"A few years ago, I became obsessed with the Danish concept of hygge—so much so that I devoured Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well and spent way more money than I should have on candles and sweaters. For those who are unfamiliar, hygge is a lifestyle that brings a quality of coziness and comfort through connection with others, living a slower lifestyle, and cultivating a warm atmosphere. You can incorporate it into your life with home decor and wellness practices, but hygge is simply a feeling of being relaxed and comforted. In other words, you can evoke hygge by romanticizing your life—and since hygge originated because of long, cold Scandinavian winters, there’s no better season to do it.
Genuinely enjoying the chillier months can be challenging, but finding ways to romanticize your every day during this time of year can help keep the stress low and the joy coming. Whether you lean into hygge, adjust your wellness routine to adapt to the chillier weather, or throw yourself wholeheartedly into the holidays, winter gives you an underrated chance to savor the slow moments. Here are 27 ways to romanticize your life for winter and embrace the hygge season.
- Sit down and take the time to do a life edit. Spending hours indoors during this time of year means you have a little extra time to reflect, so grab your journal and prepare for the warmer months ahead.
- Start a meditation routine. Winter is a season when it can be easy to overthink. Now might just be the time to kickstart your meditation practice, whether you do it in the morning right when you wake up or in the evening before bed. All you need is five minutes.
- Tell your friends how thankful you are to have them in your life. ‘Tis the season of gratitude after all, and research shows creating more meaningful social connections contributes to happiness.
- Take time to reflect on the past year. Winter inevitably means transitioning into a new year, which can bring up a lot emotionally and mentally. Try journaling, meditating, or talking it through.
- Write and send some letters to family and friends. Whether it takes the form of a thank you card after the holidays, a love letter around Valentine’s Day, or a note just because, bring back the lost art of the handwritten note.
- Make yourself a holiday main character playlist. The holiday season can be a difficult time, so if you’re feeling the blues this year, make yourself a playlist that the main character in a holiday rom-com would love. We promise this will lift your spirits.
- Whether you call them goals or resolutions (or pre-resolutions), set them. Who says you have to wait until the new year? Manifest fresh, vibrant energy now!
- Speaking of which, manifest good things for yourself and the world in the new year. Test out a new manifestation method—“life pie,” orgasming (yes, you read that right), or with the help of an app—the world is your oyster.
- Treat yourself to a new vibrator. Extra time inside means extra time for spicy activities, so what better time to purchase a new vibrator than at the beginning of winter? If you’re not sure where to start, we have a few suggestions.
- Make your favorite Starbucks holiday drinks at home, and make it gut-friendly while you’re at it. Go for a dark roast, choose coffee beans that are organic and fair trade, and swap artificial sweeteners for natural alternatives for starters.
- Get morning sunlight (or bio-hack with a light therapy lamp) for better sleep, more energy, and improved mood and digestion. You just need five to 10 minutes of exposure on a sunny day or 15-30 minutes on a cloudy day. Take a walk, sit on a park bench, or sip your coffee on your balcony.
- Go for a hot girl walk (yes, even when it’s chilly). A study in Science Advances showed that contact with nature is associated with increased happiness, well-being, positive social interactions, and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress. Need I say more?
- Try a winter sport. When you want to switch up your brisk winter walk or hike, go ice skating. Oh, and cozy cardio counts.
- Take intentional time away from your electronics. Hygge-ing it up with nothing but your phone and TV has its time and place, but ICYMI, getting fresh air and natural light and spending QT with your loved ones is where it’s at.
- Practice your gratitude affirmations. Despite being “the happiest time of year,” it can also be the most emotionally draining, stressful, and even sad. No matter what you’re feeling right now, you can’t go wrong with some compassionate self-talk. Want to take your gratitude practice a step further? Do The Everygirl’s 30-Day Gratitude Challenge.
- Bring the outdoors in. Just because it’s dreary out (and you may be confined indoors), it doesn’t mean you can’t bring liveliness indoors. By filling your space with elements of nature like flowers and plants, you’ll be doing your mental health a favor (a study found that looking at greenery, including green walls and potted plants, can reduce stress). Visual ASMR FTW.
- Honor your circadian rhythm and go to bed early. Listening to your internal clock becomes even more important in the wintertime when the body needs more rest, so wind down early whenever you can.
- Knock out all of your yearly doctor’s appointments. Take the set-it-and-forget-it approach and schedule all of your health exams for the year (and, of course, follow through with said appointments). Taking charge of your health is the best gift you can give yourself. Don’t worry—we made a checklist for you.
- Go to a heated workout class. The feeling of stepping out of a hot Pilates or yoga studio into cold, dry winter air is a breath of fresh air (literally), so go turn up the heat (solo or with friends). Chances are, you’ll reduce any lingering stress and improve your mood while you’re sweating it out.
- Keep the heat turned up by taking an extended, steamy shower once a week. You know those days when the hot water feels especially good, and you don’t want to get out? Those are the perfect days to honor your body and embrace an everything shower. And when you’re feeling extra, pair it with a 30-second cold shower to boost your mood and support your immunity.
- Give your immunity more TLC. Getting sick during cold and flu season is very unromantic, and it means less time that you could be spending doing things that bring you joy. Get enough quality sleep, prioritize eating whole foods, take vitamin C, and fit in regular movement.
- Take yourself on a money date. Use the extra motivation that often comes with the new year to finally tackle your finances (money is a key part of self-care and wellness, too), but make it glamorized. Light a candle, pour yourself a glass of wine, and start with budgeting based on what brings you joy.
- Show yourself a little extra self-love. Write out a letter to your past or future self or practice affirmations. They both can serve as daily reminders of how uniquely great you are and give you the confidence to become your highest, best self.
- Stay hydrated throughout the day. Winter dryness can be combatted with moisturizers and creams, but it’s much more effective to start at the source. Reach for hot water with lemon and honey—it’ll warm those winter chills while boosting your immune system.
- Take a step outside of your regular dating routine. Without the pressure of a hot girl summer, it can be easy to fall into a rut with dating in the winter. So spice up your typical dates with your partner or try something new on the dating scene.
- Rewatch your favorite comfort show. Whether escaping to Star Hollows or Central Perk on repeat is your cup of tea (or coffee), watch unapologetically. The familiarity of your favorite show gives your brain a rest and can trigger positive emotions.
- Rethink complicated wellness rituals (betterment burnout is real). Relish in slow living, get more rest, and pare down your morning and evening routines. Reconnect to the “why” behind your practices, remove the “I shoulds,” and make your own definition of self-care.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emma Ginsberg, Associate Editor & Podcast Assistant
Emma is a writer, editor, and podcast producer who has been creating at The Everygirl since 2021. She writes for all sections on the site, edits the Entertainment and Community sections, and helps produce The Everygirl Podcast. You can listen to her with podcast host Josie Santi on the intros of The Everygirl Podcast and read her articles across the site.