Just the Right Amount of Lagom: 7 Books to Help You Achieve Balance

A study out of Princeton University found that people needed to earn at least $75,000 a year in order to have emotional well-being, but anything over that didn't bring more happiness. Apparently $75,000 a year is "lagom," and any more is just overkill. Someone should probably tell that to the Kardashians . . .

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Lagom can clearly be seen through the eating style of the Swedes. The best-selling milk in Sweden is not whole or skim, but 1.5% milk. Just enough fat content to keep everybody happy and full.

According to the New Yorker, "the term is said to come from the Viking phrase laget om, or 'around the team,' meaning that you should take only a sip of the mead that's being passed around so that no one is left without."

At its essence, Lagom suggests that people live a life of moderation, balance, and sustainability and avoid excess or gluttonous behavior. Where better to exhibit this style than in the kitchen?

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Most recently, Ikea has launched a "Live Lagom" campaign in support of the balance, harmony, beauty, and sufficiency that is highlighted in the philosophy of lagom, as well as Carlsson's book, The Lagom Life.

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"In a chaotic, modern world, this all feels like a breath of fresh air. We're craving more balance, more equality, more simplicity. We're looking for something that's often hard to put an exact name to, but it's a feeling of contentedness, of having just the right amount of things, the right amount of time." - Anna Brones

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Niki Brantmark explains right in the beginning of her book, Lagom, that she married into this Swedish lifestyle but fell in love with it long before: "I found myself captivated by this slower, fuss-free way of living. And when my husband and I discussed who should make the 'big move' one year later, I was on my way to the airport faster than I could say 'Jag!' (me!)."

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"Lagom wants our belongings to either have a logical purpose or bring us joy . . . While Swedish design has no roots in spiritualism, it seeks the same goal of harmony by creating spaces that evoke feelings of contextual perfection and allows us to feel at peace in our very own lagom nests of contentment."- Lola A. Akerstrom

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"With its loathing of waste and insistence on fairness, lagom is a crucial ingredient in Sweden's recipe for success." - Linnea Dunn

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