'Kos,' the Norwegian Philosophy To Be Happy That You Need to Share With Others

Trending topic. Few fashions have time to mature, to evolve. The Scandinavian model is an exception. It doesn't matter if you're Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish. Still, the way you understand it in Scandinavia has continued to amaze you for more than half a century wherever any of your companies landed, however small.

This taste for the rational, the practical, and the beautiful in the same element is nothing more than reflecting a lifestyle that fascinates as much or more than its decoration and interior collections. A quirk in which the fundamental thing is to look at life with optimism. "It takes a lot of courage and a powerful personality for countries that are left in the dark six months a year to continue to be the happiest in the world," marvels essayist Helen Russell ( The Year of Living Danishly ). In Oslo, for example, the night lasts 16 hours in December... and is hundreds of kilometers south of the northernmost regions.

The last Scandinavian philosophy that wants to crystallize beyond its borders comes from Norway: the kos. We already know the Danish hygge (the exaltation of simplicity). Many have adopted the Swedish lagom (based on "avoid pomposity, keep your feet on the ground, celebrate what each contributes in place of the image, worry about personal stories and not for the products," according to its creators). Norwegians embrace both concepts and take it abroad under one premise: "Putting the focus on yourself," says Anette Barstad, a yoga teacher in Ålesund, the Art Nouveau village of central Norway.

Translated as "the comfortable and welcoming, having a good time until creating an instant of pleasurable intimacy," the kos has become an object of worship, even in winter. "We enjoy and make the most of nature, so a good time for a Norwegian will always include a walk in the mountains with friends. In winter, there is no better plan than going out skiing, eating oranges and a Kvikk chocolate bar, continuing skiing, and ending the day in a wooden hut sitting by the fire", says Patricia Pitarch from the Spanish office of Innovation Norway.

While all Scandinavian lifestyle philosophies have commonalities – happiness from simplicity, no fuss, avoidance of meaningless consumerism, and beautification at any cost – there are differences. Unlike Danish hygge, for example, kos cannot be understood in solitude. "It's everything that makes you feel good, a mental well-being, but always related to socialization, that this good moment is with friends and family," continues Pitarch.

Scandinavians' ability to 'change circumstances' and try to see things that may seem bad to others as an opportunity is the beginning to find those moments of well-being without the outside temperature mattering. Carpe diem: "In its origins, the term was understood to be synonymous with survival, a lit fire, and a meal during these long, cold, and dark winters," says journalist Arve Uglum.

The Kos relates to a word that only exists as such in Norwegian: koselig, which is precisely the sense of well-being by nature, falling in love for the countryside, and feeling at home. There is no need to suffer a Stendhal syndrome-style attack facing a fjord and walking through a wood, but a genuine commotion with our surroundings.

The aim of kos is for people to come together to create moments of intimacy. And practicing it is as simple as it is objective. There are no ready-made recipes. Everyone finds this happiness in different actions. You don't need snow, chimneys, fjords ... Even music festivals are organized "taking into consideration not only the bands that will play but also the socializing opportunities the audience will have," said music critic Katrine Sviland in a study by the Norwegian Ministry of Tourism on the subject.

Exporting philosophy to other countries, sharing your lifestyle also involves adopting foreign customs. In their search for moments of kos, Scandinavians experiment – ​​in their own way, it is always good to say – even with food. It's a classic in Sweden and Norway to get together on Friday for tacos dinner, which has little or nothing to do with the original text-mex. Young and old go to these dinners, and even supermarkets have special discounts for those who don't miss a Taco Fredag (Friday).

As Patricia says, "kos is a less pretentious lifestyle, the pleasure in the simple, the little joys that make you feel good. Why not try to focus on the moments that make us really happy?".

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