Balance

January and February have always been my most difficult months.  This year, so far, has proved no different.

October, November, and (most of) December were smashing successes!  I found BaLaNcE.  Working my proper duty day.  Going to yoga regularly.  Making time for walking.  Drinking my water.  Sleeping my proper sleeping hours.  Happy Heather.

Recently, however, I've been dehydrated.  I've been staying up too late.  I haven't been walking and going to yoga as much.  I've been overwhelmed at work with self-imposed to-do lists.  My poops are not photogenic.  I haven't been my happy self.  I've been SOOO GRUMPY.

I know WHAT I want to blame this change on, but I'm refusing to say it out loud.  I did declare to the world a few months ago that I would not be complaining about winter this year.  HYGGE!  So, yea, the temperatures dipped below 0-degrees Celsius this week.  The moment I knew that I needed to take action was when I squealed furious noises in the garage when I was loading my car before work.  I squeal noises all the time, but not furious ones that resemble bad words.  Red flag.

I am out of balance!

So here's what I've done about it so far:
1.  I gave myself the gift of time:
Took a day off work.
Got some extra sleep.
Went to a yoga class.
Catching up on some of that self-imposed to-do list, and erasing things that are not essential to the cause.

2.  I bought a Himalayan Salt Lamp, with an old gift card I haven't used.
Why?
http://wellnessmama.com/23569/himalayan-salt-lamp-benefits/

3.  I'm drinking hot water.  There's a water cooler at school with a hot button.  I've decided that every time I go to the office, take a cup of hot water.  (I reject the common preference for ice in water.  Even in the summer.  Ice water! Yuck!)

4.  Allow myself the permission to rest.  Even though I need to continue going to the gym and go to yoga more, Chinese medicine says that winter is a time for rest:

The ancient Chinese believed that human beings should live in harmony with the natural cycles of their environment. The cold and darkness of winter urges us to slow down. This is the time of year to reflect on our health, replenish our energy and conserve our strength.

Winter is Yin in nature; it is inactive, cold, and damp.  Remain introspective, restful, and consolidate your Qi through the season and prepare for the outburst of new life and energy in the spring. 

5.  Speaking of Yin, I bought my own copy of "The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga" by Bernie Clark.  And the yoga class I attended today was entitled "Yin-Yang Flow".   I've been researching different things in relation to resting during the winter, Yin, Yang, etc.   Stress and illness is nature's way of telling you that you are out of balance.  (evidently, I was out-of-balance in a very big way the past 10 years or so.  #cancersurvivor)
http://zazenlife.com/2013/06/27/7-ways-to-balance-your-yin-and-yang-energies/

6.  Some other things I want to research but haven't yet:  Acupuncture, Tai Chi, Qi Gong.  Don't know much about any of these things, but rest assured, I will use my mad research skillz to find out!

And on a concluding note - I ran on the treadmill yesterday.  I hate running.  But for some reason, yesterday I wanted to and needed to.  It was weiiiiiird.  Time to buy a lottery ticket.

Work Your Proper Duty Day, Phase 1

For a thing at work, I've been asked to write an essay "describing the innovations, inspirations, and impacts your teaching practices have on your students and the school community."

Naturally I thought - This is my platform for Work Your Proper Duty Day!  YES!

So here's my essay.  (And for the record, I can't take any credit whatsoever for the referenced youtube video.  But I'm proud to be associated with the colleagues who are responsible!)

Impacts of Teaching Practices - Heather Reynolds                  1-5-16               Work Your Proper Duty Day

I’ll start with a list of top 5 techniques I use that impact my teaching practices.  I’ll conclude with some ideas on how I believe every teacher can directly impact their teaching effectiveness and unlock their greatest strengths.

1. Narrate Correct Behaviors.  The day I started using this technique, the climate changed in my room.  It shut down almost all opportunities for a student to argue with the teacher.  Example:  Jack is up out of his seat without permission.  The teacher narrates the desired behavior:  “Jack IS going directly to his seat.”  9 times out of 10, Jack proceeds directly to his seat.  That other 1 out of 10 times, Jack’s situation is quickly resolved with the teacher commenting, “I’m agreeing with you”, followed by Jack owning up to his word and completing the desired action.   

2.  Do What I Say I’m Going To Do.  I strive to never ever waver from my classroom management plan.  No amount of arguing, deflecting, or crying will sway me from remaining true to my previously prescribed steps.  The result:  students follow directions the first time.    In the event a student doesn’t follow directions, they revealed themselves as having CHOSEN to be a problem and it’s not a matter of miscommunication or confusion.  This clarification is so important when moving forward past the issue.

