The Swedish have always had a lot to offer the world.
In my lifetime there have been those great individualistic brands of Volvo and Saab, the prolific Billy Bookcase, sneakily indulgent Daim Bars and my favourite so far, their welcome gift of the word Fika meaning a coffee and cake break in an otherwise hectic day.
That word has its origins in Swedish for Coffee (kaffi) but with a bit of imaginative swapping and removal of letters to create a trend in that part of Scandinavia that has taken the hipster social group by storm globally.
The phenomena that is Fika has now, however, been surpassed in my perception by an even more revolutionary and inspiring movement and that is Lagom.
Derived from the Swedish phrase "Lagom est bast" as in "the right amount is best, in moderation and in balance" it seeks to insert into the human psyche a deeper held philosophy of fairness and equality.
These qualities have, unfortunately, tended to be sidelined in the relentless quest for materialism that engenders selfishness and ignorance of the plight of others.
It is a deep cultural thing to Swedes hearkening back to the Long Houses of the Vikings where, at communal gatherings to commemorate or celebrate whatever there was to commemorate and celebrate, a cup of fermented honey and herbs was handed around with each person just taking enough so that the beverage could be enjoyed by all those under the roof.
This goes against my whole image of the Vikings who in history just seemed to live to excess in everything from fighting to raping and pillaging. "
Lagom is about achieving and enjoying what can otherwise be an elusive balance in all aspects of life covering family, our working hours and everything in between.
It is a commendable philosophy and even more applicable to the 21st Century with all of its stresses, strains and fears of social and environmental issues.
It could not be farther away from, for example, the "loads of money" culture of the 1980's, the hedonistic obsessions of the 1990's and the social media driven excesses of the Millenium and to the present day.
What can we do to embrace and benefit from Lagom?
Well, in your home life why not have a bit of de-cluttering or in true IKEA mantra- chuck out your chintz!
It is not wrong to keep and embrace the things that you love but have a bit of a thought behind what you intend to buy. A social conscience is the buzz word here.
In our work just get on with everybody as best as you can. I was shocked and somewhat amused by the concept of an employee of the month parking space at a large multi-national company and the inevitable competition that attaining that fleeting celebrity will have engendered. So what that your walk to the front entrance of the office is that little bit shorter.......and for just 4 weeks?
Mingle a bit with your colleagues which could be a simple a thing as taking your break away from your desk. I was once quite envious of cigarette smokers in my office as they had formed a very tight knit group for their regular mass exodus out to the concourse or behind the bike sheds for a quick fag but there is no need to imperil your own health to make friends any more. Just share a cuppa and a digestive biscuit or huddle around the water cooler and discuss the latest story lines of the TV Soaps.
A main principal of Lagom is to just switch off at home. The emphasis is to display a bit of thrift but if you are keeping to your budget and income this does not mean you have to compromise on quality. It is a holistic concept that appeals and benefits your wellbeing in mind and body.
An important aspect is to get some proper and quality rest. This could be just relaxing or actually sleeping as nature intended.
In what you eat there are no real rules but just have manageable portions.
Holiday a bit and really take time off from your usual routine. Even if that two week block of vacation seems to take an age to come around every year seek some respite in between in a favourite leisure activity on foot, on two wheels or by any other physical or mechanical means.
You don't have to be the life and soul of the party; keep your friendships simple and form those bonds that will see your through your lifetime.
Above all, make time for the things in life that matter most.
Just deciding what they are might be your greatest challenge.
In my lifetime there have been those great individualistic brands of Volvo and Saab, the prolific Billy Bookcase, sneakily indulgent Daim Bars and my favourite so far, their welcome gift of the word Fika meaning a coffee and cake break in an otherwise hectic day.
That word has its origins in Swedish for Coffee (kaffi) but with a bit of imaginative swapping and removal of letters to create a trend in that part of Scandinavia that has taken the hipster social group by storm globally.
The phenomena that is Fika has now, however, been surpassed in my perception by an even more revolutionary and inspiring movement and that is Lagom.
Derived from the Swedish phrase "Lagom est bast" as in "the right amount is best, in moderation and in balance" it seeks to insert into the human psyche a deeper held philosophy of fairness and equality.
These qualities have, unfortunately, tended to be sidelined in the relentless quest for materialism that engenders selfishness and ignorance of the plight of others.
It is a deep cultural thing to Swedes hearkening back to the Long Houses of the Vikings where, at communal gatherings to commemorate or celebrate whatever there was to commemorate and celebrate, a cup of fermented honey and herbs was handed around with each person just taking enough so that the beverage could be enjoyed by all those under the roof.
This goes against my whole image of the Vikings who in history just seemed to live to excess in everything from fighting to raping and pillaging. "
Lagom is about achieving and enjoying what can otherwise be an elusive balance in all aspects of life covering family, our working hours and everything in between.
It is a commendable philosophy and even more applicable to the 21st Century with all of its stresses, strains and fears of social and environmental issues.
It could not be farther away from, for example, the "loads of money" culture of the 1980's, the hedonistic obsessions of the 1990's and the social media driven excesses of the Millenium and to the present day.
What can we do to embrace and benefit from Lagom?
Well, in your home life why not have a bit of de-cluttering or in true IKEA mantra- chuck out your chintz!
It is not wrong to keep and embrace the things that you love but have a bit of a thought behind what you intend to buy. A social conscience is the buzz word here.
In our work just get on with everybody as best as you can. I was shocked and somewhat amused by the concept of an employee of the month parking space at a large multi-national company and the inevitable competition that attaining that fleeting celebrity will have engendered. So what that your walk to the front entrance of the office is that little bit shorter.......and for just 4 weeks?
Mingle a bit with your colleagues which could be a simple a thing as taking your break away from your desk. I was once quite envious of cigarette smokers in my office as they had formed a very tight knit group for their regular mass exodus out to the concourse or behind the bike sheds for a quick fag but there is no need to imperil your own health to make friends any more. Just share a cuppa and a digestive biscuit or huddle around the water cooler and discuss the latest story lines of the TV Soaps.
A main principal of Lagom is to just switch off at home. The emphasis is to display a bit of thrift but if you are keeping to your budget and income this does not mean you have to compromise on quality. It is a holistic concept that appeals and benefits your wellbeing in mind and body.
An important aspect is to get some proper and quality rest. This could be just relaxing or actually sleeping as nature intended.
In what you eat there are no real rules but just have manageable portions.
Holiday a bit and really take time off from your usual routine. Even if that two week block of vacation seems to take an age to come around every year seek some respite in between in a favourite leisure activity on foot, on two wheels or by any other physical or mechanical means.
You don't have to be the life and soul of the party; keep your friendships simple and form those bonds that will see your through your lifetime.
Above all, make time for the things in life that matter most.
Just deciding what they are might be your greatest challenge.
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