Nothing Much Happens Here – and That’s a Beautiful Thing

By Hayley McDonnell.

Ah, weekends. Those glorious 48 hours we long for all week. They’re the punctuation marks in our calendars, the reward for surviving Monday to Friday, and the universal sigh of relief when Friday afternoon finally rolls around. But what is it about weekends that makes them feel so precious? 

For many of us, the weekend is an opportunity to rest, reset, and reconnect - with ourselves, with others, and with the pace of life that we often miss in the weekday rush. It's not just about having free time, but about how we choose to fill it. 

We look forward to weekends not because they’re crammed with adrenaline-fuelled adventures (though good for you if yours are!) but because they offer the possibility of something more subtle: stillness, slowness, and space. Most people aren’t skydiving, wild swimming in Iceland, or running ultramarathons. In reality, weekends look a lot more like a walk in the park, a slow brunch, catching up on washing, watching a series, or pottering about the garden, and more.  

Yet, in a world saturated with curated social media snapshots, it’s easy to fall into the trap of FOMO (the fear of missing out). We scroll past others’ highlight reels and wonder if we’re doing enough, living fully enough, making memories that are worth sharing. Sharing quite often with strangers, I might add.  

As I get older, I’ve found myself embracing the true me even more, and it turns out, the true me isn’t scaling mountains or strapping on ski equipment (and to be honest, probably never will be). My weekends don’t need helmets or high-altitude gear; they need cups of Earl Grey tea, time with people I love, and room to breathe. I’m feeling increasingly relaxed with this mindset—not just in theory, but in my actual day-to-day life. Interestingly and most importantly, I’m not feeling guilty for not spending a weekend “doing a bit more life.” My life, as I know and live it, is full in its own way. Possibly quite similar to yours, in fact. 

“How was your weekend?” or “What are you up to this weekend?” are questions we hear all the time. They’re small talk staples, often followed by responses like “Oh, not much really,” or “Just a quiet one.” It’s as if we need to justify the calm, so what if we stopped seeing that as a lack and started celebrating it as a gain? 

The truth is, embracing the ordinary can be one of the most radical acts of self-care. When we accept that “nothing much happens here” and stop trying to turn every weekend into an event, we make space for something much more nourishing. Peace. Presence. A proper breath. 

Ordinary weekends, filled with coffee and conversation, time spent with loved ones, or simply curled up with a book, can do wonders for our mental health. They help regulate our nervous systems, foster contentment within ourselves, and remind us that joy isn’t always loud or Instagrammable. Sometimes, it’s in the soft, quiet moments. My favourite. 

So next time someone asks, “What did you do at the weekend?” don’t be afraid to say, “Not much.” Because in those “not much” moments, you might just be doing the most important thing of all: living exactly as you need to be. I’m looking forward to the weekend already, and I hope you are too. 

Tea anyone? 

Hayley McDonnell is a passionate advocate of the just Hygge philosophy, living each day with intention and ease and flow at its core. A former teacher/middle manager of 24+ years, she has worked through several transitions and continues to do so. 

A mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter and so on; despite these guises, the one golden thread that runs throughout is the desire to be happy and live a life of truth. This is where the concept of Hygge takes prominence.

Hayley hopes her blogs provide a conduit for sharing the Hygee lifestyle and the benefits of 'Nothing Much Happens Here'. You can contact her here.