Norway was just named the happiest country in the world. Why are they so darn happy and what exactly is hygge? Can we baby boomers adapt some of that into our lives to feel more joyful?

My interest in the word was peaked after reading the latest World Happiness Report, a survey of 155 countries, that was released just last week.

Once again, despite frigid arctic temperatures and months of darkness, the happiest people on the planet apparently live in Nordic countries.

As mentioned, Norway jumped up three spots to claim the title of “world’s happiest country” for the first time. Denmark, the previous winner for three years in a row dropped to second. These countries were followed by Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden.

In case you’re wondering, the U.S. came in 14th place, dropping down one spot from last year. Europe didn’t fare so well either. Germany was ranked 16, the United Kingdom 19, France 31 and Italy 48. Not surprisingly, people in the Central African Republic are unhappiest with their lives, according to the survey, followed by Burundi, Tanzania, Syria, and Rwanda.

In the end, as in past years, Norwegian countries took most the top spots. Could the reason they are so darn happy have to do with the Danish term hygge?

If you’re from or have visited a Scandinavian country, maybe you know about this funny word that’s hard to pronounce.  To say the word, try puckering your lips and aim for a throaty word somewhere between hoo-gah and hue-guh. The good news is, it’s easier to embrace hygge than to pronounce.

Hygge is also difficult to define, but is translated loosely into the English word coziness and is associated with relaxation, indulgence, and gratitude. However, Norwegians would probably argue there’s much more to the word.

Hygge requires being present in a moment – whether it be simple, soothing, or special – that brings you comfort, contentment, or pleasure.

The word refers to the ability to enjoy the good things in life with people you love. Hygge can describe soft candlelight, comfort foods like a pork roast or home-made cinnamon pastries, sitting by the fire on a cold night with fuzzy socks, or simply being kinder to yourself and others. It’s about transforming an afternoon cup of tea into an event with friends. Some people translate the word as coziness of the soul.

So, let’s get back to this year’s happiness report and see what hygge has to do with the results.

The report looks at several happiness indicators, including a nation’s per capita GDP (gross domestic product, often used to measure a country’s economic growth) social programs, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.

It should be noted that although people in Nordic countries are comparatively well off financially, the report proved that money does not equal happiness. This is shown by the surprising fact that Costa Ricans are apparently happier than much wealthier Americans. Another economic powerhouse, Japan ranked poorly at 51. Mexicans and Guatemalans scored happier than the Japanese, even though they are much poorer.

Some would argue that Norwegians are better able to appreciate the small but comforting things in life – or hygge – because they already have all their basic necessities in place. That includes free university education, social security, universal health care, efficient infrastructure, paid family leave, and at least a month of vacation a year. Baby boomers struggling to retire and live off social security checks may argue, with their basic needs met, Nordic countries can focus on their well-being and what truly brings them a better quality of life.

Maybe that’s true, but I think we can learn a few lessons from the Norwegians and the way they live.

The idea of practicing hygge is carried over into their work as well as recreational activities. Are you working overtime and on weekends? Unheard of in Nordic countries! Most businesses shut down before 5:00 p.m.

Plus, Norwegians have proven to be less materialistic than other cultures, appreciating low-cost activities and simple things in life. They focus on experiences instead of stuff. If we adapt this attitude we baby boomers may not need as much money for retirement. Instead, a strong emphasis is put on quality time and sharing meals together as a family in a cozy atmosphere. Priority is given to maintaining cherished relationships and supporting communities.

Yes, these countries have harsh weather, but these people are a hearty bunch who show their appreciation for nature and the great outdoors year round. In winter, most Norwegians aren’t sitting in their houses all depressed. They can be found skiing, dog-sledding, snowboarding, snow-shoeing, and enjoying the spectacular northern lights. During summer months, they take advantage of the warmer weather to hike, swim, cycle, and sail.

In the end, I think the report confirms that happiness has less to do with money and success and more to do with spirituality, our relationship with others, gratitude, a giving attitude, and being present and mindful.

And maybe adding a little more hygge to our lives.

So, go ahead. Eat that pastry guilt-free, invite friends over for a glass of wine by the fire, or luxuriate in a candlelit bath. Savor the moment and let the warm, fuzzy feelings flow.

Images courtesy of Maxim Weise and graur razvan ionut at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Back by popular demand: a new CURRENTLY Fall 2016 Blog Hop.

Along with some blogger friends, I’m sharing where I am currently in life, what I’m reading and watching and what I’m loving and dreaming about this fall.

