Did you know that Swedes are the happy people in the world? Of course, the Swedes know how to be happy because they won this title even though it was minus forty degrees outside and getting darker at two in the afternoon.
In the Scandinavian countries, "Fika," a tradition that shows how simple and slow life is, is the most important of these. From the outside, Fika may look like a normal coffee break, but it's actually a time to slow down, talk to other people, and enjoy the easier things in life.
"To fika" or "to participate in fika" is both a noun and a verb. "Fika" means to have a social coffee break with a friend, coworker, or partner. The word "fika" comes from the Swedish word "kaffi," which means "coffee."
When coffee came to Sweden from the Ottoman Empire in the middle of the 1600s, it set the stage for the fika rite that people all over the world now do every day.
You might be interested to know that coffee wasn't very popular in Sweden back then—in fact, King Fredrik of Sweden banned it. It wasn't until 150 years later that coffee became popular.
King Gustav III never liked it because it led to a ritual that made people feel bad about the government. When the "Kaffi" drink was finally made legal in 1823, the word "fika" stuck around and became an important part of Swedish culture.
One reason this action, which in many cultures is just a coffee break, might be so important to the Swedes is that they have been fighting for years.
In many countries, drinking coffee during ten-minute breaks or quickly in paper cups to wake up is a ritual. In Sweden, there is even a set time each day for coffee. Fika, which can also mean time to relax, observe, slow down, and talk to other people, could even be thought of as a mindfulness practice.
Make a note of when you will have fika. Take a break. Leave your work and go to a coffee shop or the park. Set up dates with your friends and get to know your coworkers better. Spend some time with friends and family during the day, even if it's just for 30 minutes, and enjoy your coffee.
Accept the idea so that you can fully enjoy fika. This is what Swedes call "lagom," which means "just right." This idea stresses how peaceful it is to keep things simple. This is the right way to enjoy fika: simply, by focusing on the present moment and not thinking about anything else.