3. Types of Praise.  I subscribe to the philosophy of drawing attention to hard work and effort, not talent and intelligence.  In fact, there is a book entitled “Talent is Overrated” by Geoff Colvin, which elaborates on the concept that 10 years or 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is what separates world-class performers from everybody else.  This reminds me of the Growth Mindset model.

4.  Give the option to go above and beyond.  If you want students to shoot for the moon, you need to show them what’s beyond the ceiling.  I’m usually prepared with activities on hand for those students ready to extend their learning or help others.  My rubrics always have a category entitled “Exemplary” or “Exceeds”.

5.  Frequent Self-Reflection.  I never enter a lesson without a plan, and I rarely exit a lesson without reflecting on how that plan went.   Aside from teacher reflection, frequent opportunities are offered for the students to reflect on their own learning, and also for them to give feedback on their experience.   My ultimate goal:  To be their Learning Facilitator.  They are capable of teaching themselves and teaching others.  I like to step back and let them do all the work!

In Conclusion.  This final idea, I call:  Work Your Proper Duty Day.   Last spring, I was diagnosed with cancer.  Totally random, no genetic predisposition, under the age of 35, no risk factors to speak of.  For the first time in my teaching career, I was forced to put my needs first.  My one and only task for 9 months:  Stay Alive.  I reflected on the previous 8 years of pouring my time and heart into my teaching career.  I remember a time when my calendar looked like a pen had exploded all over it.   My personal time was dominated by work.  My summers were spent curriculum mapping (which I enjoy more than the average person).  On the weekend, I would spend a 6+hour lesson planning session just to be prepared for the coming week. I would stay at work past 6pm most days organizing, copying, documenting, collaborating, prepping, communicating, labeling, etc.  Back to not having any known cancer risk factors, I now believe I actually did have one big risk factor: STRESS.  Repeated, unending, year-after-year stress.

[Cue Music.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdpwMv648ls Inspiring Excellence Music Video.]

The politicians these days are giving education less but demanding more.  All of the teachers who love their students and [Inspiring Excellence] work harder, longer, faster, higher, and louder. 

If [Every Grownup] worked our proper duty day, putting 100% into teaching [Every Child] during our contracted work hours, do you realize how quickly it would become obvious how LITTLE we have been given to achieve [our hope and dream for every child we see]?  Not only are teachers teaching, but we are, and with pride, filling the role of ALL THE THINGS:  counseling, police enforcing, IT support, fashion consulting, paperwork, entertaining, volunteering, nursing, advising, managing, mediating, fundraising, etc.

This approach is allowing our politicians to think that this is the bar.  And we wonder why there's a health epidemic in our country?

After my cancer treatments ended, and my schedule and energy returned to normalcy, I decided to continue a different form of “treatment”.   Start on time/Leave on time.  Be more active.  Frequent yoga classes.  Take my dogs for walks.  Read more books, FOR FUN.  Spend more time with my family.  Sleep more.  Eat better.  It’s amazing how prioritizing eliminated tasks from my self-imposed to-do list that were unnecessary and not at all essential to the mission.  I found that I am (working less but) TEACHING BETTER and MORE EFFICIENTLY. I am fulfilling my own needs, and more able to meet the needs of my students, with a clear head and focused purpose. (And improved health!!!! #cancerfree)

The politicians aren't yet giving education more resources because my Work Your Proper Duty Day campaign has about 2 followers. But maybe after today, I'll get the opportunity to gain some more. [Every Grown-up.  Every Child.  Every Day…. in KCK…. We do BELIEVE.]                [Fade Music…]

100!

Today is my 100th post.

And I started my 2nd first period today.  Boom!  Bye, Zolodex!  Hey, I told you the Force Awakened My Ovaries! 

That's all. 

Selfies of 2015

Happy New Year Everyone!  Here's a compilation of my hair adventures from last year.  :P

January:

February:

Pre-Chemo Haircut:

Hairloss begins...

TIME TO SHAVE IT!

My pretty wig.  Don't miss you though.

March:  Head coverage for a spring time walk.

Scarf Jedi Master

I vant to suck your blooood.

July: Last day of chemo!

August:  Back to school.

September:  First haircut!!  (and REAL eyebrowz!!)

October:  I have so much hair!

