Season 2 Episode 4 Show Notes: The Danish Guide to Life

Did you know Denmark is ranked as the second happiest country in the world? I know I —and certainly my fellow Americans — can learn a lot from the Danes in this regard. So, in the newest episode on the Capsule Life podcast, we chat everything from lykke to hygge — the coolest things I’ve learned about the Danish culture.

But First, Who is Meik Wiking?

Meik Wiking is the guy who brought us The Little Book of Hygge and The Little Book of Lykke. He is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and is widely considered one of the leading experts in global happiness. Meik took the leap to establish the institute when his close friend and mentor died from cancer at the age of 49. He thought to himself, ‘what if I only have 15 years left to live?’ So he quit his job and started studying happiness. He now rates his happiness at a 9 out of 10. Pretty amazing. 

Defining Lykke & Hygge

Lykke: loo-ka.
The Danish word for happiness.

Lykke is made up of six essential factors: togetherness, money, health, freedom, trust, and kindness. In the podcast, we dive into each of these six essential factors, and explore inspiring examples of lykke from across the globe.

Hygge: hoo-ga.
Well this one is a bit more complicated.
Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world. One that allows us to let our guards down.

We’re Already Hygge-ing, We Just Don’t Know It

You guys, hygge IS ME! I am hygge. And that’s one point Wiking made in an interview with the Telegraph — he said: “Hygge is just the way we live. Danes see Hygge the way Americans see freedom. It’s something inherently Danish, but Hygge happens everywhere.” He goes on to say that Danes have simply given the rest of the world a word to appreciate what they were already doing. 

While hygge first appeared in Danish writing in the early 1800s, its surge in popularity over the last several years is - in my experience at least - very coincidental to the surge in everyday pressures of modern life, modern technology, and the trend of always doing more (though, not ever feeling like we’re doing enough), and de-prioritizing self-care.

In his book, Wiking describes hygge as humble and slow — he says “it is choosing rustic over new, simple over posh, and ambience over excitement. In many ways, hygge might be the Danish cousin to slow and simple living.” Wiking also says “hygge is about giving your responsible, stressed-out achiever adult a break. Relax. Just for a little while. It is about experiencing happiness in simple pleasures and knowing that everything is going to be okay.”

Tune in to the episode to find out what’s in the Hygge Manifesto, how to make your own home more hygge, and how to build a hygge emergency kit among other tips!

Join me on this Capsule Life journey!

• Subscribe to the Capsule Life podcast on iTunes

  • Like what you hear? I’d love it if you left a review! It helps me out more than you know!

• This Capsule Life Community

• This Capsule Life on Instagram

• This Capsule Life on Pinterest

Until next time Capsule Lifers — keep finding joy through intentional living.

Why Didn't We Do This Before?

If there’s one thing we all have more of right now, it’s time. Whether you actually have more time or just more time to use in different ways, there’s more time to think, time to be, time to connect. And I can’t help but think — why didn’t we do this before?

Why didn’t we prioritize slowing down?

Why didn’t we have proper meals and spend time making good, wholesome food from scratch?

Why didn’t we sit down, kick up our feet, pull from our bookshelf that’s collecting dust, and read more?

Why didn’t we bake loaves of bread and share with our neighbors?

Why didn’t we proactively watch out for each other?

Why didn’t we prioritize our health, regularly getting outside (while practicing social distancing, of course) for some vitamin D, fresh air, and exercise?

Why didn’t we prioritize mindfulness and build a home yoga practice?

Why didn’t we facetime with our out-of-state family and friends on a regular basis?

Why didn’t we prioritize what we love to do, building and crafting with our hands?

Why didn’t we prioritize sustainable, minimal living?

I think we’re now realizing more than ever the importance of connection. Connection to ourselves, our families and loved ones, our communities, our world, and our universe.

If there’s one thing I’d love to see happen as we come out of this global pandemic, it’s that we don’t lose these new habits we’re forming. These habits of meaningful connection and intentional living.

What are the new habits you’re forming that you hope to carry on when life goes back to “normal”? I’ll leave you with this quote from Dave Hollis:

“In the rush to return to normal, consider which parts of ‘normal’ are worth rushing back to.”

Season 2 Episode 03 Show Notes: Little Daily Rituals

In this episode, we chat daily rituals — why are they so important? How do you determine what your daily rituals should include? This week’s challenge is to identify your daily rituals. If you need a kick-start, check out the free worksheet I built you below!

Defining Daily Routines vs. Daily Rituals

A daily routine is a series of tasks you complete every day in the same order, and is most likely not viewed as enjoyable or motivating. 

A daily ritual is similar to a daily routine because it’s also a series of tasks completed in the same order, BUT a daily ritual differs in its intention. A daily ritual is a meaningful practice that’s internally motivated. According to lifehack.org, a daily ritual can provide energy and enjoyment along with efficiency and structure.

Said another way, you can do routines on autopilot, but rituals are intentional.

Daily rituals help us live in a rhythm, manifest what’s important to us, and make us feel good about ourselves. 

Daily Rituals for Creatives

Did you know rituals are particularly important for creatives? There’s an article on Psychology Today that references Mason Currey’s book called Daily Rituals — How Artists Work. The article says the book challenges the notion that artists just wait around for inspiration to strike — in fact, the 161 artists highlighted in the book lead what seem to be very routine lives: there are particular emphases on getting lots of sleep, engaging in lots of regular daily walking, and drinking lots of coffee (and for some, drinking lots of tea).

The article also mentions what is very apparent in the book is that creative work requires enormous amounts of discipline and that to do something creative, you get to work, and then inspiration follows. I absolutely find that to be true when it comes to podcast and blog development. I may have what I believe to be a great topic idea, but am not totally inspired to write — until I sit down and actually just start writing.

How to Set Your Own Daily Rituals

The best way to determine what should be included in your little daily rituals list is to really just prioritize what you want to get out of each day.

The following questions might help:

1. What does my ideal day look like?

2. What are the most fulfilling things I do? What are my most favorite activities?

3. What causes me the most stress? And what are the things I do that help me manage stress?

4. Is there anything I repeatedly do and regret because it wastes my time?

5. What are small things that would make each day even a tiny bit brighter and better for me?

6. What helps reduce uncertainty in my day?

7. Is there a goal I’m working toward that can help prioritize what my daily rituals should include?

Little Daily Rituals Worksheet

This simple worksheet will guide you through questions and exercises to help you identify which daily rituals you’re drawn to so you can start implementing them in your life and get to living more intentionally.

Join me on this Capsule Life journey!

• Subscribe to the Capsule Life podcast on iTunes

  • Like what you hear? I’d love it if you left a review! It helps me out more than you know!

• This Capsule Life Community

• This Capsule Life on Instagram

• This Capsule Life on Pinterest

Until next time Capsule Lifers — keep finding joy through intentional living.