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Book marathon: Elisabeth Karlsson "Lagom. Swedish secrets to a happy life." Lagom. Swedish secrets to a happy life Excerpt from the book

Since I missed the “hygge” trend, I decided to turn my attention to the “research” of Swedish life and its cornerstone concept - lagom. To do this, I read the book of the same name and now I’m ready to tell you about what makes a Swede happy, and whether it suits a Russian person. The abstract seemed interesting because the approach to life described in it is close to me.


Lagom is a Swedish philosophy and way of life. Lagom is a balance between work and personal life, it is moderation and respect for nature, it is concern for the environment, it is reasonable minimalism, it is the Swedish laconic style, so popular now. The philosophy of Lagom is to focus on what is best for you, not what is perfect.


What can I say... It’s difficult for me to evaluate this book.

On the one hand, it has a wonderful design. Thanks to the soft-touch cover (the same as that of “Sparks of Joy” from the same publishing house), and even with the texture and design of a light wood, you don’t want to let go of the book. Her appearance is simply created for photographs on a warm lamp book Instagram.



Small size, color illustrations, thick paper, turquoise bookmark - all the attributes cozy books that are nice to give and receive as a gift.


You look forward to an exciting read, stocking up on coffee and cinnamon rolls, and subconsciously trying on a sweater with deer.

On the other hand, the content raises questions, the main one of which is why did I buy this? Along with the aforementioned coffee, there is quite a bit of water and general phrases in the book. It seemed very superficial to me, starting with the author’s joke in the first pages about Vikings in helmets with horns (well, really, it’s like me starting to write a book about Russia and in the introduction mentioning my tame bear Boris, who brings me a glass of vodka and felt boots, and then turns on the nuclear reactor so I can work in the heat). Of course, some specifics are mentioned, some features of Swedish life are shown, but there is no order or research in this. No conclusions or generalizations, like in the book about Madame Chic and the French way of life. In Anna Brons's book "Lagom. Nothing Superfluous" the same information about the philosophy of Lagom is presented much more logically.

Almost all of these questions can be answered with “moderation” or “moderately.”

In general, Elizabeth Carlson's entire book is a rehash of ideas about how good it is to be equal, practice moderation and go on coffee breaks with colleagues - fika- several times a day.


This simple philosophy is enhanced by baking recipes, nettle soup and gardening tips.


Ask yourself: “Is this enough?” rather than “Can it be better?” Ask if you are happy with life, and don't ask if you are happy. The first does not exclude the second, but if you get hung up on the concept of happiness, it will lead to disappointment.

The Swedish state cares about its people, Swedish citizens care about their nature;

The Swedes love fika during the working day, but they use the remaining working time very productively and efficiently (what efficiency consists of is not said);

Recycling garbage is good, recycling while staying after the end of the working day is bad;

Go to bed early. Get up early. It is also advisable to leave work early (at this point Boris and I burst into tears);


The work to-do list should be short, and on weekends it’s better not to plan anything at all, but to go to the forest;

A hike in the forest is the most normal vacation. You can breathe some air and pick up nature's gifts for lunch. All for fika you can take it with you, then it will turn out quite lagom(and perhaps even hygge);

If there is no forest nearby, grow flowers and edible herbs on the windowsill;

Working in the garden is also very lagom, if you don’t plow upside down in the beds;

If you are not at all drawn to the earth, volunteer, join a book club or choir. The choir is lagom, everyone participates in a common cause and has the opportunity to express themselves without standing out from the team;


Food should be easy and quick to prepare, healthy and nutritious. What you don't eat, freeze;

Label the packages so you don't confuse chili with strawberries. You can freeze herbs, cream, and coconut milk in ice trays. Freeze overripe brown bananas to make ice cream or smoothies. Make an elderberry drink and freeze it in airtight bags to ensure it doesn't spoil.

Prepare from local seasonal products (judging by the previous quote, thanks to the efforts of gardeners in Sweden, coconuts and bananas grow well, just some kind of Chunga-Changa and constant happiness);

To make your home feel Swedish-style, think about what items you can remove. Bring pebbles, driftwood and acorns to the vacated space (again, reserves in case of nettle and coconut harvest failure). Wherein

keep it simple. For every new item, get rid of two old ones.

Walk in any weather and teach your children to do the same. Choose suitable clothes for this (it turns out that Dr. Komarovsky is a bit of a Swede!);

Subject index. I especially liked the “freedom to roam” - you can go to any land and you won’t be kicked out, provided that you don’t do anything dirty there.

