While I love visiting Europe, it’s not always possible for me to travel overseas every year. And so, when I’m in a European travel drought, I find myself searching for inspiration for my next trip across the pond, whenever that may happen.
To do this, I often turn to online articles, travel websites and especially blogs where I can learn more about the countries I’ve already visited or gain insights on those countries I have yet to discover. And I do this, not just for travel inspiration, but also to gain a deeper understanding of cultures, traditions, beliefs, trends and general ways of living to see how I can bring a little European flavor into my own life on a day to day basis.
In recent years, I’ve also gained much travel and general life inspiration from books. And I don’t mean guide books (although those can be really helpful when planning trip details), but rather books that focus on a country’s overall culture or even a single aspect of the country’s culture. This could be related to the history of the country, its fashion and style, perspectives on health and fitness, holiday traditions or maybe specific foods or ways of cooking.
Most recently, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of happiness, exploring what makes people in the happiest of countries happy, what are their secrets to living a happy and meaningful life, and, most importantly, how can I adopt some of these practices or strategies to live an even happier life.
After doing a little research on happiness, I quickly learned that articles and books about happiness often center on the Nordic countries of Denmark, Sweden and Finland – for year after year, they are ranked as some of the happiest countries in the world. And with the Danish concept of Hygee introduced in the U.S. in the last 5-7 years with smashing success, it’s not surprising that more and more books seem to be published each year about other Scandinavian or Nordic practices that make you happier, healthier or improve your life in some way.
With the flood of new books in the happiness space, it may be a challenge to weed through the “me too” books to find one or two that really meet your expectations. But, I’m happy to say that in the last several years, I’ve found not one or two, but actually three books that I immediately connected with, based on the content, writing style, format and helpful recommendations. In fact, I’ve read each of them several times (they are all a quick read) and continue to skim certain chapters when I need a reminder of how to find happiness or balance in each day.
If you’re looking for an easy, practical read on happiness and how to embrace more of the little things in life to find that happiness, I highly recommend any of the books below. Now, I don’t want to give away all of the details, but each book outlines specific concepts and practices related to how happiness is viewed in each of their respective countries. And while each country and its concepts are a slightly different, I find that the overall message about happiness and how to find it is a common thread between all three.
The Nordic Secrets to Happiness in 3 Books
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking (Denmark) – This book was the first Scandinavian or Nordic culture book I ever purchases and was my initial inspiration for visiting Norway this summer. The author, who founded the first Happiness Research Institute in 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark, walks readers through the meaning of Hygge – the feeling of comfort, togetherness and well being, and ….the Danish secret to happy living. He also shares simple ways to bring Hygge principles into your life, including how to savor simple pleasures, like being with friends, creating a cozy living environment and feeling grateful for what you have.
The Finnish Way by Katharine Pantzar (Finland)- This book first introduced me to the Finnish way of Sisu – the idea of courage, grit and determination. But the author also walks you through how you can apply simple and sensible practices – like adding more exercise, getting back to nature, and my favorite, embracing the Finnish sauna culture – to live a happier, healthier and stronger life – the Finnish Way. Although this book is a bit more text-heavy than the others, it’s still a quick and interesting read.
Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living by Niki Brantmark (Sweden)- Similar in style and layout as Wiking’s Hygge book, the author introduces readers to Lagom – the Swedish concept of “not too much, not too little, just right.” In essence, the book is all about balance – how everything in life is best in moderation, whether it’s food, relationships, work, leisure, decorating and more. And by making just a few subtle changes in your daily routine, you can have less stress and more time for the things that matter most in your life.
Hope you enjoy them!
Jennifer
