I found that the year 2020 was the year of nesting for almost everyone I know. All of my friends, family, neighbors and literally half the world was nesting. Clearing and cleaning out their homes since we were all under quarantine. What is nesting? It’s a phenomenon that usually occurs if you are pregnant, a new mother or if you are trying desperately to create a comfortable safe haven in your home due to a worldwide pandemic.
Let’s look at some definition’s to see what we find. I want to explore the terms nesting, haven, hygge and slow.
Nesting definition: This urge to clean and organize is known as nesting. Nesting during pregnancy is the overwhelming desire to get your home ready for your new baby. The nesting instinct is strongest in the later weeks coming upon delivery. It is an old wives' tale that once nesting urges begin, labor is about to come on.
Haven definition: Definition of haven · 1 : harbor, port · 2 : a place of safety : refuge · 3 : a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions, like Carmel was a haven for artists.
Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special. Hygge (or to be “hyggeligt”) doesn't require adopting it as a lifestyle or buying anything.
Slow is actually an acronym which stands for Sustainable, Local, Organic and Whole. So there is also an environmental aspect to the slow food movement and doing things slowly in general.
Again, I do recommend you try to clear out the excess first if at all possible. Please do listen to my episode 1 topic Pre New Year Refresh for help with some overall decluttering. Here are some physical ways in which you can create your own haven and an atmosphere that will encourage the priceless feelings and emotions that are true hygge.
A special thank you to SmartSound FX HUMAN CROWD Applause Small Audience applauding and cheering!!!
Consume less, live more!
Consume less, live more!
https://linktr.ee/rumatenbrink
I found that the year 2020 was the year of nesting for almost everyone I know. All of my friends, family, neighbors and literally half the world was nesting. Clearing and cleaning out their homes since we were all under quarantine. What is nesting? It’s a phenomenon that usually occurs if you are pregnant, a new mother or if you are trying desperately to create a comfortable safe haven in your home due to a worldwide pandemic.
Let’s look at some definition’s to see what we find. I want to explore the terms nesting, haven, hygge and slow.
Nesting definition: This urge to clean and organize is known as nesting. Nesting during pregnancy is the overwhelming desire to get your home ready for your new baby. The nesting instinct is strongest in the later weeks coming upon delivery. It is an old wives' tale that once nesting urges begin, labor is about to come on.
Haven definition: Definition of haven · 1 : harbor, port · 2 : a place of safety : refuge · 3 : a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions, like Carmel was a haven for artists.
Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special. Hygge (or to be “hyggeligt”) doesn't require adopting it as a lifestyle or buying anything.
Slow is actually an acronym which stands for Sustainable, Local, Organic and Whole. So there is also an environmental aspect to the slow food movement and doing things slowly in general.
Again, I do recommend you try to clear out the excess first if at all possible. Please do listen to my episode 1 topic Pre New Year Refresh for help with some overall decluttering. Here are some physical ways in which you can create your own haven and an atmosphere that will encourage the priceless feelings and emotions that are true hygge.
A special thank you to SmartSound FX HUMAN CROWD Applause Small Audience applauding and cheering!!!
Consume less, live more!
Consume less, live more!
https://linktr.ee/rumatenbrink
Follow me on IG @rumaten8r1nk and on Twitter @mylifeinflow
Check out mylifeinflow.com if you are interested in connecting further and would like to get in touch with me on a project you are working on! Please make sure to reference my podcast in your correspondence.
PODCAST 4 - What is Hygge and Slow Living?
I found that the year 2020 was the year of nesting for almost everyone I know. All of my friends, family, neighbors and literally half the world was nesting. Clearing and cleaning out their homes since we were all under quarantine. What is nesting? It’s a phenomenon that usually occurs if you are pregnant, a new mother or if you are trying desperately to create a comfortable safe haven in your home due to a worldwide pandemic.
Let’s look at some definition’s to see what we find. I want to explore the terms nesting, haven, hygge and slow.
