Is Nordic Living Right for me?

That's a pretty open ended question isn't it?

But I am guessing that many people do wonder that when they start to delve a bit deeper into Nordic living beyond simply scratching the surface. And although we dont need to totally immerse ourselves in any lifestyle or another (unless you want to, of course), it's a question that we often ask ourselves. Is it right for me? Do I even want to dabble around the edges, or is it so incredibly right that I want to embrace it in every aspect of my life.

Firstly I will say that Nordic living is NOT hygge. Hygge is that famous Danish expression that conveys a level of cosiness and happiness from the simple pleasures in life and helps us appreciate them all the more without having to strive for more. However in recent times it's been used to make people feel like they are doing it "wrong" and that there is a right way of living a "hygge" life. There are are hygge courses and countless hygge books which in my opinion only fuel that feeling of uncomfortable inadequacy that is so far removed from the ideal of hygge. And we know that is not the way we want to feel.

Nordic living has more depth to it. It's a way of life and seeing things that is not always easy. In my own journey to embrace Nordic living there have been times when I have felt a resistance to it and there have been things that have been hard to do. Probably made harder by the fact that I live in Norway and I can't escape it or put it to one side. But in the long-term it has had a profound and long lastingly positive effect on my life and the way I view things.

If you are looking for some of these things then Nordic living IS right for you:

A simpler life

Nordic living tends to lean more towards the simpler aspects of life and enjoying the simple pleasures.

Less consumerism

When you start to focus on simple things and what the natural world has to offer us you tend to think less about what to buy next. Nordic living can make us stronger in the face of all the consumerism we see everyday.

A closer connection to nature

We all know how much people in the Nordics value nature and how it benefits us both mentally and physically but you don't have to live in a Nordic country to benefit from that.

Living more seasonally

There is no escaping the seasons when you live in the Nordics! Every season has it's beauty and it's worth making the most if them all.

Being more accepting of other ways of life

All the Nordic countries pride themselves on their acceptance of every way of life, every religion, every life choice. This stems from the famous Janteloven.

Eating more healthily

It's not always easy to find a wide variety of products in Nordic supermarkets especially in the winter and because of this we usually eat seasonally and therefore more healthily. But there are particular Nordic habits too that help us eat more healthily everyday.

Understanding that "more is not always better"

In Sweden this is called "lagom" or just enough. Not too much and not too little.

How many of these things "speak" to you? If they do, then Nordic living is right for you! Or even if just a few spark your interest it's something worth exploring. Any lifestyle change can be embraced as fully or as little as we choose. The choice is entirely our's. We can make huge sweeping changes or take tiny steps but it's personal and tailored to our own lives right now.