Learn the Dutch Secrets to a Happy Life

[@gardenjoy5223]

What a nice and excellent video! Never saw anything like it. And you nailed it. Uitzieken, to sick out, is taking that one extra day in which you feel already pretty okay, but feeble, to build up your strength again, before going back to work or school. Regarding 'bespreekbaarheid', here translated with speakability, there is a Dutch proverb: "Je moet van je hart geen moordkuil maken", which translates into: "You must not turn your heart into a murder pit". It's better to speak up and to speak out, than let negative emotions fester and make one harbor great animosity.

[@secretstoliving]

Thanks for the kind words, and additional insight from the proverb!

[@RealConstructor]

I like the Dutch word ‘uitbuiken’, meaning bulge out (literally uit=out, buik=belly and uitbuiken is the verb). Give your belly some more room after a heavy and lavish meal, like Thanksgiving dinner. Go sit on the couch, move the belt one notch or remove the belt entirely and loosen the top button of your trousers. Slide a bit down the couch and you’ll have the perfect position to bulge out. It could be that the average American could not imagine doing this because he wears sweatpants to dinner. Or she a stretch legging, which we in Dutch call ‘fluisterbroek’ or whisper trousers, because you see the ‘lips’ move but you can’t hear anything being said.

[@secretstoliving]

This is a good one!

[@iandekker4950]

I'm proud to be a Dutchman even though I do consider immigrating abroad

[@Ridgeback_Productions]

Such a beautiful looking country 🙂

[@peet4921]

It's going down the drain rapidly, and i wish this was a joke.

[@cristinaevans139]

My Dutch parents immigrated to Australia. I don’t even know my own family there,I keep wondering how my life would have been changed had they stayed 😢

[@-_YouMayFind_-]

How old are you now?

[@blikjecola9172]

Its the best country in the world 100%

[@secretstoliving]

Maybe you can visit someday!

[@robertboender5816]

A bit colder, less space, lot of festivals, a sense of being back home in a strange way 😊

[@ronaldderooij1774]

You forgot one very important one. "Doe normaal" which is "Act normal". We prefer not to stand out too much to be appreciated. Don't force an identity. Be yourself and fit in a little. What is nice about this, is that people who don't yet know who they are, can fit in easily. It hinders of course very extravagant individualistic types. They can perceive it as a kind of "social prison". But they will be "gedoogd" (tolerated). By the way, I cannot believe that many of the things mentioned in the video are not done in the rest of the world. The words may be typically Dutch, but the behavior isn't.

[@annebokma4637]

I have many friends who are different then the norm. And while the average dutch person will be a little more apprehensive in approaching. Once they know that you are an ok (weird) person they will treat you with respect and stand up for you if you are in their community. There are many "artistic" outliers in our society. That's why we are known to be big in the arts

[@secretstoliving]

What's important is to be yourself and be accepting of others!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

@@annebokma4637 True, but we dislike the mentality of "Oh, look who I am!" We like artist, but in modesty. The best singer/painter/designer in the world just saying that he/she is amazed by his/her success and not saying "finally, recognition of my talent and hard work".

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

Don't know where this whole 'Doe normaal ' nonsense suddenly came from. Everybody seems to forget the second part of the saying. It's: ' Doe normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg. Something like :' Just act normal, because you you are crazy enough already ' . Or one uses 'Doe normaal joh ' when someone picks a fight, and you tell them to cool down. .'Doe normaal ' as a sentence is not something typical Dutch.

[@gardenjoy5223]

@@spiritualanarchist8162 Don't agree. Have heard the 'doe normaal' my entire life, also without the original ending. "Doe effe normaal, joh!" seems to be an equivalent to "Hey, take it easy!" when someone is getting overly upset and is advised to tone it down a bit. You naming it the 'doe normaal' nonsense, is truly rude - even for the Dutch - so right now I advise you: "Doe effe normaal, joh!". Meaning: "You've crossed the line and are behaving like an a**hole, get yourself together and don't overly vent disproportionate feelings."

[@vincentthewarrior7097]

Happy wife, happy live 😅

[@blinkybillist]

Migrated to Australia, I miss the Dutch birthdays en de gezelligheid. Australia isn't a gezellig land or culture

[@secretstoliving]

Maybe you can bring some gezelligheid to Australia :D

[@blinkybillist]

@@secretstoliving Impossible, can't say anything here anymore because someone will be offended

[@robertboender5816]

​@@blinkybillistso pick-up your stuff and get back home 😊

[@jamesskinner7185]

The secrets are…. They don’t have to seal with da Brothers… yep that’s it!

[@DutchLabrat]

Actually no. Not that we don't have racist ( * ) holes here too but gedogen also includes other cultures and races and racism is NOT gezellig. Doe Normaal.