Nesting definition: This urge to clean and organize is known as nesting. Nesting during pregnancy is the overwhelming desire to get your home ready for your new baby. The nesting instinct is strongest in the later weeks coming upon delivery. It is an old wives' tale that once nesting urges begin, labor is about to come on.
Haven definition: Definition of haven · 1 : harbor, port · 2 : a place of safety : refuge · 3 : a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions, like Carmel was a haven for artists.
Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special. Hygge (or to be “hyggeligt”) doesn't require adopting it as a lifestyle or buying anything. I would like to underline that – you don’t need to buy anything to experience or to be hygge. It’s a feeling and in the words of one of my favorite songs by Boston, it’s actually “More than a feeling”. You can’t pinpoint why or how, it just happens. It’s that moment where you feel like you are smiling ear to ear on the inside, or your heart just feels full and so warm, kind of like the warm fuzzies. It’s like when you have that amazing dinner party. You look around and everyone is having a great time, talking, eating, drinking lots of wine and laughing. You brought all of these people together in your home and you feel so good looking around at all of your friends having fun together. It’s almost like you are an observer and you’re not really in the room. Have you ever experienced that? I have and it’s truly magical. The atmosphere in that space is very hygge. Like I said – it’s a feeling. I find when I’m really feeling physically warm and cozy and staring into my fireplace, I start zoning almost meditative and when I snap out of that, I feel really good and warm and safe. I would consider hygge as well.
Did you know that Denmark has an international reputation for being one of the happiest nations in the world? For a country that lives in cold climate all year and in the dark for half the year how is this even possible? Thinking about my own experience, I do love the rain, but happy I live in a place where it is sunny and 70 degrees for 265 days of the year. Obviously, this can only mean that hygge is much more than the weather and your external world. The Danish concept of hygge, or hyggelig (adj.), refers to finding comfort, pleasure, and warmth in simple, soothing things such as a cozy atmosphere or the feeling of friendship. The Scandinavian term encompasses a feeling of coziness, contentment, and well-being found through cherishing the little things in your life. In essence, I have come to a strong conclusion they are the happiest people in the world because happiness is something you can truly create! Yes yes yes, you can create your own happiness you are the architect, you landed the account, yes you and it doesn’t come from where you live or how much money you have.
SLOW is actually an acronym, but we will touch more on that later.
Okay, let’s get back to hygge which I used to pronounce hygge the way it’s spelled. However, the proper pronunciation is Hue-guh.
So, let’s physically create some hygge:
As you know, you truly can change yourself by changing your atmosphere. This does work for the majority of the people out there and if you are struggling with finding joy, or happiness or any of the positive emotions, there is one thing you can be sure of and that is that you are in charge of your environment and your stuff, you and you alone. Of course, we always want to work on our own self-development and becoming the absolute best version of ourselves, but if you feel that is a bridge too far at this juncture then the easiest thing to do is work on your environment. You will begin to change on the inside which is truly the secret to living the good life! You may just need some gentle nudges by working on the outside first.
Again, I do recommend you try to clear out the excess first if at all possible. Please do listen to my episode 1 topic Pre New Year Refresh for help with some overall decluttering. Here are some physical ways in which you can create your own haven and an atmosphere that will encourage the priceless feelings and emotions that are true hygge.
Lighting – soft lamp light, candles, salt lamps, Christmas lights, twinkle lights etc
Aroma’s – candles, diffusers with essential oils
Texture – fluffy comforters, cozy pj’s, velvety blankets and sweater throws
Favorite pieces around you – art, plants, furnitrue
Loose comfortable clothing, really cute pjs, loungewear that’s one step above a ripped tee and sweats
Clean home with good flow and no clutter
Hot drinks and comfort foods soups, one pot dishes, lasagne type meals, curries, ramen
Spend quality time with friends and family. ... Hanging out with the people you like best is a great way to get your hygge on, and it doesn’t really matter what you do.
Dinner parties, coffee dates, or even a Netflix binge can all do the trick.
