Lagom: 5 tips to fully experience the Swedish way of life (2024)

The United Nations has released the World Happiness Report again this year. It involves the ranking of 156 member countries sorted by the degree of happiness of its citizens: the Scandinavian nations dominate the podium and seem to really have something to teach all the others. In particular, we have often heard about the Lagomlifestyle, defined as the Swedish response to the Danish trend called Hygge, which focuses on all those moments full of familiarity, warmth, harmony and conviviality.

Quali sono le caratteristiche del Lagom?

What is Lagom?

Lagom in the Swedish language literally means not too much, not too little, the right amount, and is a philosophy that aims to balance, in every area and juncture of everyday life.

Lagom is the secret that explains a lifestyle based on social awareness, moderation and sustainability.

So Lola Akerström, photographer, journalist and author of the book Lagom, the Swedish recipe for living with less and being happy, defines this incredible philosophy of life that is also a genuine way of dealing with routine.

1.Be positive

The concept of Lagom is based on a proud opposition to excess and on a rejection of originality at all costs, hence the first, fundamental advice that the Swedish lifestyle provides us with: balance as a true goal, the "enough" as the ultimate goal, to dispel the myth of being satisfied as a negative trend. Knowing how to grasp something positive in every situation, being able to learn from every experience, aspiring to live fairly and in harmony with the world.

In short, being able to find happiness even in hidden corners and live sobriety as a conquest rather than a condemnation, all this makes the Lagom lifestyle not only relevant, but also essential in the frenzy in which we are forced to live every day. This principle of simplicity also applies to the kitchen, which is based on a concept of sustainability and the use of genuine ingredients. Swedes are also careful to limit the consumption of meat and not to buy food that results from practices that are unsustainable or even harmful to the environment.

2.The importance of exercise and sleep

Although it is an inner state, the Lagom philosophy is composed of many concrete applications. The second piece of advice it gives us is to find time for both exercise and rest, both activities that purify the mind and help to deal with everyday life in a positive spirit. Finding time to relax, indulge in little joys or carve out a corner of peace to recharge, are all different solutions to get away from the anxieties or worries of work or family. The Lagom lifestyle focuses heavily on the concept of "ritual", a simple activity that we dedicate to ourselves to try to intercept our deepest needs and live more consciously.

3.Sustanability and environment

The third advice, and one of the pillars of the lagom philosophy, is to recognise the importance of recycling: to know how to reuse and give new life to used objects but also to relocate furniture or old things with creativity, imagination and taste. Everything in the lagom lifestyle is based on sustainability, energy saving and the use of materials that respect the environment, and this also applies to fashion: how to proceed with a purchase?

Imagine how many ways you could wear the clothes you see, complete with more or less elegant accessories. If you can see at least five looks, proceed with the purchase.

4. Simple but functional

In short, Lagom means harmony, moderation, utility and versatility, and all these indications also apply to the house, to which the fourth advice of the Swedish philosophy applies: choose a functional and logical furniture. The well-known furniture brand Ikea has dedicated to Lagom an entire line of furniture, characterised by simple and clean lines, just respecting the priority given to practicality, convenience and resistance.

A Lagom house is therefore comfortable and welcoming, but also ecological and sustainable: getting rid of the superfluous and keeping only what makes us really happy, objects that have a history and are important because they convey emotions: this is the mantra of the Lagom lifestyle.

5.Imperfection is beauty

The last piece of advice that Swedish philosophy gives us is to abandon the (unattainable) goal of perfection: there is nothing more frustrating than aspiring to something unattainable. Wonder lies in the middle ground, in the moments of imprecision and imperfection that characterise our lives, in moments of forgetfulness and freedom. Once we have recognized the subjective proportions that allow us to reach a balance, it is only up to us to defend that space by focusing on small steps. True happiness is knowing how to immerse oneself in one's life with joy and preserve the strength to face every day with serenity, living and working with harmony, simplicity and awareness.