You can read a book about Swedish secrets to a happy life. There are no secrets there, but the reading turns out to be pleasant and unpretentious - quite enough for pleasure.

Elisabeth Carlsson

THE LAGOM LIFE: A SWEDISH WAY OF LIVING

First published in the United Kingdom IN 2017 under the title The Lagom Life: A Swedish Way of Living by CICO Books, an imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Limited 20–21 Jockey’s Fields London WC1R 4BW

© Zmeeva Yu., translation into Russian, 2017

© Design. LLC Publishing House E, 2017

What is Lagom philosophy?

Why is the philosophy of lagom becoming more relevant every day?

What is the secret to life satisfaction?

Why doesn't "positive psychology" work?

Why is it good not when there is a lot, but when there is enough?

Why do Swedes avoid saying “yes” and “no”?

How to work in Swedish?

How to please yourself and your loved ones: treats in the spirit of lagom?

How to find a balance between work and personal life?

How to spend the weekend in accordance with the lag?

How to cook food according to lagom principles?

Why are breaks necessary?

How to bring lagom into your home?

How to do lagom style fitness?

How does lagom affect appearance?

How to take care of your health in the spirit of Lagom?

How to get in touch with nature while living in the city?

How to find balance and harmony?

Introduction

Lagom is a simple, practical life with respect for others. Growing up in Sweden, lagom was part of our daily life. Then I didn’t think about what it was.

The essence lagom in balance. My mother prepared dinner according to this principle. And she said about the temperature in the lake “lagom”, that is, “warm enough” (although then it seemed to me that the water was too cold). Lagom also means living in accordance with the norms of society - the teenager sees this as a limitation of his freedom. Now I understand, I had a difficult relationship with lag, and probably most Swedes can say the same, although they are not always ready to admit it out loud.

At 19, I rebelled against lagom and moved to Madrid, where life was completely different. After Sweden, the sounds of Madrid were deafening, people here were open, did not hesitate to express their opinions and did not try to hide their emotions.

I liked this difference of cultures, but no matter where I ended up: in Spain, and later in other places, the philosophy of lagom remained with me. Swedes living abroad are united by a tacit and confident knowledge of how to live “correctly.” Correct means in accordance with the lag.

Even if we Swedes move abroad to escape lagom, from a distance it begins to seem like the optimal way of life. Far from home, we want to live in accordance with the lag, as we understand it: not to stick our neck out and not try to grab too much of a piece, but to rejoice when everything goes well, to be happy for ourselves and those around us, and to understand that there is nothing wrong with to be different from others, because we are all parts of an interconnected whole.

As I grew older, I realized that lagom is the key to balance and harmony in life. Lagom largely defines my personality, beliefs, choices and explains why I rebelled against it in my homeland and why I adopted it when I was abroad. The lagom of my childhood did not suit me. As I grew up, I found my balance, my sense of lagom, which I value and apply in life. Lagom does not mean a boring, safe life. Even with a lag, you can take risks, but it will be a completely different risk!

The Lagom philosophy that guides me today is one of acceptance, joy and love.

It respects differences between people and is open to everyone. This philosophy supports a person and teaches him to see new possibilities. And it applies to every aspect of life.

Lagom - what does it mean?

LAGOM is a feeling of prosperity. You have enough of everything, and you do not experience a shortage of anything.

Lifestyle

Initially, lagom was a purely Scandinavian concept, but recently this philosophy has spread beyond Sweden and become fashionable (which is quite surprising to us Swedes).

The new, “international” concept of lagom means “not too much, not too little – just enough.” This has nothing to do with savings and restrictions. If you want to learn Swedish and understand our culture, try to understand what lagom is.

First, let's find out how to pronounce this word correctly. Swedish has a sound between A And O– it is he who is stressed in the word log. It's a long sound ( la-a-ogom). Try to pronounce it correctly!

The word itself arose between the 8th and 11th centuries, when we Swedes wore funny helmets with cow horns and called ourselves Vikings. According to legend, the Vikings passed it around in a circle (“in a circle” in Swedish) laget om) a horn filled with mead, and everyone took a small sip so that there was enough for everyone. This is how the word appeared lagom. There is another theory: that the word comes from Swedish lag- law. But I like the Viking story better.

Useful word or something else?

Lagom is not only a useful word in Swedish; this concept largely explains the behavior of the Swedes.