Did you know that you can actually practice being happy. Using certain tools like positive affirmations and the Electronic Freedom Technique you can increase your setpoint for happiness. What’s the con? Only you can create your own happiness. What’s the pro? Only you can create your own happiness. Do you see the pattern of being a self-referral for your own happiness emerging here? I sure do! Once I truly grasped that I was in charge of me, my life changed in spades and I will never look back!
LIVE MORE - LIVE SLOW
I also want to touch upon this slow food movement that was started in Italy in 1986 by Carlo Petrini. Meant to counteract the Fast food culture and the unhealthy lifestyle that accompanies it. It was started by Italians who love to cook and is actually an acronym which stands for Sustainable, Local, Organic and Whole. So there is also an environmental aspect to the slow food movement and doing things slowly in general. France is also well known for living slow and adopting this same lifestyle as well.
This “slow” movement has been going on for many years now. These words refer to the type of food they cook and encourage cooking sustainably using local and organic meats, fruits and vegetables. Cooking is absolutely a family affair which one is constantly preparing for or enjoying. They often eat outside and every meal is a celebration of life no matter how simple or complex the meal might be. All manner of drink, especially good wine is part of every meal. My husband hails from Sabaudia which is a beach town, South of Rome and he noticed several things about his Italian relatives. They had a zest for life, living and each other that was unforgettable to him and always centered around a meal. This is a great segue way into the slow living movement which has been more prevalent these last few years and has made its way to the West.
Slow Living emphasizes the slower approaches to our daily lives. Where we are not in a rush and we are living intentionally and in the here and now. Living in the moment and being present can be very difficult for some of us in the Western Hemisphere where we are programmed to keep up with the Jones’s. So, we have to shift this ingrained mindset from “live to work” and adopt the “work to live” mindset of our more intentional French and Italian brothers and sisters.
So what can we do to bring this into our daily lives? For starters, you can try to be present and enjoy the simple pleasures in your day. You can choose to live in the present and let go of the weight of your past and also, try not to think obsessively about your future – something that hasn’t happened and may not even come. Accept exactly where you are right now. Easier said than done right? Before I highlight a few ways you can learn to live in the moment let’s take a quick detour and talk about the baggage we all carry.
I want to explore some analogies that may help you make a shift towards identifying your past baggage and actually addressing it accordingly then putting it away forever. It’s still there, it still exists, good or bad, it made you the exceptional person you are today, but it’s not on your back or all over your house anymore manifested in the clutter around you. Let me explain this a little more clearly. Imagine that your past baggage all fits into two bags. A backpack as well as a rolling suitcase. Might as well throw in an over the shoulder bag for good measure. So you have three bags you are carrying around with you everyday. Now, try going about your regular day with all of this luggage. Wherever you go, you must take it with you. Out to grab the garbage bin, maybe out to your garden to pick a vegetable or two for lunch, out to the mailbox, maybe when you take your dog for a walk in the neighborhood. Running to the post office or nail shop. How does it make you feel to carry around these three bags? Is every step getting harder and harder? Does the luggage seem to get even heavier as your day goes on? Of course it does. It’s essentially holding you back in a biiiiiiiiig way. Okay, so how about you say, hey I’m ready to let it all go and then you just drop it all. Well, now it’s all over your house, all over the floor. That’s way better than carrying it, but still not optimal because now you have to step over it, step around it, kick it out of your way and maybe even trip over it several times a day. Now, that doesn’t sound like fun either. What should we do with it then is the question of the hour. I say you clean it up, organize it. Pick it up and put it on a shelf. It can be at the very back of the least used shelf in your house, but put it up on that shelf and close the cabinet. You may need to acknowledge and even praise it for making you the exceptional human being you are today. It’s there, yes, it will always be there, yes, but now it’s organized into a space where it can live without hindering your flow any further. Some people might say, Oh well you’re still holding onto it still keeping it in your house. And I say, yes, what else can one do with it aside from having hypnotherapy and forgetting that part of your life ever happened. For most people not likely the avenue that will be taken. So, we must simply take control of that part of our life, clean it up off the floor and put it away so it doesn’t trip us up anymore. Ever.
That generation they didn’t talk about feelings – at all – doing that meant you were weak, when we know in fact that doing that means you are strong, you are brave and you are courageous.
