The older I get, the more I desire warmth in my life. To me, living a cozy life is simply enjoying the small joys of each day: a warm cup of coffee, morning sunlight, cuddles with my cats, and fresh laundry.
While life is often overwhelming, and stressful, grounding myself with these little pockets of warmth—pockets that are simple but easy to overlook in the busyness of ordinary life—brings me comfort.
When I used to hear the word “cozy,” I would immediately think about things I could add to my home or clothes I could wear. But I’ve come to believe that living a cozy life is more of a mindset.
It’s a mindset of slowing down, being present, and savoring the small, beautiful moments that so often pass us by in the rush of adulthood.
As children, we naturally sought comfort and joy in simple things—a favorite blanket, a warm drink, or curling up with a book. Reconnecting with those small pleasures reminds us that happiness doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big changes, but from cherishing life’s quieter, softer moments.
You can choose to plan a perfect cozy day for yourself. It’s all about letting go of the stress, relaxing, and choosing the simple pleasures for yourself.
I am already sensing my brain release feel-good hormones as I write about it. It feels as comforting as experiencing it- like savouring the coziness in the mind before it even begins.
Hygge and Cozy Life
Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) has captured the world’s attention in recent years. But this concept is far from new. In fact, the word “hygge” dates back to the 1800s, originating from a Norwegian and Danish word for well-being. For the Danes, hygge is more than a word—it’s a way of life.
Recently, I read The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking, which beautifully explains how hygge isn’t tied to a single object or activity. Instead, it’s about an overall experience—a feeling of coziness, well-being, and happiness.
The Hygge Manifesto according to the book is about:
- Atmosphere: Turn the Lights Down
- Presence: Be in the here and now, that means away from your phone.
- Indulging in simple pleasures.
- Equality in sharing the tasks
- Being Grateful
- Living in Harmony
- Getting comfortable
- Truce with no drama
- Togetherness
- Shelter
It also made me realize how we’ve been practicing Hygge in little ways throughout our lives. Enjoying a warm cup of coffee/tea with loved ones, eating pakoras on a rainy monsoon day, or binge-watching Harry Potter on the weekends.
It’s a Danish way of practicing self-care to add joy and happiness to our lives.
Inspired by this, I want to share some ways I’ve cultivated coziness in my life and a few more we can try.
Related: 80 Tiny Ways to Improve Your Life
Disclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links to Amazon products. If you click on these links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue creating content. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Simple Ways to Create a Cozy Life
1. A Warm, Spiced Cup of Comfort
In Denmark, hygge often includes warm drinks like hot cocoa or mulled wine. In India, nothing screams coziness quite like a cup of steaming masala chai.
Brewed with spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, chai is an experience. Sipping chai on a rainy afternoon or sharing it with loved ones is a quintessential Indian moment of comfort.
When I am at home, I like to brew my Darjeeling tea and enjoy it with Nan-Khatai biscuits. You can elevate the chai experience with earthenware cups (kulhads), soft lighting, and a quiet moment to truly savor the drink.
Tea-time is my favourite time of the day, and I may be speaking for all Indians who love drinking chai. It is a ritual that adds coziness in my life. In winters the feeling of warmth from my favourite cup feels so soothing.
2. Create Rituals to Look Forward To
Hygge thrives on rituals—those small, intentional practices that bring structure and joy to your day. Anticipating small joys—like my favorite snack or a cozy evening—gives me something to look forward to, no matter how the day unfolds.
Examples of the little things I look forward to:
- The ritual of brewing and sipping my tea or coffee.
- A quiet moment spent watching the clouds drift or the rain fall.
- The first bite of a favorite meal or snack.
- The comforting feeling of cuddling with my cats or hugging a loved one.
- Lighting a diya, a candle, or some incense in the evening to set a calming tone.
- Wearing a soft sweater or wrapping myself in a blanket when it’s chilly.
- Finding the perfect line in a book or writing something that makes me smile.
- Feeling the satisfaction of finishing a small task, like tidying up a corner of my space.
