Hygge
Getting cozy for the month!!!
Every month of 2023, I’ve written a word on my calendar to sort of guide the month. January was setup (I believe in doing embarrassing things early in the year to get them out of the way), February was love (overcome with societal Valentine’s Day pressure and simultaneously filled with love for my friends) and March is hygge. I will insert some pictures to contextualize, but basically, I could have just as easily chosen the word comfy, or relax, but I didn’t because of being a pretentious asshole.
Here is how I am getting my Danish on in my daily life.
Clothes
The start of the month felt very tumultuous, and I reacted to the tumult by dressing like a mass. I have given up on looking good almost entirely and am likely to be seen in my fleece-lined jeans multiple times in an average week. I am chilly and suffering from senioritis!
Tea
Tea is one of the tenets of my philosophy for a good life. Tea is such a good category of beverage. Lately I have been in a rooibos phase, but I also love the Republic of Tea Decaf Ginger Peach, Sleepytime, and Celestial’s Tension Tamer. My mom also got me some local allergy tea, and I still have allergies but now I also have delicious tea.
Opening the windows
Opening the windows is so awesome and I can’t believe I’m just realizing this. How have I been living in the same uncirculated air day in and day out!!!!
Socks
One would imagine that this would be a subcategory of clothes, but socks inhabit a class all their own. Sometime last year, I completely abandoned ankle socks. My go-to tall socks are the Hanes women’s crew socks, because they always feel clean and the ribbing is just right to scrunch down around your ankles. I even wear them when I’m running and racing, and I really love the way they look with my massive Hokas too. On rainy or windy or especially brisk days, I’ll go with the REI wool socks or these other ones my dad got me from Costco (see below)
Chilling
Historically I have not been very good at it. Now that I have fewer classes and more free time, I’m really coming around to the art of doing hardly anything except talking and laying down and eating.
Incense
I actually think my incense use is having an effect on my lungs, but my bodily functions are secondary to the aromatic hygge atmosphere. Doing it for the Danish!!!!
Giving up on some things
Perfectionism is very un-hygge, so I have given up on perfect timing and consistently deep writing and instead I am posting a list of poorly imitated hygge habits on a blog that only my friends subscribe to! It is fun… this whole giving up business is pretty nice
Postcards
Texting is such an uncozy way to communicate, and I can’t say I ever fully enjoy it, even when I am full of love for the person I am texting. Mail and phone calls feel like a much cozier way!!!! I have recently discovered Pot Shots by Ashleigh Brilliant, these little postcards that say cute or unsettling or provocative or any number of things. There are billions of designs to choose from, and (at least in the bookstore I went to) they’re only a dollar. I like the idea that postcards don’t have to be reserved for vacation!
In a very un-hygge way, I have to go out into the cold and wind and go for a run. Thank you for reading!!!!!
Love,
Brooke
I love this one
Good luck with your new Substack. The beginning, no matter what it is can be lots of fun if we let it.