Lockdown wellbeing: Like a hug without touching

Coffee and baked zaatar pastry

“Have you ever smelled something that takes you back to a time and place you felt safe? Or smelled something that, more than a memory, gives you a flashback of how the world used to look like when you were a child?” Like the aroma coming from a Zaatar bakery, or coffee in the afternoon at your parents’ house?

The perfect read of the day is The little book of HYGGE by Meik Wiking, he says:

“ Hooga? Hhyooguh? Heurgh? It is not important how you choose to pronounce or even spell ‘hygge’. To paraphrase one of the greatest philosphers of our time – Winnie-the-pooh-when asked how to spell a certain emotion, ‘You don’t spell it, you feel it.” Says Wiking

Hygge is about a feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.

“As we huddle inside our abodes during lockdown or shelter in place, seeking out simple hyggelig comforts is more relevant than ever,” writes Mary Holland in her article about wellbeing during self-isolation.

“It’s also a good moment to spend time creating meals in the kitchen. For many of us, a pre-social-distancing lunch break meant eating a store-bought salad hunched over a computer. In the hyggelig world, this is a big no-no.

“Food is much more than fuel. However simple the meal, make time to sit down and savour the moment.”

“Hygge is about having cake without the guilt. Enjoying the good things in life and savouring the simple pleasures,” Wiking says.

“There is nothing excessive about hygge. That may sound dull, but the great thing about moderation is that you can’t overdo it,” writes Charlotte Abrahams, from her book

A Celebration of Simple Pleasures.