Lessons From the World’s Happiest Country

3. …And Not Just for Material Things
Hygge encourages us to appreciate those things that aren’t material. “When it comes to understanding hygge…it’s about experiences rather than ‘stuff’,” says Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. This mindset has been compared to the familiar idea of “holiday cheer”–which often reorients our priorities towards immaterial things, such as family, community, and quality time. Hygge shows us that the mindset behind the holidays is possible to sustain year-round, without the added stress of holiday shopping and meal prep. (Win-win!) The idea is to carve out small, carefree havens of “home” by seeking out joy, whether it be through hosting a dinner party with your closest friends or embarking on a solo winter hike.