Sit back, have a read, and check out some of my recommendations if you’d like. Then visit the other #Gr8Blogs listed at the end of this post for more Fall 2016 CURRENTLY inspiration.

*Reading…

The last book I read was All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda. The novel caught my eye because of the unusual way it is told in reverse, going backwards in time.

As the book begins, the reader learns about Nicolette’s current life. She’s from a small town in North Carolina and escaped to Philadelphia, but returns home to take care of some family business. Nicolette is quickly pulled back into the mysterious disappearance of her best friend a decade before. Only days after her return, another girl goes missing. The plot thickens.

The novel was a bit confusing, but the story definitely kept my interest. My perspective and suspicions shifted drastically as I moved backwards in time. Not to brag, but I did guess the ending about a quarter way through the book, but maybe because I’m a writer who looks at plot lines very closely. Everyone I know who read this book was surprised by “who done it.” I’d give it four out of five stars.

*Watching…

Just finished Season Five of Longmire. If you haven’t seen this series, you’re missing out. Check it out on Netflix. I love, love it. Robert Taylor plays the charismatic sheriff and is supported by Katee Sackhoff (from Battlestar Galactica) and Lou Diamond Philips, who so marvelously plays my favorite character, Henry Standing Bear.

My husband and I also recently watched the Ron Howard documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week, which covers their touring years from 1963 to 1966.

If you’re a baby boomer like me (or even if you’re not!), you’ll love the great footage of the Fab Four’s earliest – and most joyful and optimistic – performances. Howard provides a real feel for these four extremely close young friends on their exhilarating and crazy journey as Beatlemania kicked in and how it affected them.

The first wave of baby boomers were reaching their teens and, as the documentary points out, there were more teenagers in the world during that time than any other age group. As you watch the footage, once again, you’ll be amazed by and wonder exactly what inspired such hysterical pandemonium – the massive shrill screaming, fainting, and weeping of completely obsessed girls. Not even The Beatles themselves could figure it out.

The four, only teens themselves when they were starting out, formed a special tight camaraderie. As the documentary shows, they lovingly looked out for each other, as the only ones on earth who truly knew what it was like to experience the insanity that ensued. In fact, The Beatles were so close that decisions had to be unanimous, Paul McCartney explained. That included their brave refusal to perform if the audience was segregated as was typically the case in the Deep South during the 60’s.

The documentary demonstrates brilliantly how the fame and chaos sadly took away The Beatles’ pure and innocent joy of performing their music. And no wonder. Suddenly it took hours to restore a semblance of order at their concerts, people were injured, and the band received death threats as a result of John Lennon’s remarks comparing the group’s popularity to Jesus. The lyrics from their song, “Help!” takes on new meaning in light of these events: “When I was younger, so much younger than today…And now my life has changed in oh so many ways.”

The Beatles swore off touring and went into the studio to experiment with their music a few days after they were forced to perform during a torrential rainstorm in an open-air stadium. Tour roadie Ed Freeman confesses in the documentary: “My job was to sit backstage with my hand on the plug and the instructions were: If anyone fell down, knocked out by the shock, then I would pull the plug and that would stop the show. It was a joke.”

I saw this documentary after attending Desert Trip which featured McCartney. Considering all the challenges this band faced in the past, it was good to see that he has rediscovered the joy of performing in front of a large audience once again.

A nostalgic must-see. The documentary is currently available on Hulu.

*Thinking About…

My next book.

As a professional writer, many people encouraged me to share my experiences as a full-time caregiver for my Mom who suffered from Lewy Body dementia (a cruel combination of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s) to help other caregivers and family members with loved ones who have this debilitating disease.

At first, I couldn’t do it. The heartbreaking experience of watching my Mom rapidly deteriorate both physically and mentally before my eyes, the difficulty of taking care of her at the end when she began to lose all bodily functions, as well as her death were all too painful to relive.

Although it still won’t be easy, after a year and a half, I’m ready to tell my story and put all my feelings into words in honor of my dear mother who I loved more than life itself. She faced her disease courageously.

It is my hope that my experiences, my successes, and my mistakes can help other caregivers and all of those who are losing their loved one a little bit at a time like I did. I want to help them cope with the challenges, learn how to take care of themselves during this challenging time, and succeed with their noble and important role as a caregiver.

*Loving…

My God and my refuge, who saw me through the last few challenging years and continues to bless me in so many ways. My loving husband who has supported and loved me for more than 38 years. My children and grandchildren who bring me such joy.

