Yes, September lies around the corner promising golden days of sunshine, gaudy trees in autumn finery and…. a return to the daily cycles of work, school, life and even more life.

Time, again, to summon up the forces of gratitude and contentment against a sea of disappointment and dismay (definitely disappointment with the weather, usually. I always hope for a late surge of summer sun, only to find the mists swallow it up and create a miasma of drippy noses) by making a determined effort to see the pleasure in the small things of life.

I’ve done #smallthings and #septembersmallthings on the blog, Instagram or in The Hygge Nook for a few years now. Sometimes it really is just a photo on the Instagram, other years I start off with grand plans of daily posts and intricate daily essays on pens, paper or popcorn.

This year is a quiet year, a simple year, so I have no intention of making daily posts, marking the slightest smile with a screed of purple prose or even attempting to link blog, group and social sites in the slightest way. Simple, I said, and simple it will be.

Currently I intend to post one wordless picture a day on Instagram, and hashtag it #simplethings #septembersimplethings and also #gratitude, because the ultimate point about noticing the simple things is that it builds gratitude in me for so much in my life. I’ll create a whole post at the end of the month, but not daily postings. That means I can get back into the habit of regular Book Fridays, and look at a few areas of life that I want to work through and work out by writing it out.

September has so many gifts that we can appreciate. I’d love it if you wanted to join in, too. Just a photograph, nothing complicated, hashtagged and shared. What are the small details in your life that make you happier?

How to Hygge the British Way is my gift to the world. I don’t get paid for writing it, I’m not in it for the kudos, financial rewards, to become an influencer, work with brands or otherwise make any money from the blog. That’s why there are no ads, and any products I mention and recommend have either been gifted to me or bought by me with my everyday wages or donations from supporters. Every book I review has been bought and read by me, unless stated otherwise.

I do get a couple of pennies each time someone buys from the Amazon links on my page, as an Amazon Affiliate, but otherwise if you’d like to support me, I like to give something back in return. That’s why I write books. It always feels good if you get a book back in return for some money. You can find a full list of my books at my Author’s Page on Amazon, but especially recommended for this time of year are:

Cosy Happy Hygge: Setting up a rhythm to life and rituals to enjoy it to make for a more balanced life that handles waves and storms better. Lent is a season of rituals and resets. The book has small and easy ways to make your life flow with grace and happiness, which lead to more hygge.

Happier: Probably my most personal book, it’s the story of how I used hygge and the little things in life to help boost my happiness. I still go back and reread to remind myself what I need to do to be a happy human. And it’s always the little things.

Is it too early to think ahead? My Christmas books are always available: Have Yourself a Happy Hygge Christmas is a good place to start, on how to make the season cosier, happier. Celebrating a Contagious Christmas was written during covid year, but has useful advice on celebrating when times are hard anyway and Enjoying a Self-Care Christmas is a short e-book on keeping Christmas simpler, easier and better for you, your waistline and your budget. It even includes 25+ suggestions for self-care activities over Christmas, as simple as sipping tea, keeping a list journal or lighting a candle. Bigger is not always better for Christmas.

I’m currently working on two book projects: I have a hankering to rewrite 50 Ways to Hygge the British Way, so it’s not available at the moment, but even dearer to my heart and my next stated aim is to finish and publish my next book, Simple Plus Cosy = Hygge. It will be about homemaking and how the home we create shapes the hygge we have. Hopefully it will be finished by the end of summer 2025.

If you’d like to support me, but don’t want to buy a book, I have a Paypal.Me account as Hygge Jem. Every little helps, so even a few pence goes towards the books, goods and courses I use and recommend on the site. I’m grateful for every little bit that brings me closer to my dream of full-time writing, and I know I couldn’t still be writing if it weren’t for the support of many readers and friends out there. Thank you all for every little bit of support, emotional, physical and financial, you give me.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, don’t forget to share it or save it so others can enjoy reading, thinking about and living hygge as well.

The photo between post and promotions is by Laurentiu Iordache on Unsplash. Summer brings poppies, and a glorious sun that eventually has to set.