- Sinking into a chair with a warm drink and letting the day fade away.
These little moments feel exciting because they’re ours. They’re personal unique and full of meaning. These little bursts of excitement throughout the day keep me engaged, grateful, and present.
3. Declutter and Simplify
In order to invite coziness in our lives, we need to nudge a little bit and put some effort to declutter and make room for tidiness.
A cozy home doesn’t have to be filled with things. In fact, minimizing clutter and only keeping items that truly bring you joy can create a more peaceful space.
Regularly decluttering allows you to appreciate what you have and focus on what really matters, rather than feeling overwhelmed by excess.
There’s nothing quite like sliding into bed with fresh sheets after a long day. It’s such a small weekly ritual, yet it feels incredibly luxurious and comforting.
But the real magic comes when Lili and Lalu, my mischievous little feline companions, decide to join in. The simple task of spreading the sheets turns into a mini play session, with them pouncing, batting, and diving under the fabric like it’s their own personal playground. Their energy is infectious, and before I know it, we’re all tangled up in a few minutes of spontaneous fun and laughter.
It’s these unexpected and silly moments, filled with love that add so much warmth to life. By the time the bed is finally made, the day’s stress has melted away, and the room feels like a haven of coziness, ready to welcome us into a night of rest and snuggles.
Related: A Decluttering Guide to Help You Get Organized
4. Curate Your Own Joy
Ultimately, cozy living is personal. What brings you joy may not be what brings others joy, and that’s okay.
Define your own version of coziness, whether it’s cuddling up with a comforter on the couch, listening to a playlist of songs that calm your mind, or spending time with your pets.
Love yourself enough and know yourself enough to treat yourself with moments of coziness and joy.
How you want to add coziness into your life may be different for different days. Today, I don’t feel like cooking. So, I’m gonna have my favourite Thai styled Chowmein with Shrimp from my all-time favourite restaurant here in Kolkata. Food, after all, is one of the simplest and most accessible ways to spark joy and coziness.
The beauty lies in knowing yourself enough to give yourself exactly what you need.
5. Create a Cozy Reading Nook
Designate a small space in your home as a cozy corner for reading or relaxing.
A comfy chair, soft lighting, and a blanket are all you need to create a personal sanctuary. A reading nook is incomplete without a warm beverage to sip on as you immerse in the stories.
Keep a stack of your favorite books nearby and carve out time to escape into a story—it’s a hygge-approved way to unwind.
My favourite books to read for a cozy read are:
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
- The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J.Klune
- Anxious People by Fredrick Backman
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Also Read: Book recommendations for self-love
6. Practice Gratitude Daily
Hygge is deeply tied to the practice of contentment, and gratitude plays a big role in this.
Cozy activities like sipping tea, reading a book, or baking naturally lend themselves to moments of gratitude and a cozy life. While you engage in these comforting routines, take a moment to mentally list the things you’re grateful for
I try and find small opportunities for gratitude while performing routine tasks:
- While folding laundry, I appreciate the comfort and warmth of my clothing.
- While cleaning my home, I am grateful for the space I have.
- While cooking, I appreciate the ingredients and the nourishment I’m about to create.
Gratitude has been a quiet yet constant companion in my life. It doesn’t demand grand gestures or elaborate rituals—it simply flows, often effortlessly, from the small moments that touch my heart.
When I hold my cats and feel their soft fur against my hands, I can’t help but thank God for them.
And then there are moments like savoring my favorite street food, puchka. As I bite into those tangy, crispy little balls of happiness, I feel a deep sense of gratitude—not just for the flavors that delight my taste buds, but for the panipuri seller who puts so much care into creating them every day. Watching them work with precision and dedication reminds me to appreciate the hands and hearts behind the simple pleasures in life.
Check out these gratitude journal prompts for your journaling routine.
7. Disconnect to Reconnect
Technology often distracts us from the present moment, so try setting aside time each day to unplug.
Let yourself be bored and indulge in screen-free activities to spend your time. Spending time with friends with family is a natural way to unplug.
