Hi there! Just a few words before getting started: this is the first blog post on Modern Calliope, and I'm pretty excited to share my thoughts with you on a topic so close to my heart! When I moved from France to Finland in 2018, my choice had little to do with its rankings in the World Happiness Report. (Love was actually my main driver, #soap-opera). I have learned and developed so much since, and I know having the opportunity to observe and experience the Finnish culture played an undeniable part in it 🙂 So, let's get started with 5 lessons in happiness from Finland!
On March 20th, 2021, I learned the news at work: Finland is the happiest country in the world for the third time in a row.
This ranking is based on six specific criteria, and I’m by no means an expert on them. However, it made me think about my own perception and experience in Finland. After living there for 3 years, I’m convinced this Nordic country holds a few keys to real happiness. So here are the 5 main lessons in happiness I learned from the Finns:
Lessons in Happiness #1: Walk through life with Sisu
I had to start with “Sisu”! This cute little term doesn’t have a proper English translation but represents a defining quality ingrained in Finnish culture. Finns are very proud of it. It’s a personality trait that includes courage, perseverance and resilience altogether. It’s also a particular way of looking at life, one that involves inner strength and determination.
Sisu is about pushing through tough times and not giving up. Life is not always bright and easy but, with enough tenacity, things ultimately get better. It is also about getting outside of your comfort zone and bravely tackling whatever obstacles might arise on your path.
Sisu often doesn’t look or feel heroic – hard times rarely do – but it’s what keeps you going, no matter what. The occasions to channel and exercise it are plenty and don’t need to be dramatic. You might need to overcome a fear of speaking in public, get back on your feet after a failure, push through strenuous training, take a hard but necessary decision. In each of these times, you demonstrate modern, daily courage, grit and persistence – in short, sisu!
Finnish Pro tip:
Get out of your comfort zone! Is there anything you’ve been postponing or even giving up on because of fear or challenges? Tapping in your inner sisu to overcome obstacles makes you stronger every time, helps build self-confidence, and reinforces the trust that you can succeed.
Lesson #2: (Re-)Connect with Nature
Finland is a vast country with a small population of 5.5 million inhabitants. Its population density is 18 inhabitants per square kilometre, against 119 in France, 232 in Germany and 275 in the UK.
Nature is omnipresent in this country: 75% of Finland’s land is covered by forest. The “land of a thousand lakes” actually hosts over 187,000 of them, along with 179,000 islands. Even in Helsinki, the country capital, it seems there are parks at every street corner. Most Finns are true nature-addicts. They love spending time outside, no matter the weather or the period of the year. Hiking, berries and mushrooms picking, swimming in (frozen) lakes and cross-country skiing are only but a few of very common outdoors activities.
Research shows that spending time in nature has a calming, uplifting effect on the mind. It stimulates our senses and boosts our confidence. Being outdoors enables us to disconnect from screens and other modern pressures while reconnecting with the present moment, our environment and our inner self.
Finnish Pro tip:
Head outside for a moment of mindfulness and embrace the peace and quiet of alone time in natural surroundings. Take the time to stop, breathe and connect, listen, feel and take it all in!
Lesson #3: Cherish authenticity
Finnish people may seem quite taciturn and distant at first sight, especially when you come from a country where you cheek-kiss to say hi. They are not into outbursts of joy, loud laughter, passionate hugs and torrent of emotions*. However, their authenticity and genuine approach to life is refreshing, especially for introverts like me. As a general rule of thumb, they highly value integrity, respect and independence in their relationships to others – and to themselves. They understand the need of every individual for personal space, privacy and alone time.
* Notable exceptions for karaoke nights and ice-hockey championship victories.
When it comes to communication, whether in personal or professional settings, they favour straight, truthful talk. They don’t beat around the bush or sugarcoat things. At work, it means less small talk and more focus on getting things done and moving forward. It might sound counterintuitive but, from personal experience, it generally leads to a very effective type of collaboration, especially during a crisis. After all, a mistake or an issue can only be solved if we acknowledge and discuss it openly and rationally.
Behind their hard shell, Finnish people are generous and cultivate strong social bonds. They’ll invite you for dinner, be there to help in moments of need and keep their words. Trust and friendship are long-term games for Finns.
Finnish Pro tip:
Don’t let social pressure force you into doing or being anything you don’t feel like. You do you.
Lesson #4: Adopt the "Less is more" attitude
Finns embrace the well-known Nordic minimalism in many areas of their lives, such as fashion, architecture and furniture, consumption, communication… and happiness.
