Hygge Living: Finding Cozy Balance Through Travel, Body, Mind & Soul

December often arrives in a rush — travel plans, gatherings, deadlines, and endless “shoulds.”

Most of us enter the season already exhausted — craving rest more than celebration.

Somewhere between all the movement, our nervous system starts whispering what our body already knows: slow down.

That whisper became my invitation this season — to live more hygge.

Hygge is a Danish practice rooted in simplicity, comfort, connection, and the art of creating cozy moments during their cold, dark months. It’s not only about your surroundings — it’s also about your inner feeling of safety, softness, and presence.

To choose cozy over chaotic.

Presence over pressure.

Warm connection over constant doing.

Because true wellness isn’t just about how you move through the world — it’s about how you feel while moving through it.

And too many of us have forgotten what “cozy on the inside” even feels like.

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Travel Wellness | Cozy on the Go

Hygge for travel is about creating ease no matter where you are — bringing a sense of inner home with you instead of hoping the outside world will create it for you.

Travel usually pulls us into rush and over indulge mode during the holiday season… hygge pulls us back into ourselves.

For me, it starts with a few simple items and rituals that pull me back to center when I’m away from home:

    •    Still having a slow morning, even if that means waking up earlier

    •    Get morning sunshine on eyes lids while stating 3 things I'm grateful for

    •    Taking in my surroundings and breathing deeply to anchor the moment

    •    Connecting with myself before connecting with others

    •    Essential oils or tea for digestion support, we know how our travel tummy's get

These are tiny things — and tiny things change everything.

Whether I’m staying at a family’s house or on a cruise ship, I create my own internal sanctuary.

The place doesn’t create the peace — the ritual does.

✨ Try this: Bring one item that instantly makes your body soften — your favorite mug, an essential oil roller, a soft wrap, or a beeswax candle.

One cozy item can remind us to connect to our inner peace and calm.

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Body | Nourish Through the Season

Hygge for the body is about nourishment over neglect — choosing rhythms that support your nervous system instead of depleting it.

This time of year often pushes our body into “survive mode.” Hygge brings it back into “restore mode.”

Think:

    •    Three deep breaths before eating

    •    Herbal teas

    •    Morning sunshine

 •    Walks after meals

    •    Magnesium-rich foods that help steady cortisol and deepen rest

My nighttime ritual is simple but powerful:

    •    A candle lit by the bath

    •    Before sleep, whisper three things you’re looking forward to tomorrow

    •    Ten quiet minutes to fully exhale the day

These micro-moments reset my body far more than big changes ever have.

Your body responds to consistency, not intensity.

✨ Tip: Swap heavily fragranced products for simple, non-toxic ones — beeswax candles over paraffin, essential-oil roll ons instead of synthetic scents, natural fabrics instead of polyester.

Cozy shouldn’t come with chemical clutter either.

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Mind | Simplify to Find Peace

Hygge for the mind is about choosing ease — not by escaping your life, however by softening the mental clutter inside it.

Most of our stress isn’t from what we’re doing… but from how fast we’re doing it.

For me, it starts upon awakening before screen time:

    •    Start coffee

    •    Morning sunlight, standing in the grass

    •    A few light stretches

 •   Journaling with two-way prayer — asking my higher power a question and writing whatever comes through without overthinking

 •    Read a daily reflection book

These choices regulate my nervous system, ground my mood, and keep me connected to myself before the world asks anything of me.

I also have a daily text with a friend. Prompt:

“I am grateful for?”

A 20-second ritual that shifts my entire mindset.

Hygge for the mind is less about perfection and more about intention.

Small choices. Small pauses. Big impact.

✨ Try this: Before you begin your day, open a window or step outside and take one long, nourishing breath. Fresh air and deep breaths reset your mind faster than any app ever will.

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Soul | Connection + Presence

Hygge for the soul is the deepest layer — the part you carry inside, not the part you chase outside yourself.

It reconnects you to what actually matters — and gently releases what doesn’t.

For me, soul-level hygge shows up in the way I connect, the way I love, and the way I create a cozy, beautiful atmosphere for gatherings.

    •    Staying aligned by practicing the “mind” and "body" rituals above

    •    Remembering that making memories with loved ones matters more than giving gifts

    •    Honoring that family can be both blood relatives and the friends who feel like home

    •    Slowing down enough to notice the humanness in the people I love

These are the moments that remind me I’m alive — not just moving.

✨ Soul reminder: Cozy isn’t something outside of you.

It’s the grounded, safe, steady feeling that rises when you slow down long enough to actually feel fully present to your life.

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Hygge isn’t a holiday trend — it’s a pace. A presence. A way of remembering yourself. And it begins quietly, from within.

This December, choose the softer way —

slow mornings, warm light, grounding rituals, meaningful moments, and gentleness with yourself and others.

I’m learning that hygge doesn’t ask for perfection.

It asks for awareness.

For intention.

For presence.

No matter where you are — may this season remind you that cozy is an internal home you can return to, anytime.

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🤍 If this brought you a sense of calm, send it to someone who’d love a little hygge too.

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💫 Ready for More?

Explore more at itschereemarie.com for clean swaps, wellness travel guides, and practices that support you holistically, body, mind, and soul — naturally.