What is Fika?
Is that even a word in the English dictionary? No, it is not. Fika is a Swedish word and phrase that is translated into English as “a coffee and cake break”. Coffee and cake?! Yes, please! That sounds like a simple phrase we can all easily get behind. However, in Sweden, Fika means so much more than just coffee and cake. The Swedes consider it to be a state of mind, or a concept that is essential to their daily culture.
The word Fika derives from a 19th century slang word kaffi (coffee). Invert kaffi and you get Fika. The Swedes adopted this word into their lifestyle as an effort to stop and take time to break from the busyness of life and enjoy the companionship of a friend. Fika can also be considered a verb. It is an action you do, and for them it is an action they do together and often. The concept is to take this break together with a friend or friends, to drink and snack, and enjoy fellowship with each other. Fika is not something you can do on your own, its conception was to teach the importance of stopping to socialize and hit the pause button on life. In this pause, our brains have the chance to refresh, as we strengthen the relationships with our peers.
It is not essential what you eat during Fika, although it means cake and coffee. It can really be any drink and snack of your choosing, or even just an activity of some kind. What is important is that you take the time to Fika with a friend or colleague and experience that very important break from our daily stress we all so often need. So now the question becomes, will you take time to Fika today?
Today’s Takeaway:
Fika is an intriguing concept that teaches us the importance of taking a break from the busyness of life to enjoy the companionship of a friend or loved one and have a tasty snack too!
Parting Challenge:
Schedule a time with a friend or loved one this week to partake in your own version of Fika together and see the benefits of taking some special time for yourself with friends. Had a great FIKA? Tell us all about your experience.
Continuing the conversation:
Here are a few questions to ponder or discuss with your friends.
• If time and money weren’t a consideration and you could teleport to anywhere in the world for a FIKA — where would you want to go and what would you do? What do you imagine that experience feeling like?
• If you could grab a coffee (and some cake, too) with anyone in the world, past, present or future — who would you invite and what kind of cake would you get?
• Think of a time in your life when someone invited you to experience a special time with them. Who was it and why was it a cherished memory for you?
We love to hear your stories! |
The Auto-B-Good 9-Virtues SEL program features 63 award-winning animated lessons that help students develop good character and become rising stars. To learn more about this great resource, visit us at RisingStarEducation.com |
Comentarios