Latest news with #MeikWiking
Business Times
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Business Times
Danish delights
STARTING A NEW LIFE AS a couple invariably means setting up home together. And what better inspiration can you get than from Meik Wiking's My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place? The Danish concept of contentment and well-being is a source of comfort in a world filled with constant stimulation. If you're leaning towards Scandi-chic for your own happy home, get a head start with our curated list of design suggestions. Chant portable lamp Chant portable lamp. PHOTO: SPACE FURNITURE British designer Lee Broom's portable lighting fixture was inspired by architectural glass blocks ubiquitous in many buildings of the Modernist era. Produced in the United Kingdom at Broom's London factory, it is available in both frosted and clear glass; bases come in brushed gold, brushed silver or brushed bronze. The versatile, dimmable lamp can also be used outdoors. Available at Space Furniture. S$565 MK54 bookcase system MK54 bookcase system. PHOTO: DANISH DESIGN CO The sense of beauty from Mogens Koch's MK54 bookcase system stems from its extremely slim profile and intricate dovetail joints. Originally designed for Koch's home in 1928, the simple design is based on a module with six compartments. Fredericia Furniture has re-launched the system, continuing its ethos of celebrating Denmark's best designers of past decades. Available at Danish Design Co. From 1,272 euros (S$1,897) After chair After chair. PHOTO: W ATELIER The language of Fritz Hansen's After chair aligns with the minimal, geometric design language of its designer, London-based Cypriot designer Michael Anastassiades. It is based on the idea of stacking layers and parts, with the curved backrest resting lightly on four slim legs. The essence of the design lies in its joints, which are slightly offset to express each component. Available at W Atelier. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Price upon request Ridge sofa Ridge sofa. PHOTO: MADE & MAKE The Ridge sofa by Copenhagen-based Norm Architects (the architecture and design studio behind projects such as Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park in Tokyo and Audo Copenhagen in Denmark) has a low-slung profile and plush contours. Offering visual and visceral comfort, the sofa produced by Wendelbo rests on a subtle wooden base, and is available as a two or three-seater. Available at Made & Make. S$5,940 Hunting table Hunting table. PHOTO: XTRA Designed by Borge Mogensen, Carl Hansen & Son's Hunting table was first launched at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild furniture exhibition in 1950 and then relaunched in 2018. A larger version was introduced this year for bigger mealtime gatherings. Part of the Huntsman collection inspired by hunting lodges, it features a structure of brass supports and solid wood components. Available at Xtra. S$7,850 Drip sculptures Drip sculptures. PHOTO: ORIGIN MADE Helmed by Singaporean Gabriel Tan, Porto-based design brand Origin Made not only highlights its designers but also each design's makers. For example, the Drip sculptures are designed by Theophile de Bascher and handcrafted by Carlos Barbosa. The trio of maple wood sculptures are enigmatic objects of 'frozen' material, and can also be used as pedestals for fruit, jewellery and other small items. Available at 850 euros Dream View bench Dream View bench. PHOTO: XTRA Lise Vester's Dream View bench for Muuto was conceived as 'an invitation to pause and daydream for a moment', with a skyward-looking posture. The expressive seat's origins started at the seaside, with Vester mapping the natural curve of her own posture in the sand. Made from brushed stainless steel, it comes in two sizes to fit one or two persons side by side. Available at Xtra. Price upon request Ratio collection Ratio collection. PHOTO: FRAMACPH Frama's Ratio collection comprises a low console, a chest of drawers, trolley and side table. Like the name, their structure presents visual clarity and grounded proportions. Each has a 'floating' shelf at the top, giving the pieces a sense of lightness. Made of birch, they are designed by Ana Magalhaes Ilharco and Matilde Cortez de Lobao, who created the designs under the ilo furniture series. Available from From 745 euros Amanta sofa Amanta sofa. PHOTO: GRAFUNKT Illustrious Italian architect and designer Mario Bellini first designed the Amanta modular sofa in 1966 for C&B Italia (now B&B Italia). It blends inviting softness and industrial rationality, with removable cushions on a fibreglass structure. HAY has reissued a more sustainable version: the shell is now made from 99 per cent post-consumer ABS and cushions in 95 per cent bio-balanced foam. Available at Grafunkt. One seater from S$3,050 Cinnamon Gardens lamp Cinnamon Gardens lamp. PHOTO: MAISON AFFLUENCY Design studio Yabu Pushelberg's elegant aesthetic can be found in projects all over the globe, with one of the latest being Raffles Sentosa Singapore. The studio's Cinnamon Gardens floor lamp for Man of Parts recalls the artistic spirit of the 1940s and 1950s, as well as the artistic heritage of the Cinnamon Gardens district in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which inspired the sculptural lamp's name. Available from Maison Affluency. S$8,986
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
What does ‘the world's happiest man' do when he's sad? What we can learn from him and 13 other experts on finding joy.
