Global Cozyness

• HYGGE (Danish)

  Meaning: Feeling of coziness from simple comforts. Hygge is a critical aspect of Danish culture, especially during the long winter months when the sun sets in the early afternoon. Despite the darkness and cold, which makes spending a lot of time indoors a necessity, Denmark is regularly ranked among the top contenders for happiest nations.

• IKIGA (Japanese)

  Meaning: Reason for being. Ikigai is composed of two words: “iki,” or “life;” and “gai,” which means “value or worth.” Akin to the idea of a raison d’être, ikigai refers to something that makes life meaningful or which motivates one to continue on in life. While ikigai can be related to one’s work, it often doesn’t correlate to a day job.

• UBUNTU (Zulu)

  Meaning: I am because we are. Ubuntu (pro- nounced oo-boon-too) derives from the Zulu phrase “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu,” which means that “a person is a person through other people.” Emphasizing the importance of community, common humanity, and compassion, ubuntu is a shared concept among the Bantu languages, particularly in the southern African nations of Zimbabwe and South Africa.