Red head :P

Cold air happened.  Time to put things on my head again.

So Curly!

December:

Holiday Stuff

All Hail Winter Break!  And the first day of winter!  WOOHOO!  That means from here on out, the days are getting longer.  YES!

So far I have attended a christmas party, finished up my lesson plans (and will not be working AT ALL for the next two weeks #workyourproperdutyday), slept a lot, splurged on yummy food, saw Star Wars (!!!), read my current book: The Martian, spent ridiculous amounts of time fiddling around on the internet, and shopped shopped and shopped for Christmas presents.  

So, Star Wars - WHOA! Amazing! I LOVE ALL THE NEW CHARACTERS! (no spoilers in this entry, I promise!)  Well, in reference to my last entry regarding bodily functions, I have since been feeling very PMS-y.  Ever since the thing, THE THING THE THING, happened in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, I think the Force Awakened My Ovaries.   Nothing else to show for it, other than the moderate menstrual-like cramping.  I did a little research on it.   General consensus says that its takes about 6 months to return back to normal, and its not uncommon to experience "phantom periods".  Hmmm....Perhaps that will be the name of the next Star Wars movie.  

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Phantom Periods.   Ah!  2 torturous years!!  How did you all do this in 1977??

Christmas....Oy....I'm sticking to my declaration that I will not be complaining about anything associated with the winter season.  However, I do want to share an idea in response to the stresses of holiday shopping.  I included the article I read, below, that made my heart go "THIS.  All. of. this."

So this year, I'm taking just a small turn in another direction.  I bought less stuff, and more Experiences-Oriented items. 

I've always secretly wanted to say "Okay, this year we AREN'T DOING GIFTS.  We are going on a vacation, instead!  Spending money on experiences and memories instead of gifts."  Maybe sometime, we will still do that.  But in the meantime, I still bought "stuff."  And I still get excited about receiving "stuff".

So Happy Holidays, Everyone!

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/12/how-give-gifts-without-buying-stuff/
How to Give Gifts Without Buying “Stuff.”

Via Gayle Flemingon Dec 12, 2015

Letting go is a very popular topic. Just Google those two words and there are untold articles on letting go—of stress, personal baggage, toxic relationships, negative thoughts, bad behavior—and the list goes on.

Often the Buddha is mentioned in these missives. Generally speaking, “letting go” refers to letting go of attachment to all of the above. We do get attached.

But I have come to the conclusion that the hardest attachment of all to let go of is the attachment to stuff, and to buying stuff. This is the time of year when we are encouraged to buy more and more stuff to get attached too. And it seems no amount of meditation and spiritual awareness can offset the heavy bombardment of advertising we are all subjected to.

How do we let go of the habit of buying more stuff for people and ourselves, in a world with too much stuff already?

I admit that each year, I have come to dislike the Christmas (yes, Christmas) season more and more, since the reason for the season—shopping—starts earlier and earlier every year. It started well before Halloween this year.

The urge to buy more stuff for children, spouses, significant others, mothers, fathers, friends, and ourselves, often leaves us emotionally drained, disappointed, feeling inadequate, and often no happier, or genuinely unhappy.

So what compels us to continue our quest to buy and have more stuff? Well, for one thing, Americans now see more advertisements in one year than people 50 or 60 years ago saw in an entire lifetime! We are manipulated into buying more and more things we don’t need.

Then we hold onto them long after they have fulfilled whatever momentary delight or function they had. But holding on to them doesn’t mean we actually use them. In fact, according to some studies, only 5 percent of material purchases are still in use 6 months later.

Making a conscious decision to let go of stuff is leads to a strong desire to buy or acquire less stuff. This is not of course what the manufacturers, retailers, marketers, advertisers, or even our government want. So they will redouble their efforts to seduce us out of our self-proclaimed austerity.

And what about the stuff you buy? What do you know about it? Where did it come from? What about the people involved in its production—how are their lives impacted? What natural resources are used to produce the stuff? What is the environmental impact of producing the things we run out to big box stores to buy?

Every year for at least the last five years I have posted and reposted this wonderful twenty-one minute video called The Story of Stuff on Facebook hoping my FB friends will watch. I start posting it just before Thanksgiving and keep posting it periodically until just before Christmas. If you haven’t seen it, do watch it and if you have, watch again. This little cartoon video should give you the impetus you need to withstand the bombardment of advertising and guilt tripping you are undoubtedly being subjected to right now.

