8 Concepts Practiced in the Happiest Countries You’ll Want To Adopt ASAP

8 Concepts Practiced in the Happiest Countries You’ll Want To Adopt ASAP

People all over the world enjoy happiness.

But different people in different parts of the world define and experience happiness differently.

The great news is that where ever you are you can learn from others, and integrate their practices and ideas into your life; for more happiness!

Check out this Well & Good article by Allie Flinn for some awesome ideas …

While the US may be home to its very own Blue Zone, Loma Linda, California, home to some of the longest-lived people in the planet who stay healthy (and happy) into their hundreds. Generally speaking, happiness, like toilet paper and coins, has been in limited supply here in the states—the US doesn’t even crack the top 10 happiest countries in the world. Meanwhile Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden consistently find themselves at the top of the list—so it couldn’t hurt to incorporate some of their happiness concepts into your life, could it?

Here are 8 happiness concepts from the happiest countries on Earth to start embracing

1. Hygge

Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) is a concept you’ve probably heard about before. It’s all about being cozy. “Hygge’s been called everything—from ‘the art of creating intimacy,’ ‘the coziness of the soul,’ and ‘the absence of annoyance,’ to ‘taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things,’ ‘cozy togetherness,’ and ‘cocoa by candlelight,'” Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen previously told Well+Good. IRL, this could look like cancelling  your plans, cocooning yourself in cashmere, and snuggling up on the couch with some tea and a book.

2. Niksen

We can thank the Dutch for the concept of niksen, aka doing nothing. This concept feels particularly radical as it’s difficult to get away from the work all the time mindset that’s typical in the US. Niksen literally wants you to turn your brain off, to let your mind wander, be consciously idle. Research shows that allowing your mind to wander can help you be more creative and be a more effective problem solver, in addition to helping reduce stress.

3. Kosalig

This concept hails from Norway, and is basically like an extroverted hygge. The main focus is on cozy, but kosalig gets that from social connections and experiences—particularly ones that happen in the winter, which can be an isolating time. “Embracing this idea of leaning into the winter and finding positive ways to enjoy it can lead us to feel less alone, more positive, and closer to those who we care about,” psychotherapist Jennifer Silvershein, LCSW, previously told Well+Good. “When summer arrives, there is an endless pressure to go out and socialize, so enabling winter to lead you toward authentic, deep, close relationships and connection seems perfect.”

… keep reading the full & original article HERE