HYGE FIKA ušuškaj se uz knjigu i toplo svetlo curl up with a book and a warm light napravi pauzu, makar od petnaest minuta, i popričaj s nekim uz kafu take a break, if only for 15 minutes LAGOM uradi samo onoliko koliko je dovoljno da ti bude lepo do just enough to make you feel good I
f there exist any people who know how to get the most out of an ordinary day, those peo- ple are the Scandinavians. They seek happiness in finer details
to have everything, it’s enough to have just as much as makes you feel content- ment.’ Lagom isn’t a form of asceticism, rather it’s about being mature in small decisions: judging how much to work, rest or shop. And that’s the secret of their calm and orderly nature. And fika is probably the most beautiful Swedish ritual: a simple daily break for coffee, cake and conversation. This isn’t a quick coffee “on the go”. It’s a real mo- ment of respite, which the Swedes afford as much respect as a business meeting. Fika is more than a break – it’s time to slow down and take in the day again. The Scandinavians have actually perfect- ed something that’s we’re all seeking: the right balance between work and rest, be- tween the external and internal worlds. Their philosophy for achieving content- ment isn’t about spending, but paying at- tention – to ourselves, others, and our surroundings.
HYGGE, LAGOM, FIKA The Scandinavian formula for happiness How the Danes and Swedes taught the world that the secret lies in simplicity, and that a perfect moment requires nothing more than a candle and a cup of coffee
- in Denmark it’s called hygge, while in Sweden they have lagom and fika. Those three little words have become universal concepts, but they’re actually just three aspects of the same thing: the enjoyment of life without affectation. Hygge is the Danish art of creating com- fort and tranquillity. It’s that moment when you light a candle to illuminate the twilight, snuggle up under a blanket and cancel all notifications. It’s not an Ins- tagram trend, rather it’s an element of the mentality - a way of surviving the long, dark winter and finding warmth in everything. Lagom, the Swedish philosophy of mod- eration, “not too much, not too little”, promotes balance. It says: ‘you don’t need
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