Travel without Traveling series Episode 1
Original Article link: 5 Scandinavian Secrets to a Happier, Healthier life
After 2020, I realized what's more important than accomplishing your material goal is to make sure you are in a mental life-state to enjoy it, otherwise, what's the point?
There can be reasons why you cannot travel this year or last year due financial, administrative or pandemic if that was one of your goals for this year and year before. SO instead of actual traveling, take a journey in learning their culture and living style. That's when I received an email from Kaiser Permanente regarding healthy living and usually I would ignore it but something caught my eye, 5 Scandinavian Secrets to a Happier, Healthier life and wanted to share with you guys too.
If you're not familiar with Scandinavian countries, you should know Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. Wanted to see how they can withstand Seasonal depression and why they are ranked high on the happiness report :
1. Fika Paus | "Coffee Break" Not an actual coffee break but a time to pause and reset with your favorite hot beverage and snacks (mine's happen to be coffee or Green Tea with some type of sweet cookies). This should be done away from work while socializing with others. Unlike in the US, Sweden would schedule work around these breaks so you will need to carve out a time during your day for this. It's hard for us since we feel guilty for not being productive but this is so important to your mental health that we should do it.
2. Friluftsliv | Spending time in nature/Open air living I didn't know this but in Japan, there's a phrase called "shinrin yoku" (Forest bathing). However the difference is that Friluftsliv wants you to go all in and make it a commitment to experience the outdoor meaning long camping trips or going to the beach. Since remote working, I have almost been indoors for the last few months and only went out to go grocery shopping. I realized how that have impacted my mental health and I didn't know why. It's so important to experience this earth while we still can and remember the beauty that is our home. Don't take it for granted.
3. Gokotta | Waking up Early Not just waking up early, but going outside. This term is a Swedish act of waking up early and going outside and listen to the birds song. Just waking up early is difficult but going outside is even more so. This is my challenge, instead of waking up and going to my social media apps before getting out of bed. Just get up and open the door and walk the dog.
4. Hygge | Embrace the coziness & self care
Now this term I've seen before and I see it during the winter times and that's because it's a Danish concept to embrace the dark cold hours of winter. It's celebrating the coziness of winter and making it time for self care. In the US, we have something like Christmas with the music, winter sweaters and what not. However, Hygge is a practice of "feeling warm and fuzzy, inside and out".
5. Lagom | "Just the Right Amount
Balance equals healthy life and I tend to forget that. This is a Swedish and Norwegian concept of lagom is to always find balance in every aspect of your life. Meaning making sure you look at what you overdo and what you lack doing. Right now, I lack exercise and going outside while I over eat especially junk food and not enough greens.
I'll let you know how it goes but let me know how it goes for you guys as well.
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