Table of Contents
Njuta- (enjoy, delight in)
The Swedish Art of Savoring the Moment.
There are a lot of interesting Swedish traditions and cultural information in this book! If you’d like to learn more about how these concepts are practiced in Sweden, taking time to read the full book will be worth it! For this post, the specifics of Swedish tradition will mostly be left out in favor of going over the simplified tips and pointers the author provides.
This book talks about different ways to truly savor the moments we enjoy, and how to be mindful of ways to improve them even more.
It starts off with prompting you to make a list of things that make you happy or “njuta”. This has also been referred to as a list of strawberries, a list of gratitude, or anything else you’d like to call it!
Making a list like this has very positive benefits on the mind, and it is always a good idea to do it when you have some time!
Now, let’s dive into the main categories of this book.
Maximizing and Savoring Moments of Comfort
- A key aspect and probably the biggest part of njuta is simply being more mindful and putting in a bit more effort to enhance good moments.
Take a bit of extra time to think about how you can make your “me time” even more rejuvenating and lovely
- If you are taking a bath, you could add a few drops of essential oil, or light a candle, or add some bubbles.
- If you want to chill out and watch a show, consider preparing a yummy snack and bringing some blankets.
Simply put, the littlest bit of effort can make the biggest difference when the special time arrives.
2. Romanticization! Take an extra second to make the food you cooked for yourself look pretty and appetizing, really take in the beauty and the delicious flavor of it. Come to your senses and ground yourself in positive moments whenever possible.
- Exercise care in the details. Pretty bowls for your food, lighting pleasant candles. You deserve nice things no matter the occasion.
- If eating with a certain spoon brings you joy, it might be worth it to wash it so you can further enjoy dessert!
3. Try not to multitask. Your brain needs breaks! Allow yourself to enjoy just one thing. Really be present for that movie, rather than scroll on social media at the same time.
4. The importance of me time
- Having time for yourself promotes self discovery, creativity, and positive peaceful emotions.
- Boundaries and saying no/ nej. Knowing how to care for yourself and when you need to recharge. It is easier said than done but the key is small steps and practice!
- Taking time to cook, and enjoy it! (light candles, nice music, glass of wine or tea)
Freeing Up Time
The quality of our free time is something that can be leveraged and so can the quantity of how much we have. (though, another thing that is easier said than done)
Here are some ideas on how to use your free time to your advantage.
Social media and phone usage is obviously something that can suck the joy and mindfulness out of our relaxation time.
Our phones are specially crafted and designed to keep us on them for as long as possible. Which means it can be a really tough habit to beat. But have comfort in the fact that progress is not linear.
If you have the goal to cut down your screen time, the more you try the more you will find what methods work for you and which ones don’t.
Here are a few tips that can make a big difference! (the gist of them is to make your phone more boring)
- Turn your phone to grayscale
- Make the screensaver simple
- Remove enticing apps (social media, entertainment, addictive video games, etc). Even just removing them from the home screen can make a difference
- Have someone as an accountability buddy. You can report to each other how much your screen time was this week. Explore why. What apps did you excessively use? Is there progress from last week? Where were you when you were on them?
Thinking about these questions can give a lot of insight on what to pay attention to.
Another helpful pastime is to ask yourself what you actually want. Take time to think deeply about it. Ponder what the genuine answer is. Ask yourself what kind of person you want to be and how you genuinely wish to spend your time.
What do you want each day to look like? Regularly come back to this. When you are about to mindlessly open Instagram, pause and ask: What do I actually want to do right now?
Managing Expectations
Our minds are very powerful, within them lies our personal reality on the world and ourselves.
In order to truly appreciate our lives and the beautiful moments it brings, we must manage and examine our expectations on how good life “should” be.
It is easy to get caught up in the expectation of others, comparison, and opinions on life and it’s true meaning. It is part of being human. But it can be pretty difficult to enjoy the small moments if your view is something like “life is hard work until you die”.
There is nothing wrong with shifting your perspective!
Practicing not sweating small stuff. Understanding that excessive fretting over a situation wont help it. Easier said than done to “just stop worrying”. Like anything else, it takes practice. Practice using self soothing phrases.
