Guest of Honor: Intentional Light from Denmark
It was my greatest joy to sit at my counter this morning and speak with my dear friend Danae. And it brings me so much happiness to share her thoughtful words, wisdom, and experience living in Denmark with all of you. (And those most incredible photos as well.)
As Danae’s friend, I’ve long found her words were comforting and appreciated her intentional reflections and observations. Having lived in Denmark for several years, Danae was kind enough to speak from her experiences to share what she has learned in her new home.
We often hear that Danes know a thing or two about happiness, and as we talk about in this episode, you’ve probably seen a coffee table book about Hygge. The incredible thing that Danae has observed is the way the Danish are able to bring sunlight into their lives when there may be little.
So whether it is quite literally dark outside, or maybe that darkness might be settling inside, perhaps we can all learn a thing or two by traveling to Denmark today to visit with Danae, and explore what intentional intimacy, simply enough, and sunshine looks like in each of our lives too.
(a little note, we were doing this chat from across the world, so there are a few spots near the end when our audio starts to overlap :) ).
Take Home Tip:
Looking to put this intentional intimacy into practice in your own life? Here are a few take home tips from Danae (and a few of my ideas thrown in in parenthesis) to try it out for yourself.
Get out in nature - take advantage of warmth and light when it’s around you. When it’s not, facilitate the bridge between day to night or sun to clouds mentally by small healthy practices. Candles could be one, a special beverage, a dinner party.
There is joy in simplicity - purposefully limiting your choices can help clear mental space to think deep, and breath easy. A practical tip could be to pick a select group of businesses to shop/patronize for a single month and know that you can only shop there. (As we talk about in this episode, you can also do this in your home and life. Spend time reflecting on a few of the things (activities, meals, objects, etc) that bring you the most joy, or “enough”. Do your best to focus on those items while reducing or eliminating other distractions that may cloud your access to those joys.)
Combat loneliness by facilitating a work culture that promotes community as opposed to entertainment, inclusion over isolation. A practical tip on how to do this: Make sure lunch at the office occurs without screens, both tv or phones and make a point not to discuss work. Give one another the space and opportunity to dig deep into life, and what’s going on with those around you. (9 times out of 10 this will end up not only with deeper richer relationships, but also foster an attitude of care at work)
(And as we talk about, limiting screen time in general is wonderful for facilitating connection, peace within yourself, and creativity!)