So what to do to avoid running around in a frenzy trying to buy just the right gift, and the anxiety of not being sure what right actually is? Well first this old adage is true, if somewhat trite—it’s the thought that counts. So what is the thought? Is it one centered on your own fear and angst about what to get someone, or the cost of the thing you want to buy them but really can’t afford, or wanting to be praised for the wonderful gift you bought? Be honest.

Or, do you honestly want to give a meaningful gift to someone you genuinely care about? Here are some ideas:

*Cook friends or family members a wonderful gourmet meal.

*Offer to cook a meal once a month for a year.

*Hire a chef for the night to cook a meal for you and your significant other.

*Bake something wonderful –cookies, cakes, pastries, etc.

*Make homemade soap or lotion bars.

*Make something out of recycled materials.

*Tickets to a game for someone who loves a particular team.

*Tickets to a concert for someone who loves a particular artist.

*Offer to babysit once a month so friends or family members can have a date night.

*Plant a tree in the name of someone.

*Buy farm animals through Heifer International to support a family in the third world.

Here are some more suggestions. We don’t need more stuff.

But we do need more time for each other. We do need to offer more of ourselves to our friends and families. And that can’t be bought in a big box store.

Bodily Functions

So, this blog was originally created to talk primarily about let's-beat-cancer inspiration, with the occasional post about education, random observations about life, and expressions of gratitude.  Now that I've beaten cancer (woohoo!), I expect it will become more the latter than the original intent.  However, I will welcome continued thoughts about my experience with cancer, because honestly, its done nothing but good things for my life.  I'm still planning on getting that elephant tattoo to permanently remind me of the lessons I've learned.   Feb. 5th.  Which reminds me, I need to make an appointment.

I've had several people in the past few weeks comment on how I look, and not the "you look good" type comments that I was so used to receiving as a form of encouragement throughout my treatment.  Instead its for realz "You look GOOD.  You look like you FEEL good."

Yep.  They would be correct.  I would argue that I'm healthier now than I was my previous 32 years of life.  Its amazing how impactful focusing on sleeping, eating, and keeping active can have on how you feel from day to day.   I remember all too clearly what it was like to walk around trying to function normally with chemotherapy attacking my system.  I don't remember as clearly what it was like before that, but my daily life was all things sluggish, stressed, and tired all the time.  That was my NORMAL.   How did I live like that?  

And, I'm going to get TMI for a second.   My body tells me everyday how much healthier I am through my daily productions in the toilet.
#1 is beautiful, sparkling, clear, and hydrated.   I can't make it through a single night anymore without having to get up and release the water that has been cleansing and hydrating my body.  I got into the habit of drinking tons of water during chemo because of the threat of bladder failure.  And I've kept it up pretty well since then.
#2 is...well no one REALLY wants descriptive adjectives on that...but I'll just say, I'm tempted to take pictures, and post it like everyone does with babies.  LOOK AT MY CREATION!  Its PERFECT.  Poop doesn't lie, folks.  I've created a healthier and happier life.

And exercise.  So I bought a fitness tracker a few months ago.  Love it.  It keeps track of my goals.  I have this need, since I was a student to be 100%.  So when my sleep isn't at 100%, I go to bed earlier the next night.  When my activity is not at 100%, I'm power-walking in circles in my living room (much to the confusion of the dogs) to get my step-count up.    I went to Zumba the other day at the gym for the first time this season, and I stayed the entire hour.    I used to stay for 20 mins or so and leave (pant...pant...pant.......no more today, please).  Now I make it easily to the end.

I do need to work on improving the quality of my sleep though.  Between having to get up for the bathroom at least once a night, and hot flashes, I rarely sleep soundly through the night.  My fitness tracker tells me good job for the amount of sleep I get, but admonishes me for failing every single time to have a night of uninterrupted sleep.
I'm getting better though.  The hot flashes are becoming less; my doctor told me this would happen.  However, I have this thing that happens EVERY early morning, I've come to call it "the big chill".    I always get a little chilly right before a hot flash is about to happen, but for some reason around 5:15am I get SUPER COLD.  And I can't get warm until the hot-flash-of-all-hot-flashes happens 10 minutes or so later.  Ug.  So mornings are super hectic because I'm huddling under the covers and refuse to get out until I get warm/sweltering hot again, and then I'm rushing around and being late for work!  I did find a half-way solution though.  I keep my onesie yoda pajamas by the bed (yep, onesie yoda pajamas).  So when its time to get up, I can pop out of the bed, strip off the damp hot/cold pjs I was wearing, and put on the amazing soft warm full body comfort that is YODA.  I love my yoda pajamas.  They were an impulsive purchase at Walmart when I was supposed to be buying dog food.  No regrets.

