The other evening, wrapped in a thick knit blanket with the soft glow of a candle dancing across the room, I had one of those moments. You know the kind—the kind where time slows, your heart feels full, and you find yourself thinking, "Why don’t I do this more often?"

It wasn’t a grand event or anything particularly special. Just a simple, slow moment filled with warmth, stillness, and something that felt a lot like peace.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how rarely we give ourselves permission to lean into joy—especially the small, everyday kind. The hygge kind. The kind that whispers, rather than shouts. That invites, instead of demands.

What Does Joy Really Look Like?

Sometimes we associate joy with big things—holidays, life milestones, or bucket list adventures. And while those certainly have their place, I’ve found that some of the richest moments of joy are the ones we almost miss. The quiet ones. The cozy ones. The ones that slip into our days unnoticed unless we’re really paying attention.

I’m talking about:

- Lighting a candle before the sun fully sets.
- Stirring a pot of something warm and fragrant while music hums softly in the background.
- Pulling on your softest socks and settling into your favorite corner of the couch.
- Hearing the gentle clink of a spoon in a tea mug on a chilly morning.
- Watching snow fall from inside, wrapped in your coziest robe.

Joy doesn’t need to be loud or dazzling to count. In fact, the quiet joy—the cozy joy—is often the most lasting.

A Winter Wake-Up

Fall has a way of reminding us to slow down—but winter? Winter asks us to truly pause.

There’s something about the start of a new year that invites reflection. Maybe it’s the hush after the holidays, the way the world goes still. Maybe it’s the way we instinctively reach for warmth—deeper mugs, thicker sweaters, longer hugs.

And yet, even now, joy can still slip through the cracks of our calendars. The truth is, it’s not just the season that needs to change—it’s how we choose to live within it.

A Shift in Perspective

What if we began to treat joy like something essential, not optional?

What if, instead of viewing joy as a luxury to be earned after all the chores and meetings and responsibilities, we saw it as a necessity—like food, sleep, or fresh air?

What if we made space for it, instead of just hoping it sneaks in?

These days, I’m trying to do exactly that. And no, it doesn’t look like overhauling my entire life. It looks like this:

- Lighting a candle while answering emails, just because.
- Taking five minutes before bed to stretch, sip herbal tea, or read a few pages.
- Saying no to things that feel like obligations and yes to things that light me up inside.
- Sitting by the window with a blanket and just watching the snow.

Your Cozy Joy List

We often think we need more time or fewer obligations to welcome joy into our lives. But most of the time, all we really need is intention.

So I invite you to make a little joy list of your own—just for this season. Not a to-do list. Not a productivity plan. Just a few cozy, gentle things that make your heart exhale.

Here’s mine for winter:

- Bake cardamom buns and eat one warm from the oven.
- Keep a basket of cozy socks by the door.
- Make a pot of chai and drink it slowly while watching the snowfall.
- Start a new book and give myself permission to read it just for pleasure.
- Call a friend just to chat—no reason, no agenda.
- Watch the same movie on the first snow day (it’s still Love Actually).
- Take a short walk at dusk, bundled up, just to see the lights turn on.

Let It Be Simple

Joy doesn’t have to be aesthetic. It doesn’t need to be worthy of a post or captured in the perfect photo. True hygge joy is personal. It’s yours. And it doesn’t need an audience.

What matters is that you make space for it. That you treat your happiness—not the performative kind, but the soft, soulful kind—as something worth showing up for.

So if you’re feeling like life is moving a bit too fast… if your schedule feels heavy and your heart a little tired, consider this your permission slip. Prioritize joy. Not someday, but today.

Make the tea. Light the candle. Toast the bread. Watch the snow. Invite a friend over just because.

Wrap yourself in the kind of moments that make you pause and think, “More of this, please.”

Because this—this simple, cozy, intentional life—it matters.

And you deserve every bit of it.

Explore our shop for hygge-inspired goods designed to help you prioritize joy—beautifully, simply, and warmly.