Generally speaking, they value practicality, sustainability and functionality over form or beauty. When you look at it, most Nordic designs derive their elegance and style from their simplicity. Finns also tend to have a sustainable approach to consumption: rather than accumulating purchases and disposable items thoughtlessly, there are into crafting, DIYs and second-hand markets. Wandering in flea markets, borrowing books in public libraries and knitting socks and beanies for the winter is an integral part of many Finns’ lives. Not only minimalism and sustainability are good for the environment, but a clutter-free house and life also make you feel good and relax (Marie Kondo, anyone?)
On another topic, you’ll rarely see a Finn brags on social media about his latest luxury purchase or extraordinary holidays. First, Finns don’t brag (that’s rude). They also tend to enjoy and focus on the smaller, simpler pleasures in life. My Finnish friends are active on Social Media: their personal feeds are full of pictures from recent hikes, their pets, latest DIY projects, home-baked cakes or from moments spent in their Mökki.
A Mökki is a traditional cottage, where Finns spend weeks in Summer and weekends whenever possible. Usually located next to the water, the “Mökki life” is full of swimming, boating, fishing, chopping woods, collecting berries or simply lounging with a book. Relative discomfort is often part of it. Most mökkis do not have running water or a central heating system. Yet, it doesn’t prevent many Finns to consider it their heaven on earth. It’s a place to escape the hushes and rushes of modern lives and enjoy some peace and quiet in the middle of nowhere. Self-sufficiency, freedom and spending quality time with friends and family are all essential parts of Finnish happiness.
Finnish Pro tip:
What are the small things that make you happy? Strolling with a takeaway coffee in the city, video-calling your best friend, working on a creative project or treating yourself with a home-spa session? Whatever it might be, regularly make time for it and enjoy the flow!
Lessons in Happiness #5: Equality and freedom do NOT contradict each other
As much as Finnish people value freedom, equality also occupies an important place in Finnish culture and society. The welfare system ensures that every citizen’s basic needs are met. It’s the only EU-country where homelessness is in decline. In terms of education, the government aims at giving all children an equal chance: first, every mother receives a “baby box”, with a wide range of starting necessities, including clothes and toys. Then, high-quality education is the norm in public schools: there is no competition to access “the best” schools, nor need to enrol in expensive, private institutions.
Finland is also particularly advanced when it comes to gender equality. From a historical perspective, wars and the predominance of agriculture required strong, independent women, whose men trusted to handle demanding tasks. Nowadays, the country promotes women’s right to have successful careers, as well as men’s right to take a more significant part in their family lives. For example, Finland plans to implement in 2021 an equal parental leave of 164 days for both new mothers and fathers. On the other hand, when looking at the top, it appears to be no glass ceiling: Sanna Marin, 34, became Finland’s prime minister in 2019. At that point, twelve of the nineteen cabinet members were women, including the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Interior.
Lastly, I couldn’t write an article about happiness in Finland and altogether leave out the sauna culture (did you know UNESCO added it to its cultural heritage list in 2020?). Full articles could be written about it, but I think it plays a significant and interesting part in why equality is deep-rooted in Finnish society. After all, when you strip down to go sweat with friends, colleagues or strangers, you also give up any distinctive sign of wealth. The man or woman next to you could be the wealthiest person in the country. You wouldn’t have the slightest idea, neither would you care.
Personal note: from experience, saunas at work events are the only instances you actually keep a bathing suit!
Finnish Pro tip:
Advocate for more equality in various areas of your life. No matter our age, gender and job title, we all deserve equal rights and a healthy balance in terms of work-life routine or responsibilities over household chores and parenting!
In conclusion, Finland is not a magical wonderland, where life is always easy and people always happy. You can also forget about the folkloric image of Santa Claus’ elves dancing under the Northern Lights on the sound of a kantele (… sorry, I got slightly transported here). Every society has its own set of difficulties, and every individual is facing unique circumstances and personal challenges. However, discovering and living in Finland has been a truly eye-opening experience for me so far. I genuinely believe we could all gain to add a touch of the “Finnish way” in our daily lives and learn their lessons in happiness.
To Go Further:
* This section contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost for you. Thank you for your support!
If you want to learn more about sisu and the Finnish way of life, I strongly advise “Sisu: the Finnish Art of Courage” by Joanna Nylund. It’s a great little book, with plenty of beautiful illustrations and a lot of wisdom and true Nordic stories.
You can also register to take part in my – completely free – 5-day challenge “Be happy like a Finn” (Coming Soon!)