The above photo of our family was taken at breakfast while visiting my youngest son and his wife who live up near Sequoia National Park. Later, we all visited Kings National Park – my first time there and it was gorgeous. Loved that quick weekend trip too!

*Anticipating…

I live in the California desert where we have long, long hot summers. November is the first month we’ll have temperatures that hopefully are no longer 90 degrees-plus. We planted our fall garden with the grandchildren last weekend. I’m looking forward to many pleasant evenings on the patio with a roaring fire, a good book, and a glass of wine. Also anticipating some relaxing time on our sailboat as the summer crowds at the beach die down and we enjoy our new slip in a quieter area.

*Wishing…

Still wishing for that trip to Africa and it looks like my lifelong dream may become a reality in the next year or so…stay tuned.

*Making Me Happy…

That I am privileged to live another day.

So there you go. Thanks for stopping by and sharing a bit of my life with me. For more Currently Fall 2016 inspiration, visit the #Gr8blogs below.

CURRENTLY Fall 2016 Blog Hop: Finding My Bliss

By Sondra Robbins Rymer

CURRENTLY Fall Blog Hop: Find Your Autumn Inspiration

By Cat Michaels

CURRENTLY Fall 2016 Blog Hop: Autumn Inspirations and Obsessions

By Auden Johnson

CURRENTLY Fall Bog Hop: Autumn Bliss

By Carmela Dutra

CURRENTLY Fall Blog Hop

By Corrina Holyoake

If you are so inclined, please share some of what’s inspiring you these days in the comments below.

Image courtesy of [in order of appearance] everydayplus, artur84, and Master isolated images at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Baby boomers can remember a time when we paid cash for everything. Unfortunately, we’ve become a country of  credit card addicts.

On average, an American has $4,717 of credit card debt. Only 35% of credit card users don’t carry a balance. That means if you pay off your bill every month, like you’re supposed to, you are in the minority.

For most of our lives, my husband and I happily fit into that latter category. We lived debt-free with the exception of a mortgage and at times a car loan.

We wisely stayed out of credit card debt which was incredibly freeing.

Perhaps part of that reason is that we’re baby boomers.

Our generation was taught to stay home if we couldn’t pay for a trip with cash. The same goes with buying new furniture, designer clothes, the latest technical gadget, or unnecessary stuff we couldn’t afford. My father, who went through the Depression as a child, always taught me it was a huge no-no to fall into the trap of credit card debt.

In today’s world, however, it’s oh-so-easy to use plastic to pay for things we want. In addition, even with the best of intentions, sometimes debt is unavoidable. Credit card debt isn’t always a result of a lack of budgeting or over-spending. For example, a medical emergency or the loss of a job may leave people no choice. Recently, my husband and I were forced to use our credit cards for legal expenses.

This turn of events in our financial lives has motivated me to take a closer look at living more frugally. If you’re in debt and tired of the stress or just want to save more money for retirement, to travel, or to pay off your mortgage early, living more simple and prudently is certainly worth a look.

Why Live More Simply?

Living frugally or as a “cheapskate” may have a bad rap. Now, I’m not talking about reusing plastic bags, making my own shampoo, dumpster diving, or foraging through the forest for food like some of the cheapskate websites suggest. Kudos to you who have that kind of self-discipline, but I don’t have the time and patience for all that.

Just some simple lifestyle changes, such as eating out less, carefully considering purchases, and setting spending limits.

Still, making changes is never easy. Trying to adjust spending habits without good reasons to motivate you will likely fail, leading you to return to your old ways. So, let’s dig a little deeper on the benefits of living frugally for some inspiration.

Jeff Yeager has been dubbed the “Ultimate Cheapskate.” In his book, “The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means” Yeager personally interviewed 300-plus self-described cheapskates. He noted that, surprisingly, for the vast majority, their decision to live a frugal lifestyle wasn’t based on money.

“Their attitudes and approaches to money were most often grounded in something bigger, such as spiritual, religious, or ethical beliefs,” Yeager writes in his book. “They weren’t hoarders or people intent on amassing a large bank account for the sake of having a large bank account. Rather, they were people who were content, by and large, with what they already had.”

Let’s examine what inspired these cheapskates more closely. What are some significant benefits of living frugally and debt-free?

Nurture Your Spiritual Side and Help Others

If you live prudently, you’ll have more time and money to help others.

This may surprise you, but frugal people tend to be quite generous when it comes to giving to people in need as well as contributing to charities and other social causes. As you know, helping others is a surefire way to make you happier.

