as a white carpet and you sit inside with a cup of tea. For me, it is also to take a walk with my dogs in the forest. Just them and me, hearing the birds and the noise the dogs make when they sniff around. Hygge for me is also to sit with my family and talk, play a board game or just have a good laugh.

3 - Is hygge just having a good time or goes much deeper than that?

Hygge is something that's occurs, when the conditions are just right. Therefore, you can’t arrange for a good time. You can’t demand someone or yourself to have a good time. You can create some good conditions by arranging a room in a special way or spending time with people you care about, but it does not mean that it will be nice. If you exert too much, it will be an awkward feeling and “hygge” would be affected. So, to answer the question I would say it goes much deeper than that. You can have all the right physical conditions to have a good time - but in the end, it all depends on the situation, your mood and the mood your friends or family are in. You can’t force a good time to come, if the mental conditions are not right. 

4 - How important is the trust in Denmark and do you consider is it crucial for your happiness?

Trust in Denmark is a big thing. If you live far out in the countryside, some people don’t even lock their doors or cars, some even let their keys be in the car! Although this is not seen very often, it happens. In the countryside, those people who do not lock their doors trust that their neighbors will not interfere with their private belongings. In addition, they also trust that their neighbors will keep an eye on their house when on vacation. In the big city, parents have their children to sleep outside of their homes in a stroller. If you walk in the street with your friends and talk, it will be normal to slow down the noise level as you approach the baby carriage.

This means that in Denmark there is also a certain amount of respect for other people and their personal lives. It's the same with the unlocked door in the countryside - most people who live out there respect each other's private property.

For another hand, some older Danes warn that the Hygge is no longer what it was because watching television and using smartphones are considered to be part of it. What is the problem? It is said that socializing is reduced, which formed much of this practice.

As we discussed earlier Hygge emphasizes an emotional state and could even be called spiritual. As we talked about in the last chapter, creating a connection with other people is more important, and nurturing our relationships will create greater happiness in our lives.