We’re thrilled to have Meik Wiking of Copenhagen join us as a Guest Speaker at this year’s Winter Cities Shake-Up. Meik is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, an independent think tank focusing on well-being, happiness and quality of life. As a happiness expert and lifelong resident of a winter city, Meik is always looking for ways to make living in frigid winter conditions a more positive experience for everyone.
We asked Meik some questions about what living in a winter city means to him and his work. Here’s what he had to say:
What do you love about living in a winter city?
I believe putting my roots down in the snow of a winter city allows me to live different lives at different times of the year. In the summertime, I can relax after work with a swim in the harbour and then head home for a barbeque. In the wintertime, we go skating and then sit by the fire and drink mulled wine. The seasons in Copenhagen are balanced in a way that lets us appreciate our city’s beauty in different ways.
Who should attend your session? What should they look forward to learning about?
If questions such as What makes some people happier than others? or What are the barriers to happiness? pique your curiosity, you should come to my session. I’ll be talking about my career at the Happiness Research Institute and how we can use our ideas to improve overall happiness in winter cities, which can admittedly be a little gloomy sometimes. We can do this through architecture and a concept called hygge, or hunkering down, we use it as a survival strategy in Denmark.
What is one thing about the Winter Cities conference that you’re excited for?
If I had to pick just one thing, it would be getting to visit Manitoba for the first time. It will be interesting to see how they do winter differently than Denmark. I can’t wait to immerse myself in the local culture and see all that winter has to offer from a Manitoba perspective.
Join us on February 16th at 9:30 AM, where Meik will be talking to us about Finding Happiness in a Winter City. Register Now!
Find Meik on:
Twitter: @meikwiking
Instagram: @meikwiking
Facebook: @meikwiking1
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