When you’re chasing the almighty dollar and working around the clock to support an extravagant lifestyle, it only stands to reason that your spiritual life will be pushed to the side.

If you’re a Christian, you may be familiar with Bible principles that tout the wisdom of keeping money in its proper place, being humble, content, and grateful, avoiding envy, the value of careful planning, and steering clear of borrowing. Living frugally will help you put all those principles to work in your life.

Living below your means will provide you enough wiggle room to do something meaningful with your money. In addition, when you live frugally you are more appreciative of what you have and learn to make the most of your resources.

Freedom to Live the Life You Want and Retire Early

“Let’s face it- being fashionable and hip is time-consuming,” Brook Raymond points out in his article, Frugal Living: Seven Hidden Benefits. “When you’re intent on always having the best, you have to spend time figuring out what that really means. You have to shop around. You have to read product reviews. You have to flip through consumer magazines to see what other people are wearing, doing, and using in order to get up-to-date on all of the hottest trends.”

True, true. When you’re not trying to keep up with the Joneses, you have more time for what really matters. You’ll be free to follow your dreams.

Debt is a burden that can sink you into despair. It can tie you down to a job you hate or a place you don’t want to live. You can easily become a slave to money and things – spending all your time working to keep up with your neighbors to the detriment of your family and other important relationships.

What’s your perfect day look like? I would bet it’s not slaving at a job all day to pay for things you really didn’t need in the first place. Perhaps it’s waking up without an alarm clock, doing something meaningful with your day, spending time playing with your kids or grandkids, or strolling through nature. Financial freedom is the ticket to do the things you really want out of life.

If you’re older and still saddled with debt, in all likelihood, you’ll watch your retirement dreams slip away.

On the other hand, being frugal now means that you can put more away for retirement. Instead of spending your golden years working, you’ll have the freedom to spend time with your family, volunteer, travel, enjoy hobbies, garden, or any other number of pleasurable activities.

If you learn to live frugally now, you won’t be accustomed to an extravagant lifestyle that you’ll strive to maintain when you’re older. You can live on less and still be happy, which means there’s less to put away.

Sounds good to me!

Benefit the Planet You Live On

Here in California we’re in a severe drought, so our family has saved money and water by using grass in our yard. Oh, I balked at the idea at first, but I adore the low maintenance and the much lower water bill. We also got off the grid with solar power which lowered our electric bill here in the hot desert by about $300 a month during the summer months. We planted our own garden and started a compost pile. Love it. The beauty of all that is it saves us tons of money while we’re helping the environment.

On average, each American creates approximately 4.38 pounds of waste or trash per day. That adds up quickly in an alarming way. If you live frugally, you’ll make fewer purchases which means you’ll throw away less. Instead of automatically tossing out stuff that stockpiles in landfills, you’ll find ways to fix, recycle and re-purpose things. Because you’re grateful for what you have, you’ll refuse to let things go to waste.

You’ll drive your old car for 10 years instead of buying a new fancy one every three years. During that time, you’ll save money so you can buy your next used car without going into debt. You’ll use fuel efficient cars or public transportation, reducing the greenhouse effect and global warming. You’ll find simple ways to use less electricity by turning down the thermostat, flipping lights off when not in use, and planting trees for shade.

You get the picture.

Enjoy the Benefits of Better Health

Obviously, people who live frugally tend to have lower stress levels, which we all know means better health.

In addition, eating simple, healthy meals at home saves a ton of money and is much healthier than fattening dinners at fancy restaurants. Buying fresh food and produce that is in season tends to be cheaper than packaged junk foods.

While saving money on gas, cheapskates walk or bike whenever possible which provides exercise with all its health benefits.

Using homemade cleaning products instead of all those chemicals is healthier and less expensive.

Be Happier, More Fulfilled, and Content

Spendthrifts, compulsive shoppers, and those trying to impress others often picture frugal people as tightfisted, Grinch-like, miserable types who pensively pinch every penny until the day they die.

However, that’s a misconception. Living frugally does not mean a life of deprivation. Quite the contrary, frugality can lead to happiness and make you more satisfied and fulfilled.

As Yeager writes in his first book, “I’m afraid we live in a culture that’s more concerned about amassing a quantity of stuff rather than amassing a quality of life.”

Studies have repeatedly shown that putting experiences before things fosters long-term feelings of happiness rather than brief bursts of excitement.

What have you got to lose? Try living more frugally and reap the benefits. Become part of the “cheap pride” movement. Make cheap the next cool.

Images in order of appearance, courtesy of Mister GC, hyena reality, and Stuart Miles, at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.