And, um, my eyebrows.  Where the heck did they go????  They grew back in super nice, and then they thinned out again.  Grr!  Possibly a side effect of the Tamoxifen.  I think I read something about hair thinning.  But its only the eyebrows and armpit hair <-- not complaining about that one.

And I got my THIRD haircut today.  :D
Changed the color too.  "Walnut" brown this time.

Before:  (officially out-of-control.  The chemo-curl struggle is real!)

After: (she really didn't cut much.  Just tamed the out-of-control parts!)

Hygge

I'm making a declaration to the world.
  

I.  Will Not.  Be Complaining.  About The Cold This Year.  Or Ever Again.  From this point forward.

(grand pause)

Yep.  I said it.  

I was introduced last year to the concept of Hygge.  (Which I have included an article for your perusal below.)  Basically, its a Danish thing where the people purposely engage in creating a cozy and grateful attitude in the cold dark hours of winter.  Cuz, you know, Denmark has a lot of cold dark hours of winter.   I'm reminded of this picture:

Yea, so that Magical Wonderland of Lights FalalalalalalaLAAAAAA!....That's Hygge.  Attention Superman:  the christmas lights will be remaining up this year until it reaches 65-degrees outside.  Candles.  Twinkly Lights.  Fireplace.  All the Hygge, all the time.  Happy Winter Heather Time.

This weekend I went to a free Yoga Basics class at my yoga studio, just to see what it was about.  It was a new thing they started.  The session's focus was on Yin Yoga taught by my FAVORITE TEACHER, Sally.  I love her because she not only leads us through the poses but tells us little nuggets of wisdom from leading Yoga practitioners and facts about how this pose benefits this particular organ, etc. etc.  Well, since this yoga class was created for beginners to get an introduction to yoga and able to ask questions, she spoke more about the Yin Practice and its purpose, and I am now YIN YOGA NERD.

So, Yin is characterized by loooooooong poses, held for 3 - 5 minutes, and the purpose is to increase mindfulness of the sensations in your body.  Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant (but not painful), the goal is to notice but not react.  Stay in place for the duration of the hold and be apart of the experience.  Breathe gratitude into that feeling.  It is challenging for the mind, and the controversy is some yoga teachers believe that beginners should never start in a Yin class, because it seems easy physically, but isn't.  You take yourself to your edge, respectfully, and without judgement of what you're feeling.  And stay there.  And breathe.

Well, here is my transfer to Hygge.   The cold.  Is UNPLEASANT.  Walking from my car to whatever indoor place I'm supposed to be....UGH.....BLEH.....YUCK...........  Welp... I'm not going to complain anymore.  I'm going to breathe gratitude into the cold (because I survived to see another winter season), stay in place for the duration of the hold, allow myself to reach my edge, respectfully and without judgement.  And breathe.  Its unpleasant and that's ok.   And an excuse to be cozy and happy and have twinkly lights and candles and read a book with my slippers and two blankets and a dog or two at my feet and enjoy warm beverages with my friends, family, or just by myself.

Hygge.

*mic drop*

Hygge: A heart-warming lesson from Denmark

By Justin ParkinsonBBC News Magazine

• 2 October 2015
 
• From the section Magazine

Image copyrightThinkstock

In today's Magazine

A UK college has started teaching students the Danish concept of hygge - said to make homes nicer and people happier. But what exactly is it and is it exportable?

Sitting by the fire on a cold night, wearing a woolly jumper, while drinking mulled wine and stroking a dog - probably surrounded by candles. That's definitely "hygge".

Eating home-made cinnamon pastries. Watching TV under a duvet. Tea served in a china set. Family get-togethers at Christmas. They're all hygge too.

The Danish word, pronounced "hoo-ga", is usually translated into English as "cosiness". But it's much more than that, say its aficionados - an entire attitude to life that helps Denmark to vie with Switzerland and Iceland to be the world's happiest country.

Image copyrightThinkstock

Morley College, in central London, is teaching students how to achieve hygge as part of its Danish language course. "We have long, cold winters in Denmark," says lecturer Susanne Nilsson. "That influences things. Hygge doesn't have to be a winter-only thing, but the weather isn't that good for much of the year." 

