It’s not the first season of Game of Thrones—it’s our Northern Hemisphere reality, and it will officially be here on December 21. For some, like myself, it comes with an implacable bout of dread for the endless bleak and frosty days that lie ahead.
If that isn’t disheartening enough, we are all dealing with some form of stress in our daily lives, while simultaneously trying to make sense of a world that sometimes just does not make any sense. This can jolt us further into despair and somber moods.
To navigate these dark days—both figuratively and literally—it helps to employ a few simple coping strategies that can perhaps counteract the effects of winter’s unrelenting grip.
Getting cozy
Scandinavian countries have long mastered the art of surviving severe winters with a positive attitude, and have advocated that this approach could best be practiced by all of us. Each region has a unique word that captures its credo perfectly.
The Swedes use the word mysa, which roughly translates to all things ‘fuzzy and comfortable,’ and not just with fleece pajamas, although that could certainly help.
The Norwegians believe, foremost, in a hardy mindset and diet, but the latter is for another time to discuss. The Norwegians make the effort to create a festive and relaxed atmosphere in their homes, replete with numerous flickering candles and lamps strung from their windows to mimic the sun. Their word to evoke this warm state of being is koselig. The Norwegians also place importance on social plans and taking advantage of outdoor festivals and activities.
The Danish use the word hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”; imagine clearing your throat with some guttural phlegm), which roughly translates to embracing all things cozy—as in hunkering down at home, or cultivating interpersonal contentment with interactions among friends and family.
For me, the harshness of our impending punitive winter requires a special set of survival skills that includes not only running to IKEA to stock up on cozy home decor, but also creating my own personal beacon of light with the TV show Survivor!
This longstanding reality series pits strangers against each other in a social and physical game that demands not only dexterity, but also smarts and determination. Watched in the company of longtime friends, with a good dinner and wine, you have an easy recipe for warmth and a distraction from life’s bitter chill.
Survivors
Over 39 seasons, we and our friends and their now-adult children have, whenever possible, all gathered together. Over a shared potluck meal, we discuss our own lives and dissect the nuances of the current Survivor episode, agreeing to disagree over which player should have left the island.
La Survivor premise is simple—willing participants descend on an exotic, isolated location and compete in various challenges with one goal in mind: outwit, outplay and outlast!
If vicariously pretending (like I strongly do) that you are also on that hot, sunny island—cracking open a coconut with your bare hands while showing off a sexy, 10-pounds-lighter buffed body—isn’t enough to lift your spirits from the doldrums of winter, then how about viewing it through a more philosophical lens?
This frivolous reality show represents a plausible paragon of what a wonderful world this could be. It brings together a hodgepodge of characters from various backgrounds and backstories—perhaps a struggling-while-working single Mom, an athlete, a goat farmer, an entrepreneur … you get the picture.
After a few weeks of enduring relentless torrential rains, taking cover under a single bamboo frond and splitting a goldfish into eight edible parts, these people go from being acrimonious rivals to forming tight yet improbable friendships.
I love anything that brings us all together, and in these heated times, with cold winter days ahead, having a hygge survival plan is an uncomplicated way to illuminate your life and the lives of those around you.
The important thing to remember is that getting hygge requires only that you take genuine pleasure in life’s small things that might sometimes get overlooked, whether that’s a simple hot cup of cocoa or watching a silly reality show with friends.
«LECTURE CONNEXE» TOGETHERNESS: Savouring the hygge in our lives»
image 1 image: Pixabay 2 image: Pixabay 3 Courtesy of author