Lagom can be applied to everything: the serving of ice cream and the size of the house, the spiciness of the sauce, the amount of drink on Friday (I'm not kidding). Wherein Lagom means not only quantity, but also quality . “Just enough” is a philosophy of moderation based on a sense of balance and caring for others.

Ben, an Englishman living in Sweden, admits that he never understood why Swedes attach lagom so much meaning. There is no such word in English, but the philosophy of lagom was not invented by the Swedes. They just have the right word for it. Lagom means “exactly as much as needed” - imprecise, but appropriate quantity. For example, at the table they ask: how much sauce do you need? And you answer: "Mehhh, lagom tack". And they give you as much as you need.

Lagom - advice: Swedes know what happiness is, largely thanks to lagom - the ability to find a balance between “too little” and “too much”.

Lagom - a concept from the past?

If you look at various forums for Swedes abroad, it becomes clear that even when we don't live in Sweden and don't speak Swedish every day, we still use the word lagom a lot.

But can we expect to be understood when using this word in a certain context?

Understanding lagom depends on the generation. For Swedes born after the Swedish group Ace of Base became popular, that is, after 1992, the concept lagom has a completely different meaning than for the older generation. Critics of lagom often say that this word means leveling and lagom stands in the throat of anyone who wants to take a step to the left or to the right.

In Sweden there is a popular brand of one and a half percent milk - Mellanmjölk, milk in green cartons whose design has not changed since the 1980s. This milk is not too fat and not too skim - enough fatty, that is, lagom. Mellanmjölk– this is what stand-up comedian Jonas Gardell, who became popular in the 1990s, called his tour. His bright personality was not to the taste of many; By Swedish standards, Gardell was by no means a lag. However, his enormous popularity testifies: many really felt the pressure of equalization in all spheres of life and therefore saw themselves in this “unlike” person.

The sensational hygge from Scandinavia has been replaced by a new fashion trend - lagom. We, of course, couldn’t stay away and tried to figure out what it was.

If with hygge everything is more or less clear: comfort, candles, large mugs of cocoa - all these little joys that help you get closer to understanding “Danish happiness”. ( You can read more about this in our reviews of Helen Russell’s book “Hygge, or Cozy Happiness the Danish Way”). With the concept of “lagom” everything is a little more complicated - this is already a whole lifestyle philosophy that influences almost all areas of life in Sweden.

As a teaching aid, we chose the book by Elisabeth Karlsson "Lagom. Swedish secrets to a happy life."

Sweden often ranks among the top ten happiest countries in the world's famous "happiness ranking study."
Lagom is more than a way of life. This is the Swedish philosophy of moderation, which is based on a sense of balance and caring for others. To live in the “lagom” style, you need to stop loading your life with unnecessary items and unnecessary things. Lagom calls for focusing only on the most important and necessary things.

The abstract sounds intriguing, the book itself has already been awarded the promising title of bestseller by stores, but is there an answer to what this mysterious lagom is?

I love Sweden. True, in absentia and completely inexplicable. It started about five years ago - I liked Swedish actors, musicians, and I began to catch myself paying attention to everything Swedish. Actually, this is the main - and only - reason why you see me here.
I passed by hygge - and would have passed by any other book about national secrets of happiness, but this time I tripped over the word “Swedish”. At one time, Sasha Skarsgard spoke a little in an interview about the lifestyle of his compatriots. And it seems that I didn’t read anything new in the book.

Seriously, what Skarsgård fit into answering a couple of questions, Elizabeth Carlson decided to spread out into an entire book. In some places, fill in the blanks with pictures, in others, use a larger font, in others, place as many as one short phrase on two pages. Of course, I’m talking about the Russian edition, but I’ll take the liberty of suggesting that others look about the same.

But everything would be fine, beautiful design has never bothered anyone, if not for the text itself. By the thirtieth page I began to shake from the same phrases. Carlson repeated the same thought over and over, over and over again, sometimes choosing synonyms, but more often than not she didn’t even bother herself with this. What happiness is there when your eye starts to twitch.

The second chapter was built on the same principle. The third one too. The fourth... well, you probably already guessed it. I especially liked the short summaries at the end of each chapter, which simply copied everything that had been written earlier, only without tons of “water.” And in the end there was a feeling that the lady no longer knew what to write, so she collected everything in a row and, of course, repeated herself again.

In addition, the book turned out to be a unique collection of not only banal advice that lies on the surface (don’t take your work home, eat when you’re hungry, find something you like, don’t clutter your apartment, respect your loved ones), but also contradictions that the author explained very simply . “Doing this is lag,” she said. – But if you don’t like it, do it differently. So you have your own lagom.” No difficulties. Everything in this world is lag. Either this way or that way. So what is the whole book about then?