The thing about it is that you know you have to accept what happened as a child. You can keep hurting depending on how deep and severe the wound might be. So deep and severe that you may require assistance to address it and guess what that is totally okay. No one is an island – we are all connected and somehow someway we all need each other no matter what. Your specific wound may be so deep and so old that you require support to lift up your baggage and put it on that shelf. If this is the case use that help and then one day you might be strong enough to help someone lift theirs. At some wonderful point you will have to come to terms, declare and acknowledge that what happened happened and that what your parents or those people did - they did with their own baggage on their backs. Once you stop blaming you can move forward and it makes it a little easier to just let it go.
Once in a while I like to remind myself that this could be your last day on earth – you don’t want to spend it carrying around all that extra luggage. Okay, now that we’ve covered that important piece thoroughly, what can you do to live Slow?
For starters bring mindful awareness into more of what you do each day. Start your day off in a way that feels nourishing to you. In a way that doesn’t feel rushed and you can spend a little more time with yourself. If you need to wake up a little earlier to do this, give it a try for 5 days and see how you like it!
I have been using this wake-up mantra for more than half of my life. I learned this from motivational speaker “Ed Foreman” who I was lucky enough to meet over 30 years ago. I love saying this it is so ingrained in me and it really works! This is the mantra: I’m awake, I’m alive, I’m full of energy and full of life and today is a great day to prove it! It’s simple, to the point and it could be your game changer in trying to start every day off on the right foot! Of course, shit happens and not every day is going to be perfect, but I am damn well going to do my best to make sure it’s as good as I can.
For example do you have a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate in the morning. If so, go, sit quietly, and really enjoy that cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy every sip to the fullest. Smell it. Feel the warm mug on your hands. Savor every last drop.
Upon waking, I like to air out my bed, feed my hungry pups, brew our coffee and say hello and check on my plants while my coffee is brewing. Then I usually take my cup outside and enjoy some fresh air. I go out front to my garden or out back to look at the Bay. Either way, going outside makes the coffee taste even better. I especially love when it’s kind of chilly out and I can see the steam rise from my cup. When I come back in, it’s time to fix my bed. This is the part that is pretty routine and happens almost exactly the same way every day. You can add on other things you like to do for variety after your everyday routine is completed. I will add meditation, stretching or simple yoga moves, or the 5 Tibetan Rites either in the morning or evening whichever works best for my day.
Little, basic morning routines can really help you start the day off right and feel those accomplishments immediately. You are sending positive signals to your brain and essentially patting yourself on the back. I like to use the tiny habits philosophy by tacking something on to something I already do. This ensures that I will keep the habit and I guarantee this really works.
Take time to recharge, replenish and rejuvenate yourself by doing activities that you love to do: Listen to music, read, garden, go for a hike, go for a run, shoot some hoops, exercise, make a craft, draw or paint, binge on Netflix or whatever it is you love.
Ways to practice slow living:
· Try to sit in silence and just breathe. Try to stretch this out from 5 minutes, to 10 minutes, to 15 minutes twice a day morning and night.
· Schedule time to read every day or every other day for 30 minutes to 1 hour. To give you a little context on this timeframe, you can finish a book a week if you do this, of course, if you even want to. Again, no rush.
· Forgive yourself for what you consider to be past mistakes. Seek out the lessons ‘the hindsight is 20/20’ insight, after the fact, and accept where and who are in life right now. Forgive yourself for future mistakes right now because you know we will all make them.
· Learn to appreciate and have gratitude for all the small moments in life and all the simple pleasures of your day. Do things more intentionally and learn to enjoy all the chores that you are so privileged to even have.
· Schedule a total “do nothing” day. This will give you the chance to recharge and rejuvenate!
Thanks for listening to “Organize your closet and your life will follow” podcast.
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Follow me on IG @rumaten8r1nk and on Twitter @mylifeinflow
Check out mylifeinflow.com if you are interested in connecting further and would like to get in touch with me on a project you are working on! Please make sure to reference my podcast in your correspondence.