Designate a ‘Tech-free Zone’ in your home if the space allows. You can have a table with no electronics (Inspired by Austin Kleon), no phone, no laptop, just writing pads and journals and everything non-digital.
A calming space for meditation can be your space for your tech-free time in the morning.
When we unplug, we become more aware of our surroundings and the little details we often overlook. This mindful presence helps us slow down and savour simple pleasures, which are essential to creating a cozy life moment, and hygge-inspired atmosphere.
It’s okay to give your mind a break from constant stimulation. Baking banana bread while your home fills with its comforting aroma, or painting while sitting by a sunlit window, creates a cozy experience that technology rarely offers.
8. Share Moments of Togetherness
Human connection is one of the most important aspects of a cozy life because it fulfills our need for belonging, emotional support, and shared joy.
Adding cozy moments of togetherness doesn’t have to be elaborate. It’s about creating opportunities to connect and enjoy the little things in life.
When we make momo with our group of friends, all of us sit together, chatting, laughing, and making dumplings only to have a hearty meal afterwards. The hearty meal is followed by playing cards, or tambola (similar to Bingo), and singing karaoke songs aloud.
Make a ritual out of the everyday. Share a slow breakfast on a Sunday morning, light candles during dinner, or enjoy evening tea together. You can sit with your child and make cute bookmarks.
It’s cozy to turn small, everyday activities into intentional, shared moments. For instance, fold laundry with a friend or partner while chatting, or enjoy gardening together.
9. Relish Quiet Time
In order to embrace a cozy life, you have to give yourself the permission to rest and recharge without guilt. For me, alone time is a way to restore my energy.
For me, a warm and cozy nap, and reading a good book, and merely watching sunset alone contributes to my wellbeing and also acts as quick stressbusters.
Journaling is also a cherished way to spend my me-time. It helps me clear my mind and when I write down everything that’s on my mind. Spending time alone is also an intentional practice of self-care and finding contentment within ourselves.
Massaging your feet with warm oil or drinking a turmeric latte in silence can be comforting and cozy self-care practices.
You must be okay with saying no when you need to protect your energy and peace and relish some time in solitude to be better able to connect with yourself.
It’s okay to let the dishes wait. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is to prioritize rest, relaxation, or a moment of joy over chores. Life doesn’t have to be perfectly clean or productive all the time. Letting go of that pressure, even for a little while, can be a form of self-care.
You may like: How to Slow Down and Relax
10. Practice Mindful Living
Mindfulness is the soul of living a cozy life.
I’ve become the kind of person who sees beauty in the ordinary. Washing dishes, sipping tea, or folding laundry—these small, repetitive tasks that once felt mundane now hold meaning.
What I’ve come to realize is that mindfulness doesn’t just make the good moments better—it makes the hard ones more manageable. By grounding me in the present, mindfulness softens the edges of stress and anxiety. It reminds me to breathe, to let go of the things I can’t control, and to focus on what is, rather than what was or might be.
Even on days when I stray from the mindful path, when stress creeps in, and I find myself complaining about the little things, mindfulness always calls me back. There are moments when deadlines feel overwhelming, when small inconveniences pile up, or when my mind races with “what-ifs.”
In those moments, I sometimes forget to be mindful. I stress, I vent, I overthink. And that’s completely human.
Living mindfully allows you to create a cozy, and meaningful life.
But, mindfulness reminds me that stress and complaints are fleeting, and that I have the power to shift my focus toward gratitude and calm.
Must Read: How to Embrace Mindful Living
At its core, I’ve learnt that hygge is about connecting with what makes you feel most alive and most yourself. It’s about listening to your heart and choosing joy and warmth in whatever form that takes.
A cozy life isn’t something we achieve; it’s something we feel in the moments we choose to savor—a favorite chair by the window, the glow of a candle, or the warmth of a simple meal shared with others.
Cozy living reminds us that the beauty of life isn’t found in rushing but in slowing down and embracing the joy already around us.
