From an essential daily meditation to listening to songs on repeat, these are the stateside content creator's everyday essentials
Welcome to our bi-monthly series "Take five" featuring inspiring Scandinavian tastemakers on the five life-enhancing items, habits or encounters that help guarantee a balanced, joy-filled life.
When Josefine HJ moved to Los Angeles for a year abroad, little did she know that her life would change direction out of an impulse to download a simple app. The then 19-year-old started posting pictures on Instagram just for fun, and a few months later, 20,000 people were following her return to Denmark. After finishing school, she listened to her intuition and went all in, documenting her daily ins and outs. And a year later, she hit 100,000 followers. Now, with more than one million checking in on her updates, she has become one of the most well-known influencers here in Scandinavia.
But when she's not crafting her next monochrome post, how does she step away from the stress and buzz of social media? Below, Vogue Scandinavia gives you a peek behind the curtain at the things that Josefine HJ counts on.
Getting lost in a book
“I've recently discovered the books of Colleen Hoover, and let me say as much: I'm addicted. Once I pick one up, I cannot put it down again and disappear for hours into her universe. So far, my favourite reads have been It ends with us, Ugly love and All your perfects and I won't stop until I have read all of her others. Her storytelling is astonishing – all her books make me cry, and they touch my heart more than I thought they would. They are beautiful.
“And a welcomed side effect of being immersed in reading: I completely forget about my phone. For someone like me, whose work is dictated by being on the phone constantly, checking emails, and engaging on Instagram, it feels incredible. Reading gives me so much ease, more than any TV series could. It is the perfect cosy winter ritual: I cuddle up with a book on the sofa and a cup of tea and get completely carried off into another world.”
Making playlists
"There is nothing better than a newly discovered song that really hits the spot, and you cannot stop pressing play and listening to that one song again and again. It's often an instant flashback to a particular period in my life, too: a holiday, or a feeling. In my eyes, that is magnificent.
“But as much as I adore music for that power, sometimes it can be counterproductive. When I broke up with my boyfriend, I couldn't listen to anything that reminded me of my broken relationship. So, I created a playlist called Vol. 2 with new songs only. I chose very upbeat songs like Endlessly by Omar Apollo, The Dress by Honey Dijon, and Intimidated by Kaytranada that would cheer me up in no time. This playlist helped me heal, so I could start a new period in life with a clear head, full of vim and vigour."
Pressing pause through meditation
“Meditation has made me calmer and opened up my heart. I never thought I would stick to it regularly. It had always seemed to me to be this arduous mental exercise. But once you get rid of all expectations and pressure, meditating becomes easy and enjoyable. I have been doing it for more than six months now and I never want to miss a session again. It is a special feeling meeting the world with this energy.
“I meditate every morning using the The Tapping Solution or Headspace app. If you are a beginner in meditation, I recommend establishing a daily routine that you follow each day. It could be doing a wake up meditation or one carried out last thing at night. Even five to 10 minutes will be a game changer for your well-being: you will feel more peaceful, focused, and happy."
My coffee ritual
“I love to start my day with a big cup of cappuccino or matcha latte. A morning without one is just not a very good morning. I always use coconut milk from Alpro, it tastes delicious, but it has to be the barista version. It foams perfectly and will turn any simple cappuccino into a work of art. Sadly, it is hard to get your hands on at the supermarket, but it's worth it.”
The ocean
“The power of the ocean humbles me in a way nothing else can. It calms my soul and my heart. The way it can adapt its form inspires me on a daily basis. I could look at it for hours and hours, yet I would never tire of it. That feeling that you get of weightlessness makes me feel so content. There is no way for me to be sad or angry when I'm close to the ocean.
“I am thankful for this Earth, and I believe it is important to remember that. We tend to forget the big (and small) miracles around us but keeping our eyes open to the magic of our existence changes everything.”