And if lagom is as much as is needed, then why didn’t auntie write her book in accordance with the spirit of lagom? After all, she clearly went overboard with everything: with repetitions, with intrusive advice, with the desire to squeeze out a little more text when she couldn’t push it anymore. With instructions for growing lettuce on a windowsill and two dozen pages of recipes. A special service for those who do not have Google.

True, I don’t know how to comment on what I read. I want to make jokes and be ironic, which is what we do now with our friends all the time - oh, how many jokes on the topic of lagom the book gave rise to! But if I try to say something serious... perhaps I'm looking at things too realistically. Such advice makes me, at best, skeptical, and sometimes even irritated and hostile. You cannot try the happiness of one nation on another. There are too many factors: mentality, temperament, standard of living, situation in the country - and this is only the most obvious that immediately comes to mind. It is easy to teach happiness from Sweden, where “everything important was taken care of for us.” But some people have to do it themselves. In Africa, children are starving.

Do not misunderstand me. I still like Sweden, one greedy lady cannot change the attitude towards an entire nation and country. And in the way of life of the Swedes there is a rational grain, even more than one. If you wade through the jungle of verbiage, you can manage to snag something useful - but it’s better to find a more pleasant source. Here, instead of a cozy collection about the secrets of happiness, the result is frankly commercial nonsense. An attempt to jump on the wave of success of the recently launched hygge.

According to the rules of our project, the book must be rated. I would rate this one zero. Transferring trees to it is not a lag.

Completely different books fell into my hands: good, bad, for everyone. But this “masterpiece” surpassed anything I had ever read. Out of stupidity. Honestly, this is the most idiotic book I've ever touched. And I am still shocked by my willpower, because I read it to the end.

In short, the author took a couple of thoughts, the simplest truths, pouring them into 208 pages, adding photographs (not the most beautiful, by the way), recipes, instructions for creating wreaths (to have more pages of these, because there will be not enough thoughts) and put it into print to make money from the fashion for the Scandinavian lifestyle, which broke out last year thanks to the well-known hygge. I wrote my thesis using approximately the same method.


What kind of thoughts are these? Grow zucchini, plant lettuce in a bowl, prepare for the winter and change the curtains once a season. Apparently, my grandmother has lived her entire long life in a Russian village according to the Lagom philosophy, without knowing it. It’s amazing to me that people need to be explained in a book for 500 rubles that happiness is in simple things, that you need to spend time with loved ones and live in harmony with yourself and nature. The author (God, how can I even dare to call this woman that) talks about some principles that you don’t have to follow if you suddenly feel uncomfortable adhering to them, because this is not lagom. I was especially outraged by the garbage issue. According to the author, lagom means taking care of the environment, living in harmony with nature, recycling waste, consuming wisely, and so on. But one day she couldn’t throw the plastic into the right container; it made her nervous, and she threw it in the regular trash. And she said that it was okay to be nervous. Today I’m a vegetarian, tomorrow I’m not, because I’m tired and want to eat. Is it lagom to care about nature, or lagom to care about the comfort of your ass? Where is the philosophy here? Where is the awareness? But there is none of that in this “work.” There is only a desire to make money in public due to a beautiful cover and a new word.

These “secrets” of happiness are described in such poor, monotonous language (as for idiots, to be honest) that on page 30, where there were at most 10 tests in large font, my teeth were grinding from the constantly repeating phrases in one paragraph (the same ones, word for word, I'm not kidding). The feeling that no one cared about quality, the author, the translator, the editor, the publishing house as a whole. What kind of respect for the reader can we talk about when this is printed and sold. After reading it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had been insulted, deceived and robbed.

Oddly enough, the philosophy of Lagom is very close to me. I myself often wonder why I sometimes feel unhappy at one time or another? Either I’m missing some trinket, or a trip abroad, or praise from my boss, or a compliment from a loved one. You see, the reasons are different, but the meaning is the same, from time to time something prevents you from enjoying life to the fullest. Although, as often happens, it may turn out that today you were just happy, because tomorrow can change everything irrevocably, and no compliments, trinkets and foreign holidays will return to you this feeling of calm of the previous day. Therefore, the main thing that makes our life complete is the health and happiness of our loved ones, love, work, rest. Not too much, not too little - lag, in a word. It’s not always possible, however, to follow this, but I try to find harmony in today’s moment and discard superficial falsehood, in the form of something inaccessible to me.

