{"id":2027,"date":"2020-04-30T10:14:07","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T17:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca\/callmebog\/?p=2027"},"modified":"2020-04-30T10:34:21","modified_gmt":"2020-04-30T17:34:21","slug":"relieving-stress-international-words-and-self-care-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca\/callmebog\/2020\/04\/30\/relieving-stress-international-words-and-self-care-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"Relieving Stress . . . International Words and Self-Care Trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

Relieving Stress . . . 
\nInternational Words and<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i>Self-Care Trends <\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/i><\/span>
\n<\/i><\/span><\/i><\/h1>\n

I hope everyone is at home, staying healthy and safe.<\/b><\/p>\n

I know I am trying different techniques, strategies and approaches to reduce stress while working at home. Meditation, cycling, reading, writing, phoning my family, frequent breaks, fresh air, sunshine and petting my cat works wonders for me.  On campus, the Uvic MultiFaith Centre<\/a><\/strong><\/span> is offering Virtual Meditation<\/a><\/strong><\/span> using ZOOM, until May 18th!<\/p>\n

And then I thought … there must be techniques and strategies in other countries, and of course, words that describe them! And off to have tea with my internet friend … GOOGLE!<\/p>\n

The most amazing word I found comes from Denmark! And it somehow seems appropriate that it is a very short word, only 3 letters, but delivers an important message, without any real translation into English! That word is PYT! It basically means “Don’t worry about it…<\/span>.<\/strong><\/em>” or “Oh well…<\/span>.<\/strong><\/em>”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>According to this video<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, “Pyt can reduce stress because it is a sincere attempt to encourage yourself and others to not get bogged down by minor daily frustration<\/strong><\/em><\/span>s”. Pyt was recently voted the most popular word by Danes. Sounds good to me.<\/p>\n

And that is not the only Danish word that makes this list. I only recently heard of ‘Hygge<\/span><\/strong><\/em>‘ , described and compared to ‘Pyt<\/span><\/strong><\/em>‘ below:<\/p>\n

Denmark: Hygge and pyt<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

The Danish are the OG masters of self-care: Despite winters so heavy and dark that Danes lovingly refer to their country as \u201cMordor<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u201d (yes, the land of evil and darkness from Lord of the Rings) from November through February, Denmark is routinely ranked one of the three happiest countries in the world. The secret is in the cultural mindset, which has given rise to the international trends of hygge, and pyt.<\/p>\n

Hygge is all about getting cozy and staying in. Think of its brand as emphasizing handmade, beautiful objects like homespun wool sweaters, handmade ceramics and dipped candles<\/span>. Hygge isn\u2019t all about objects, though. It embodies a sense of togetherness \u2013 think simple family meals at raw wooden tables, and nights spent cuddled by the fire, sipping cocoa and singing folk song<\/p>\n

Everyone\u2019s self-care needs are different, and some self-care experts are uncovering the virtue in a different Danish concept: pyt. Pronounced like \u201cpid,\u201d pyt doesn\u2019t have a precise English translation: It\u2019s a cultural concept about cultivating healthy thoughts to better deal with stress. If hygge keeps your heart and toes warm, pyt is more about maintaining mental health for an overall sense of wellbeing.<\/p>\n

And there are more amazing words and techniques from all over the world!<\/p>\n