Can Enjoying a Cocktail be the Secret to Happiness?

What is the secret to happiness?  If you ask the Danes of Denmark – one of the happiest countries – they’d sum it up for us with one word:  hygge 

Trade Eights | Ginger Citrus +Whiskey Cocktail

Say what?  Say “hooga.”  It’s a lot easier to pronounce though, then to translate directly. That’s because it captures an entire attitude and approach to life.  

Hygge is the feeling of cozy contentment that comes from spending quality, unhurried time alone or with our friends and family.  It’s about living in the moment, fully engaged in activities that nourish our souls. Having an agenda or a “to-do” list to check off, or surrounding ourselves with “friends” we’re trying to impress or compete with is very anti-hygge.

So how can one bring hygge into everyday life?   Here are our favorite ways:

• Reading a great book (the guilty pleasure ones are best) in our favorite chair, wearing our most comfy clothes.

• Spending quality time with our four-legged friend who never says no to tummy rubs.

• Banning all Debbie Downers and negative people from the premises.

• Indulging in a warm and homemade meal - the sticks-to-your-ribs kind of stuff.

• Sitting by the fire enjoying one of your favorite cocktails.

Perhaps relaxing with a cocktail may not be THE secret to happiness. (It's never so simple, is it?)  But practicing hygge or regularly engaging in experiences that bring you contentment is a good step to creating more joy in your life.  Cheers to that!