You've probably heard of 'hygge,' the Danish concept of coziness that became all the rage a few years ago. But you may not have heard of the man who made it internet-famous. Meik Wiking has been called 'probably the world's happiest man' — and for good reason. As chief executive officer of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Wiking spends his life studying well-being and why some countries, like his native Denmark, consistently rank 'happier' than others in surveys like the annual World Happiness Report. He's also written a slew of books on the subject, including The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living and My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place. But even happiness experts are unhappy sometimes, and surprisingly, how they choose to deal with that sadness, anger or discomfort can offer some of the most revealing insights into how to be a happier person. Wiking tells Yahoo Life that when something bad happens, like forgetting his laptop on an airplane (which he has done twice), he applies what he calls 'the six-month rule.' '[I ask] myself the question, 'Six months from now, is my quality of life going to be affected by this?' Most often, the answer is no.' It's a perspective that the authors of the World Happiness Report, which every year does a wellness check on the state of happiness around the world, understand well: Real happiness isn't defined by being in a constant state of ecstasy, but rather by a general contentment and satisfaction with one's quality of life overall. Although grief over the death of a loved one or another traumatic experience can have longer-lasting effects on happiness, experts say little instances of unhappiness that creep up in day-to-day life can often be mitigated with simple things. Michael Plant, a co-author of the 2025 World Happiness Report and founder and research director of the Happier Lives Institute, tells Yahoo Life that he regularly sees a therapist 'to work through the tougher bits.' But to fix what he calls 'the smaller things,' he runs through a mental checklist: 'Eat something, leave the house, talk to someone, exercise.' Sounds simple? Yahoo Life asked 13 authors of this year's World Happiness Report to tell us what they personally do when they're feeling unhappy. Some of their takes are easy to implement, others maybe less so. Here's what they shared. Since we're constantly hearing about the benefits of exercise, it shouldn't come as a surprise that combatting unhappiness with physical activity is endorsed by many happiness experts. Sara Konrath, a social psychologist at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, says that when she's unhappy, she does something active like a hike with friends. Claudia Senik, a professor at the Paris-Sorbonne University and a research fellow at the Paris School of Economics, says she tries to put things in perspective or shift her attention to something else — but 'ultimately, I head to a yoga class.' Micah Kaats, a PhD candidate in public policy at Harvard University, and Kelsey O'Connor, a researcher in the economics of well-being at the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, both say they go outside for walks when they're feeling down. 'And if [it] can be done with others and in a green or blue space" — such as parks or trails near the ocean — "then there are even greater benefits,' O'Connor tells Yahoo Life. Lina Martínez, a professor of public policy and director of POLIS, the Observatory of Public Policies at Universidad Icesi in Cali, Colombia, says spending time near nature is both soothing and helps put some distance between her and the source of her unhappiness. 'There are days when I don't feel my best emotionally, and they occur often,' Martínez tells Yahoo Life. 'On those days, I walk in a nearby park — or simply gaze at the green plants in my house if I can't go out. During these walks, I consciously try to distance myself from whatever situation is making me unhappy. I imagine my problem as if it belonged to someone else.' If you feel weighed down by the belief that happiness is fleeting, experts suggest flipping that around — namely, recognizing that instances of unhappiness are usually also temporary. Margarita Tarragona, director of the ITAM Center for Well-Being Studies at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico in Mexico City, says that when she's unhappy, she tries to remember that experiencing highs and lows is a part of life. 'In general, I just accept what I am feeling, live that experience and remind myself that life is constantly changing,' she tells Yahoo Life. Similar to Wiking's 'six-month rule,' Martínez understands that many of the little things that irk us and sour our mood — like sitting in traffic or getting a parking ticket — 'won't even matter in a week' . 'It's not the universe conspiring against you; it's just life,' Martínez says. Often when happiness experts talk about being 'happy,' it's not defined as being all smiles and in a constant state of jubilee. Although Finland is consistently ranked the world's happiest country (and is No. 1 yet again in 2025), the national trait is less 'happy' and more 'sisu' — a Finnish term that roughly translates to 'grit' or determination in the face of adversity. By their definition, happiness is more about contentment than perpetual joy. Lara Aknin, a psychology professor at Simon Fraser University, tells Yahoo Life that people often get stuck on chasing quick dopamine hits of happiness, like a trip to Tahiti or that coveted pair of shoes, instead of focusing on more sustainable happiness. A common refrain you'll often hear from happiness experts is that it's 'not about the pursuit of happiness, but the happiness of pursuit' — a maxim which Kaats reiterates. 'If we can enjoy the process of working towards our goals, instead of just hoping to be happy when we reach them, we may all be a bit better off,' Kaats says. Roberto Castellanos, a senior lecturer of political and social sciences at National Autonomous University of Mexico, says 'there are no quick fixes' for unhappiness or for acquiring more happiness. 'Happiness is not an easy endeavor,' he tells Yahoo Life. 'It is not so much — or only — a mental or emotional state as a skill — a skill that takes effort to master.' That said, Felix Cheung, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, says it can help people in some cases when they're unhappy to know they're not alone. 'In tough times, too much focus on self-help and wellness can make us forget that some struggles aren't just individual; they're societal,' Cheung tells Yahoo Life. 