But everyone has their own image of a happy life, and it is difficult to link what is presented to us on the pages of the book to the universal, and especially Russian, concept of happiness. The author, literally, cannot formulate what this mysterious lagom is, her thoughts spread throughout the text and constantly repeat the same phrases, like a wounded Chinese dummy. It's not just boring to read, it's downright boring. I want to close the book after the first chapter. There is absolutely no desire to delve into Swedish happiness.

Last year, the authors of our site, including myself, spoke unflatteringly about the Danish “hygge”, but from that book I at least gleaned some information about Denmark and still dream of walking around Copenhagen. But Sweden, just as it was an incomprehensible and distant country for me, remains the same. Elizabeth Carlson writes with wild delight (which can be heard between the lines) about the need to find a balance between work and rest. Get up early, go to bed early, always take small breaks for lunch and leave work early (at this point I cried out loud with emotion). On weekends, go to the forest to gain harmony with nature, or hurry to the dacha to plant something there, zucchini will do, parsley too. Be sure to sort the garbage, but if you are tired after work, then throw it in the first container and forget about your principles, you cannot linger and be nervous. Lagom! You need to cook from local, seasonal products, and freeze everything you don’t eat and eat it later. It’s just not clear why the author puts bananas and coconut milk in the freezer, or have farmers in Sweden already learned to grow these fruits? There is also no need to take great care of your skin, you don’t have to bother yourself with fitness - you go out into the air, find some snags in the forest, smell the flowers and there you are, you’re a beauty! This amazing lag is described in the book.

Oh yes, there are also recipes and sketches on gardening. Does this remind you of anything? It seemed to me personally that this was the most ordinary philosophy and way of life of one person, who, moreover, had not learned to express his own thoughts very well, but really wanted to write a book. Very true! One can only be happy for the author, because the result is a very beautiful publication with a cute design - just another Instagram style, nothing more, this masterpiece is clearly not suitable for reading. But sometimes it seems to me that such proliferating works are not bought at all in order to read.

As for the art of comprehending lag, you are unlikely to learn it by sorting garbage and growing parsley on the windowsill (by the way, I tried it, after six months the parsley could not stand it and withered). Lagom is a state of harmony and happiness at the current moment in time. Look at the cat. Do you see how he smiles just because there is a person nearby? And this is the real lagom.

Do you like the Lagom philosophy? Maybe you are familiar with this book or others with similar topics?

What do you need to know to live happily? Maybe you need to have some special worldview or do something special? Residents of each country have their own mentality and their own interesting ways of achieving happiness. Sweden is considered to be one of the happiest countries. For those who are interested in learning more about how people live there, Elizabeth Carlson wrote the book Lagom. Swedish secrets to a happy life."

The book talks about a special philosophy of life - lagom, which most Swedes follow. They know how to live calmly, but at the same time manage to complete important tasks. The book contains a lot of advice on various topics. For example, it talks about home improvement, storing things, the importance of order and the absence of trash. There are important points regarding work and time spent with family. The topic of relaxation is also given attention, this should not be forgotten. The author talks about how people in Sweden view sports and active recreation.

These tips will help you manage your time wisely, avoiding stress. One of the most important rules of lagom is that there must be balance in everything. You need to be able to work, but it is also important to be able to rest. The most necessary things are enough for happiness. The book will also delight you with pleasant pictures that create a special atmosphere of comfort and warmth.

The work belongs to the Self-Improvement genre. It was published in 2017 by Eksmo Publishing House. The book is part of the series "Hygge. Cozy books about happiness." On our website you can download the book "Lagom. Swedish secrets of a happy life" in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. The book's rating is 3 out of 5. Here, before reading, you can also turn to reviews from readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In our partner's online store you can buy and read the book in paper form.

Lagom is a Swedish philosophy of harmony. “Just enough” is a philosophy of moderation based on a sense of balance and caring for others.

We selected 25 secrets of Swedish happiness from the book Elizabeth Karlsson .

How to become happy with lagom

Ask yourself: “Is this enough?” rather than “Can it be better?” Ask if you are happy with life, and don't ask if you are happy. The first does not exclude the second, but if you get hung up on the concept of happiness, it will lead to disappointment.

Plant seeds, take care of them, watch them grow - this will give you joy for a long time. Try growing an unpretentious grape tomato; it can be planted both in the garden and in the apartment. French radishes grow even with the most inexperienced gardeners: you can harvest them in early spring. The easiest flower to grow is sweet tobacco. It is undemanding and very fragrant: the buds bloom at dusk. There are several varieties.

