by Dee | Jan 24, 2019 | Featured, GloWellness
As I landed in Denmark several years ago for a very special music conference, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of warmth from the people, in the restaurants and bars, with a general feeling of wellbeing.
As I strolled along the canal on a freezing January afternoon, the sheepskin rugs that adorned every chair outside the bars and eateries, and glow of the outside log burners and heaters filled the air with a feeling of comfort and welcome.
So when I started to learn about Hygge, which is the Danish way of keeping that feeling of warmth and security, in spite of the temperature outside, it brought back all those memories.
It is not surprising therefore that Denmark has again been voted one of the top three countries for happiness of its inhabitants. This is not to do with money, and in fact Denmark has a stable government but very high taxes. But the people are happy to pay, as they feel it will just add to their own economy and provide even more security and comfort.
After some research, the best summary of this philosophy is depicted in Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness by Marie Tourell Søderberg. As one great review says ‘Others books will tell you how to be hygge. This is the only book that will show you’ and this is true. Read on to discover the outline of the book in a nutshell, as the description does not disappoint the reader, and I fully recommend that as we are struggling to find solace in these post festive Winter months, there is a way of overcoming and even relishing the colder climes without drinking too much wine or spending too much money with retail therapy.
‘Though we all know the feeling of hygge instinctively few of us ever manage to capture it for more than a moment.
Now Danish actress and hygge aficionado Marie Tourell Søderberg has travelled the length and breadth of her home country to create the perfect guide to cooking, decorating, entertaining and being inspired the hygge way.
Full of beautiful photographs and simple, practical steps and ideas to make your home and life both comfortable and cheering all year round, this book is the easy way to introduce hygge into your life.’
So are you ready for a big hygge, I know I am, and I am going to make it my business to try it for myself, and bring some joy into my home this Winter – the Danish way!
by Dee | Jan 11, 2019 | Featured, GloWellness
The word ‘retirement’ would always conjure up images of sweet old couples downsizing from their family houses to move even further into the country or seaside location of their dreams to live a simple life of quiet and calm whilst playing bowls at the local club or strolling along the promenade having planned their ‘twilight’ years long before their ‘sell by date’.
The entire concept of ‘retirement’ is really dying out, especially with folk living longer and being given the opportunity to explore the world after the ‘nine to five’ or selling their own company to explore new pastures.
How many times do you hear of someone ‘retiring’ and achieving their life long ambition to give up work entirely and to then suddenly expire themselves the following week! Sorry to be so morbid, but it is a fact, and explanations for this demise range from the ‘sudden lack of stress’ to ‘having nothing to live for’ having fulfilled their ambition.
So it is not surprising to learn that it is fast becoming a trend, once the kids have flown the nest or reaching a certain age, that people are moving into town to enjoy all the amenities of city living with the amazing variety of restaurants, theatres, shopping and culture centres literally on their doorstep.
It may be you haven’t reached that stage yet, but are thinking about a life or career change, as the concept of life employment is also changing, with the uncertainty of the economy and diverse career paths on offer.
It is also a belief that living in a town can work out more expensive than living in the country, but our research has revealed the opposite, as with careful planning you can ditch the car in the City and opt for free transport or walking everywhere if you live centrally. You can also obtain less expensive deals on eating out and entertainment if you shop around or acquire memberships.
The first example is a female freelancer who had decided that marriage and kids was not for her, so at the age of 55, cashed in her pension early, relocated to the East End of London, and now works from home just a few hours a week. The rest of the time she catches up with exhibitions and theatrical productions, and eats out at least twice a week, all within her budget.
Another is a writer who has relocated to the centre of Birmingham, after his kids left home, where he walks to his office space (as writers never retire) and enjoys all the amenities of the City with its trendy restaurants and bars, shopping and art galleries.
Both are good examples of where focus is changing when it comes to retirement or early relocation, with choices in town outweighing those of rural climes. So whatever age or income the possibilities are endless.
So if you live in the country and are being deafened by silence, consider your options, and don’t rule out the opportunities that are waiting just a heartbeat away, in the centre of your nearest City.
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by Dee | Jan 2, 2019 | Fashion, Featured
Just over 20 years ago, when I lived with my family in South London, I was lucky enough to experience the wondrous ‘corner shop’ in all its glory before they virtually disappeared from our streets for good. My daughter was just two years old when we moved to ‘The Borough’, and that was before it had become Yuppie Central. We lived in a fabulous square, inhabited by actors, artists, writers and the original South Londoners who had inherited the flats and houses from their families.
It was a fantastic time for us all – mainly due to the corner shop which was run by an Italian couple who treated us all like their own offspring. It was a meeting place for us to link up with the other inhabitants of the Square, an emotional support centre when you had a problem and a crèche when any one of us parents had to dash across town to a meeting or audition. On several occasions they delivered soup to my door when we had a bug and couldn’t go out, and even fed our cats when we were away. More like a family than a grocery store, and they managed to keep the food at a reasonable price in spite of the Supermarket being down the road and even ran a ‘tab’ for elderly residents who were struggling to meet their food bill until they received their monthly allowance.
Like so many of these spectacular places, they eventually had to close because of the extortionate rates that were raised by the greedy commercial landlords, and this was in spite of a huge petition from us all and a plea to maintain some sort of heritage in the area.
I am telling you this because I feel passionate about our High Street, and really don’t want the same thing to happen to so many shops and outlets throughout the UK that are being affected by our lack of support through the convenience of the online purchasing that is becoming the norm.
A very good example of a successful remaining retail outlet, I am happy to say, is a local boutique which is still being supported by customers in the flesh, who need to try on their fabulous clothing – a big ‘shout out’ for The Forge in Gerrards Cross www.theforgeboutique.com. This is similar to the corner shop concept as a meeting and greeting place – and I was amazed when I moved to the area two years ago, and found someone being comforted in the boutique just before Christmas. The poor lady had a melt down because it had all got too much for her with the demands of the time of year with the food and present buying shopping, preparing the house for a large number of people – do I need to go on!
But I was delighted to witness that with some TLC from the customers, and a hug from the shop keeper, she went away feeling she had the strength to cope.
This is why we have to take responsibility and somehow build into our schedule the time to go out and hit our High Street. It doesn’t mean we have to spend lots of money, but you will be surprised how much you can save when you search for a bargain in some of the local stores, and the satisfaction and pleasure it will give you knowing you are contributing to keeping the heritage of the High Street alive.
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