'If you're struggling, it's not a personal failure — sometimes, the world around you needs to change.' Most of the authors of the 2025 Happiness Report say the key to coping with unhappiness is helping others, which has a twofold effect: You'll make someone else happy, and you'll make yourself happier in the process. Aknin says that when she's feeling unhappy, she tries to concentrate on making someone else happy. 'Doing so gets my mind off what is troubling me and directs my attention to the people, places or causes I care about,' she says. Konrath adds that 'the happiest people are givers' who contribute to their communities. Leaning on others helps too. Francesco Sarracino, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, says he engages with people he trusts to help him 'put things in perspective.' Cheung says that when he's feeling down, he talks to his wife, hangs out with his son or asks mentors for help. 'People care more about us than we give them credit for,' he says. Rui Pei, a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford University Department of Psychology, says that 'happiness is fundamentally social,' which can be difficult for those who are naturally introverted. Still, she says it's worth the effort to engage when you're going through a hard time. 'As an introvert, my natural tendency is to retreat: to turn inward and try to figure things out by myself,' Pei tells Yahoo Life. 'But I've learned that what's often more effective is the exact opposite: I reach out. I call up a friend, ask someone how they are doing or even something as simple as making eye contact with a stranger and [saying] hello.' Alberto Prati, an assistant professor of economic psychology at University College London, observes that while independence is a key aspect of modern culture, it's healthy to allow yourself to lean on others too. 'Contemporary societies, in particular in the industrialized West, tend to celebrate autonomy,' Prati says. 'But often too little attention is devoted to [helping] people develop and nurture healthy relationships with partners, family, friends and peers. 'I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends' is one of the most cited end-of-life regrets.' 'Ultimately,' Senik adds, 'the deepest source of happiness remains unchanged: love.'
The Guardian
23-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
It's time to embrace Dugnadsånd – the Norwegian concept we all need right now
A new hygge has dropped, but you'll need to take off your cosy slippers and put down your cinnamon bun to try it. There is a real danger of getting the wrong end of the stick when we get enthusiastic about other nations' lifestyles – such as when the New York Times writes about modern Britons enjoying boiled mutton for lunch, or 'cavorting' in swamps, and we all get cross – but this comes straight from the Viking's mouth. That's Meik Wiking, the perfectly named chief executive of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. Writing in Stylist, Wiking suggests we consider adopting a Norwegian concept that requires no blankets or candles: dugnadsånd, approximately translated as 'community spirit'. He likens dugnadsånd to barn-raising in 18th- and 19th-century North America, describing a 'collective willingness of people to come together in the context of community projects – emphasising cooperation and selflessness'. Could it catch on here? In a way, it already has. There aren't many barns that need raising in 2025, but our communities definitely need and rely on collective action. With bare-bones budgets, threadbare public services and cuts, cuts, cuts, community spirit is already at least partly responsible for ensuring hungry children are fed, effluent discharged into our waterways is highlighted (why is this a thing?) and refugees are welcomed, among other things. There is a very fair question to be asked about whether, really, individuals and communities should be plugging those gaping holes. To British ears, dugnadsånd could evoke a dread echo of David Cameron's 'big society' – the expedient outsourcing of the state's obligations to a patchwork of charitable and voluntary organisations when what really needs to happen is for very rich people and corporations to pay vastly more tax. But if I've grasped dugnadsånd correctly, from what Wiking writes, it is mostly more modest: neighbours helping neighbours, communities clearing rubbish or creating playgrounds. Anyone can be the beneficiary, as well as the giver. 'Helping each other out through reciprocation made the whole community stronger, more resilient and, I would argue, also happier,' he says. I can well believe that, because there's hard evidence that volunteering is good for you. A 2023 review of 28 studies on volunteering concluded there was 'consistent evidence to support effects on general health and wellbeing and quality of life'; there is even evidence of 'reduced mortality'. Social prescribers refer clients for volunteering opportunities, because believing that you have something to contribute, and acting on it, feels good. Reciprocity is baked in, because everyone benefits. I know how that feels. I have been a trustee of a local environmental charity for the past few years, and while I rarely feel particularly helpful and sometimes actively the opposite (especially facing budget spreadsheets), I always feel less despairing when I'm there – not least because it has shown me how many people will cheerfully pick nappies and Monster cans out of freezing mud, or do itchy, sweaty battle with invasive plants. My husband (who actually has useful skills) gets something similar from his slots at the local repair cafe: not every lamp or toaster gets fixed, but there is a sense of building something. It also feels like training for what lies ahead. When government in Britain is bitterly disappointing and in other places is actively, enthusiastically furthering the end of the world, there will certainly be more, and worse, natural disasters and doubtless more human-made ones. Do we really want to try to survive them atomised, sitting on stockpiles of tinned goods? In the New York Times, an exploration of how the horrifying current political climate has supercharged intellectual interest in the idea of solidarity included a description of it that stuck with me: 'a distinctive and delicate form of intimacy'. It is intimate, also vulnerable, to accept and express when we need help; to want to offer it but not know how, or to feel inept when we do; to accept we need each other. Dugnadsånd – practical solidarity, really – seems like a way of practising that, of training our collective thinking, collective action, but also our collective vulnerability muscles. It is either that, or it's something completely different – over to you, Norway. Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
