If you love hygge, there’s another Scandi way of boosting your wellbeing that’s becoming mainstream. Discover lagom, meaning ‘just enough’, and why it helps you feel happier and healthier…
This Swedish way of life, pronounced lah-gom, is about things being ‘just enough’ or ‘just right’ – something that’s neither too much of one thing, nor too much of the other, but somewhere in-between.
Finding balance is the key to this concept, which is embedded deep in the Swedish psyche. It permeates all aspects of life, from attitudes to health and exercise, to diet and socialising. The idea dates back to the Viking era, between the 8th and 11th centuries, when communal bowls of food and drink were passed around the table for everyone to take a fair share. It was important that each person take ‘just enough’ so everyone could have some. So along with the idea of balance in all things, there is also a conscious unselfishness about lagom. It’s an attractive mindset to adopt when you consider how busy and goal-focused modern life can be.
What if we could slow down perfectionist thinking and instead strive to be simply good enough? ‘Like many Western cultures, Swedes feel the pressure of modern society and the need to be perfect,’ explains Emma Löfgren, editor of Sweden’s expat mag, The Local. ‘But, lagom helps you accept you’re fine just the way you are.’ Lagom living is about living in
a way in which we’re not taking too much, but also not denying ourselves. In the March issue, we look at the ways it can benefit your fitness, welbeing and nutrition.
GRAB A MARCH ISSUE OF TOP SANTE TO FIND OUT MORE! – https://magsdirect.co.uk/magazine/top-sante-march-2017/