Find time for activities that help restore inner balance. Sometimes we feel like we have to do certain things to be happy - forget about this “obligation”! Do whatever brings you joy, whether it's baking, decorating your home, or taking regular walks outdoors.

Get involved in charity or volunteer work. For example, you can help organize a tea party for lonely pensioners and bake homemade cookies for them.

How to find a balance between work and personal time using lag

Reduce the number of activities planned for the week and weekends. On the weekend, set aside one day when you have nothing planned. This is a day to restore balance, spend spontaneous time and spend quality time with family.

If you can’t leave work at 5:30 p.m., try leaving a little earlier than usual. How will this affect your day? Knowing that work needs to be completed by a certain time will help you work more efficiently.

Good rest is the key to efficiency and stress reduction. Try to go to bed on time and get up a little earlier than usual. An extra half hour in the morning will give you a feeling of control over time and self-confidence - feelings that you are unlikely to experience when doing everything on the run. If it's still dark outside when you get up, light a candle and drink tea from your favorite mug.

Ask yourself honestly how balanced your week is in terms of free time and busyness. Are you planning too many obligations and things to do? Perhaps you should organize your interactions with people differently. For example, a book club is a great example of a lagom-style activity. You meet with friends, go to visit, chat and also read. A walk in nature is an ideal lagom-style holiday that brings harmony.

How to cook lagom style

Freeze food for future use. Label the packages so as not to confuse chili with strawberries. You can freeze herbs, cream, and coconut milk in ice trays. Freeze overripe brown bananas to make ice cream or smoothies. Make an elderberry drink and freeze it in airtight bags to ensure it doesn't spoil.

Don't let the vegetables wilt. To keep salad leaves and green leafy vegetables fresh longer, wash them, place them in a sealed plastic bag and put them in the vegetable compartment. Too much parsley? Finely chop it and freeze it.

Buy seasonal and local products. Don't use expensive imported ingredients brought from the other side of the planet - they always sit in the cupboard for years, no one can finish them! Buy local honey, potatoes, pick your own berries and nettles for soup. Find out which fruits and vegetables are in season and cook according to the season.

Plan your menu for the week ahead to reduce food waste. Cook simple meals throughout the week. You can prepare one dish for two days. Save new and complex recipes for the weekend, when you have more time.

How to arrange a house with lag

Reduce the number of things. For several months, remove one item from each room once a week - you will notice that your condition has improved. The less stuff you have, the more time you have for activities that really interest you. Harmony and balance are completely in the spirit of Lagom.

If you buy a new item, let it be not only beautiful, but functional and high-quality item. Look for handmade items, visit fairs and meet new artists and designers. Or perhaps your home already has what you need.

Invite nature into your home. Use natural eco-friendly materials in decoration - wood, wool, metal. Get indoor plants. Take cuttings from friends and share your cuttings. Collect twigs, driftwood, acorns, pebbles from the beach - all this brings you closer to nature.

Don't clutter your home. Keep it simple. For every new item, get rid of two old ones.

How to take care of your health like Lagom

Lighten up your workout routine and don't overexert yourself. Everyone should have time for rest, work and active movement. Find a way to move that has real benefits for both your body and soul. For example, go for a run alone to clear your head, or go for a walk with a group to socialize.

Look for balance, but don't make it an end in itself. Accept that there is always a slight imbalance in life. There are days when you have to work harder and there is nothing you can do about it. On other days you have time for fitness. Let go of the urge to control every hour. Relax.

Keep it simple. Use natural cosmetics and a minimum of products. Taking care of your skin is actually simple - healthy food, rest and fresh air will do almost all the work for you.

Buy high-quality equipment for walking in any weather and get outside, despite the rain and snow.

How to live in peace with the whole world by lag

Think often about the consequences of your actions. Trust that even small changes will resonate in the “big” world.

The next time you have an argument, try being lax and finding a compromise. People with different opinions can easily coexist in peace.

Reuse and recycle your trash. It's even better if you start buying products with minimal packaging so you don't have to throw anything away.

Start singing in a choir or join an interest group. The more you communicate with people in a team, perceiving them positively, as a group of like-minded people, and not as individual unpleasant individuals, the better you will begin to understand the world around you and empathize with people.

From an early age, spend a lot of time with your children in nature. Let them develop respect for the environment and the world in which we live.