But I just can't seem to make up my mind which colour scheme works best or maybe you have another colour that you think might be even better? Any input would be really useful and if you want to learn more about why Nordic Walking is so Hygge and good for you then please check out the blog post below on my Nordic Walking site -
Have you
heard about Hygge (pronounced Hoo-guh) a Danish concept of cosiness that spans
the Nordic countries? Here at Ministry
of Nordic Walks it seems to be fitting perfectly with what we do in our group
walks particularly at this time of year.
1: Happiness and Mindfulness
Denmark (where Hugge originates)
regularly tops The World Happiness Report (commissioned by the United Nations
since 2012). Meik Wiking, Charlotte
Abrahams and Louisa Thomsen Brits (authors of books on Hygge – see below) link
Hugge to mindfulness techniques and happiness science where people should be
experiencing and concentrating on the pleasures and sensations they can
appreciate in the present moment leading to increased well-being and feelings
of happiness and contentment.
Nordic Walking in the autumn and winter months
brings lots of these types of pleasurable moments. The warm snuggly feeling of woollen
socks, gloves and hats, the heating up of the body through the physical
exercise, the beauty and aesthetics that surround us in nature as we walk along
and the lovely feeling of having been out and exercised – all giving us a
little bit of Hygge which we can appreciate.
2: Get Back to Nature
Signe
Johansen in her new book “How to Hygge” sites the Nordic love of being at one
with nature and enjoying the great outdoors as central to the concept of hygge.
This is backed up by several studies that show that those who exercise outdoors
are more likely to keep up a constant routine as well as walking outdoors
burning more calories than using a treadmill due to factors such as wind
resistance, inclines and downhill slopes.
Nordic Walking is ALL about getting
outside and getting off the beaten track and into nature. The Nordic poles help with stability and power
on inclines as well as reduce downhill stress and we all agree walking with
others keeps us coming back for more!
3: Clear Your Head
Hygge is all
about having that feeling of being content. Research has shown that being
outdoors in a park or forest environment lowers stress levels, increases feelings
of energy, is associated with greater feelings of revitalisation and positive
engagement, boosts your self-esteem whilst decreasing tension, confusion, anger
and depression.
Our group Nordic walkers often talk
about how Nordic walking really helps them to attain a feeling of happiness and
contentment as we walk along various pathways along canals and through tree
lined areas. The constant rhythm of “planting”
the poles firmly, helps decrease tension or any anger issues and many have
commented upon the positive mental health well-being they feel Nordic walking
in such natural surroundings gives them.
4: The Joy of Exercise
Hygge views
being physical (taking exercise) as being enjoyable and not to be seen as a
chore or something laborious. Signe Johansen points out that hygge is about the
joy of exercise as a group activity and collaborating to achieve a sense of
community. Studies show that sedentary
lifestyles are as dangerous to our health as smoking and dramatically increase
our risk of contracting serious health problems such as cardio-vascular disease,
diabetes and cancer. So health and
happiness are linked in hygge.
Nordic walking in groups achieves
this sense of community and joy of exercise as we decide on which routes to
take and new places to explore. The use
of the poles aids to the pace and length of walking routes we cover so decreasing
any feelings of walking becoming laborious.
5: De-Stress with
something warm to drink
Hygge also
encompasses another Nordic tradition of Fika – which is a daily break to sit
down and enjoy a hot drink allowing oneself to de-stress.
Our Nordic walking groups often begin and end at cafes
and many of our walkers make use of these facilities either before or after a walk
– the social aspect makes it a welcome break from the hurley-burley of life.
References
Books
Charlotte Adams – Hygge: A Celebration of Simple Pleasures – Living the Danish
Way
Signe
Johansen - How to Hygge
Louisa Thomsen Brits -
The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well
Meik Wiking - The
Little Book of Hygge
Research Journals
J. Thompson Coon, K. Boddy, K. Stein, R. Whear, J. Barton, M.
H. Depledge. "Does
Participating in Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Environments Have a
Greater Effect on Physical and Mental Wellbeing than Physical Activity Indoors?
A Systematic Review." Environmental Science & Technology, 2011; : 110203115102046.
Miyazaki Y, Lee J, Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Matsunaga K. "Preventive
medical effects of nature therapy" Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi. 2011 Sep;66(4):651-6.
My vote is for the pale blue background. It's more eyecatching than the brown and more visually interesting the white. The red is a little angry looking. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs it is also the colour of the tabard and back-pack I use, this would probably go well with my established colour scheme. Thank you for your input, Click :)
DeleteNo, I would go for the red. It says more, not just anger. For me, it says that here is the place to stop and think.
ReplyDeleteI like your reasoning, Susan and therefore it would catch people's attention. I think there's a Christmas cosy type of vibe to it when I look at it :)
Delete