- In the book, the author shares common Swedish phrases and examples such as: det löser sig – (it will work out), det är vad det är – (it is what it is), ingen fara, det är ingen ko på isen – (no worries, there’s no cow on the ice)
Release expectations of others. You cannot control others, and trying to do so never ends well.
Most of the time, we suffer more in our minds than we do in reality. When we are disappointed that someone did not meet our subconscious expectations, is it really their fault? Regardless, it is now our problem if we continue to fixate on it.
When we release this need of other people to be a certain way, we find exceptional inner peace and acceptance. We are also able to enjoy relationships with others through greater patience and understanding.
Taking Care of Your Body
Food! One of life’s greatest joys. When you are eating, try being mindful and taking time to savor it.
In the book, Niki Brantmark talks about the importance in Sweden of the seasons in relation to food. When in warmer seasons, they are able to forage for berries and fresh produce. They truly appreciate having fresh, locally grown fruits because they couldn’t do so throughout winter.
Allow yourself to long for something. For example: cooking. Working and waiting for your food makes it taste all the more sweet and satisfying.
Take any opportunity to create a peaceful experience. When you are cooking, cleaning, eating, reading, etc.
Taking Care of Your Surroundings (Home)
One big way of making your home a peaceful and comforting place is to focus on the senses.
- Scent: candles, flowers, air fresheners, air purifiers, open windows
- Touch: pleasant fabrics, comfortable temperature
- Sight: pleasant colors, organization & little clutter, aesthetically pleasing
- Sound: plants, fans, noise machine, music
This book recommends having more natural decor such as wood, leather, linen, stone, wool, and glass. Bring nature inside the home to bring more positive feelings.
Keep your interior in tune with nature. In the book the author describes most Swedish homes as having cool and light colors to balance the warm summer seasons, and as it gets colder people go for more cozy warm colors.
Focus on maximizing the decor for each season as well. If it is fall or winter, it would be a good idea to have a basket of blankets nearby, for example.
Another idea for the design of your space is having chairs by windows. The book mentions how we tend to feel safe and comforted being able to see out the window while relaxing.
Find excuses to celebrate and gather. Have a campfire and sing songs with friends, find an excuse to have friends over for dinner, plan a game night with family.
Enjoying Nature
Having sensible clothing for the weather is very important. The Swedes like to say that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.
Adopting a positive mindset about any weather can be difficult, but it is well worth practicing in order to appreciate the good parts of each season.
We want to be able to flow with nature and not cling to a single type of weather too much. To help us do this we can maximize each season to its full potential. When it is winter time, go all out in keeping things cozy (and festive near Christmas time), to help with any winter blues.
Doing this will also help us move on as the seasons pass. If you did all of the fun summer things during summer, you will be more accepting of the chilly season rolling in.
Spend plenty of time in nature. Being in nature helps us to reflect and take in life more slowly. A perfect way to njuta is to go to a place in nature that you enjoy the most. A beach, a hiking trail, a park, etc.
Of course, camping is always a great idea as well. Camping is a huge part of Swedish culture, and is a fantastic way to connect with nature and ourselves with less distraction from the everyday.
An extremely important part of enjoying nature is respecting it and learning about it. Pay attention to animals and plants. Pick up a nature-oriented hobby such as bird watching, identifying animal tracks, identifying plants and berries, etc
Last but not least, learn about safety in nature! It is always a good idea and can be very fun if you let it be.
Work Life Balance
Here are some ideas on making your work life a bit more pleasant based on this book.
Make your morning enjoyable. Wake up earlier if possible so you can take your time and really enjoy the slow and peaceful start to your day. Take some extra time to be wrapped in a blanket enjoying your morning coffee/ tea and hearing the birds sing
Shake things up a little and try different things like taking a new route to work
If you have any control over what your surroundings look like, decorate it to be pleasing to you! Such as plants or pictures of loved ones.
Take plenty of breaks! If you don’t give yourself enough breaks, you will burn yourself out quickly and most likely won’t be as productive anyways. Our minds and bodies need rest, and it is very worth it to take a moment to step away from work every once in a while.
Focus on your comfort. For example, headphones to tune out background things, a cushion to sit on, a blanket or sweater if it gets cold, etc.
More Resources
If you are interested in learning more about this book and the author, Niki has a website and an Instagram account that you can follow!