With up to 17 hours of darkness per day in the depths of winter, and average temperatures hovering around 0C, people spend more time indoors as a result, says Nilsson, meaning there's greater focus on home entertaining.

"Hygge could be families and friends getting together for a meal, with the lighting dimmed, or it could be time spent on your own reading a good book," she says. "It works best when there's not too large an empty space around the person or people." The idea is to relax and feel as at-home as possible, forgetting life's worries.

The recent growth in Scandinavian-themed restaurants, cafes and bars in the UK is helping to export hygge, she adds, with their intimate settings, lack of uniformity in decor and concentration on comforting food. Most customers won't have heard of the term, but they might get a sense of it.

In the US, the wallpaper and fabric firm Hygge West explicitly aims to channel the concept through its cheery designs, as does a Los Angeles bakery, called Hygge, which sells traditional Danish pastries and treats.

Image copyrightThinkstock

"The rest of the world seems to be slowly waking up to what Danes have been wise to for generations - that having a relaxed, cosy time with friends and family, often with coffee, cake or beer, can be good for the soul," says Helen Russell, author of The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country. "Hygge seems to me to be about being kind to yourself - indulging, having a nice time, not punishing or denying yourself anything. All very useful come January when in the UK everyone's on diets or manically exercising or abstaining from alcohol. 

"There isn't so much enforced deprivation in Denmark. Instead you're kinder to yourselves and so each other. Danes don't binge then purge - there's not much yo-yo dieting in Denmark. No wonder they're happier than we are in the UK."

The adjectival form of hygge is "hyggeligt", a word offered as a compliment to a host after a pleasant evening at their home.

"Hygge isn't just a middle-class thing. Absolutely everyone's at it from my dustbin man to the mayor," says Russell. "Hygge is so crucial to living Danishly that the other day on the motorway, I saw a camper van driving along with lit candles in the windows. This is probably illegal but Vikings don't tend to be too hung up on health and safety.

Image copyrightALAMY

"My most hygge experience to date was probably watching the sun set from a hot tub in a blizzard in January, beer in hand. But it needn't be anything quite so dramatic. I generally light a candle at my home office desk while I'm working."

There's increased discussion of hygge in the UK. "I think I first saw the word in Trine Hahnemann's book Scandinavian Christmas, and it immediately made sense to me," says Kayleigh Tanner, author of the Hello Hygge blog. "It's a pretty hard thing to describe because it's so abstract, but I think it resonates with a lot of people.

---

Origin of 'Hygge'

• Term comes from a Norwegian word meaning "wellbeing"
• First appeared in Danish writing in the 19th Century and has since evolved into the cultural idea known in Denmark today

---

"It's interesting that the word doesn't really translate into other languages. Hygge isn't restricted to Denmark, so why is it so hard to describe without borrowing a Danish word?"

It sounds a bit like the English word "hug", for which the Oxford English Dictionary lists no origins. The 19th/early 20th Century philologist Walter William Skeat thought it might be of Scandinavian origin. Notionally the effect of hygge and a hug is similar - comforting and secure. An obsolete meaning of hug is "to cherish oneself; to keep or make oneself snug", according to the OED.

"Sometimes you see or do things that you would call 'hyggeligt' in the UK but you wouldn't use that word to describe them because people wouldn't know what you're talking about," says Nilsson.

Some older Danes feel that hygge isn't what it used to be, as the stress on socialising has lessened. It's now generally considered hyggeligt to watch TV alone or watching a DVD set, perhaps while eating crisps.

Hygge was never meant to be translated - it was meant to be felt

ToveMaren Stakkestad

Thinkstock

Other countries and cultures have similar expressions. In German there's Gemutlichkeit, a sense of wellbeing based on good food, company and perhaps a drink. But Danes insist hygge is unique.

The blogger Anna Lea West, has offered "cosiness of the soul" as an English definition. "Hygge was never meant to be translated. It was meant to be felt," translator ToveMaren Stakkestad has written. Maybe the only way to understand this slippery cultural idea is to visit Denmark, rather than read about it.

"It's an idea so rooted in the Danish sense of togetherness, and perhaps even in Denmark's social democracy, that a Brit might struggle to grasp its historic and social significance," says Patrick Kingsley, author of the travel book How To Be Danish. 

"But that said, in essence hygge is about a group of slightly gloomy friends huddling under the duvet on a cold winter's night. And there is little more British than that."