A Scandinavian way to begin the year - less doing, more being.

A Scandinavian way to begin the year -  less doing. more being.

A quiet beginning to the year – inspired by the North

In the North, a new year rarely begins loudly.

Of course, there are plans here too. Ideas, intentions, to-do lists. But the underlying mood of January is different: outside, it is dark, often very cold and quiet – quiet in the particular way only winter can be, when everything is covered by a thick layer of snow. And perhaps that is exactly why so much in Scandinavia feels like a gentle counterbalance to haste and pressure: less speed, more warmth. Less “I have to”, more “now is a time to rest.”

A central part of this culture is its deep connection to nature. People do not simply live in nature or close to it, but withnature, in harmony with it. In Norway and Sweden, there is even a word for this: friluftsliv – a way of life that describes simplicity, closeness to nature and a sense of inner spaciousness. For many, this also means allowing the calm of winter to be lived and felt, rather than spending January mentally fixated on a summer body or the next holiday.

And then there is the light.

Anyone who knows Scandinavian winters understands that light is not just decoration. Light is care. Orientation. A sign of warmth and hope in the darkness. Candles in windows, soft light in the morning, a conscious moment of pause.

Perhaps this is one of the most important lessons we can learn from the North:
You do not have to change anything in order to begin the year well. You are allowed to arrive first. Our January selfcare ritual is inspired by the North for exactly this reason – because it is something many of us could gently take to heart.

Our Scandinavian-inspired selfcare ritual for January

This ritual is not a New Year reset.
It is an arrival.

Not “I need to improve myself.”
But rather: “I am allowed to feel myself again.”

What you’ll need

  • a candle

  • a blanket

  • a few minutes of stillness

  • optionally: a journal or a piece of paper

  • your acupressure mat

Duration: around 20–30 minutes – or as long as feels right.

Step 1: Light instead of pressure

Light a candle.
Sit quietly beside it for a moment.

No phone.
No distractions.
No goal.

Light marks a transition – from the outside to the inside.
It says: this is where something calm, warm and hopeful begins.

Step 2: Arriving in the body

Roll out your mat.
Lie down slowly.
Cover yourself with a blanket if you like.

Acupressure is a clear physical experience – and the body responds honestly.
Give yourself time. Stay for as long as it feels comfortable.

Breathe calmly.
Let your exhale become slightly longer than your inhale.
You don’t need to do anything. Just stay.

Many people experience this moment as grounding – as if the body reconnects after the mind has been leading for a long time.

Step 3: Gratitude without optimisation

After your time on the mat – or even while you are still there – take your journal.

Write three sentences:

  • What am I grateful for right now?

  • What already feels enough in my life?

No resolutions.
No plans.
Just awareness.

In Scandinavia, contentment often has little to do with perfection. It grows out of simplicity – from moments that do not need to be improved.

Step 4: One word for January

Choose a single word.

No motto.
No task.
Just a quiet companion.

For example:
slow · sunny · gentle · peaceful · heart-warming

This word may stay with you – or quietly leave again.

Step 5: Doing nothing

Remain seated for a little while.
Or lie back down on the mat.
Or hold a warm cup of tea in your hands.

And then: nothing.

This may be the most important part of the ritual.
Not because it achieves something – but because it demands nothing.

Why acupressure is part of this ritual

Acupressure has long been used as a method to support body awareness and relaxation. Studies have explored its effects on sleep, stress and subjective wellbeing. While findings vary, many indicate that people experience acupressure as regulating and calming – particularly when practised regularly and with awareness.

Within the context of this ritual, acupressure is not a tool for optimisation.
It is an invitation to return to the body.
Not faster. Not better. Just more present.

Especially in January, this can be a gentle counterbalance to everyday life, which so often takes place primarily in the mind.

Perhaps this is the true beginning of the year.
Not the big plans – but the moment in which you meet yourself again.

Less doing.
More being.

Sources

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