An engaging and practical guided tour of the simple and nature-inspired ways that Finns stay happy and healthy--including the powerful concept of sisu, or everyday courage Forget hygge--it's time to blow out the candles and get out into the world! Journalist Katja Pantzar did just that, taking the huge leap to move to the remote Nordic country of Finland. What she discovered there transformed her body, mind and spirit. In this engaging and practical guide, she shows readers how to embrace the "keep it simple and sensible" daily practices that make Finns one of the happiest populations in the world, year after year. Topics include: Movement as medicine: How walking, biking and swimming every day are good for what ails us--and best done outside the confines of a gym Natural mood boosters: Cold water swimming, steamy saunas, and other ways to alleviate stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression Forest therapy: Why there's no substitute for getting out into nature on a regular basis Healthy eating: What the Nordic diet can teach us all about feeding body, mind and soul The gift of sisu: Why Finns embrace a special form of courage, grit and determination as a national virtue - and how anyone can dig deeper to survive and thrive through tough times. If you've ever wondered if there's a better, simpler way to find happiness and good heath, look no further. The Finns have a word for that, and this empowering book shows us how to achieve it.
Finnish-born writer Katja Pantzar was raised and educated in Canada, where the consumerist and materially obsessed culture left her feeling empty and unhappy. When she received treatment for depression in her mid-20s, the doctor treating her simply prescribed medication and sleeping pills, no thought given to her lifestyle. After moving to Finland, Katja discovered sisu: the Finnish approach to well being defined by a special kind of resilience, grit and courage. She embraced this way of living and experienced a dramatic turnaround in her health and happiness. Simple, functional exercise (as simple as riding her bike to work), the Nordic diet,spending time in nature and water together with a more courageous outlook, all served to transform Pantzar's life: her anxieties, fatigue and pain left behind in the sea. In Finding Sisu, Pantzar offers an honest (no place is perfect - Finland is not an exception) and uplifting account of her physical and psychological health transformation from a slightly lethargic depressive into an energetic optimist. She examines the link between sisu and the Nordic reputation for excellent wellbeing and overall life satisfaction, and looks at the ways in which we, too, can apply sisu to our lives - wherever we may be. Finding Sisu is a personal but also practical approach to the power of this 500-year-old philosophy and how it can help us all to lead healthier, happier - and braver lives.
Discover the Finnish quality of sisu and how cultivating it can help you lead a life of greater purpose and happiness. This ancient Finnish word describes an attitude of courage, resilience, grit, tenacity and perseverance. This key psychological competence enables extraordinary action in times of adversity. To have sisu confers a further dimension of doing so with honesty, integrity and humility. By cultivating sisu you can: Face life's challenges with courage and determination Enhance your wellbeing and find your focus Communicate confidently and resolve conflicts effectively Cultivate endurance and achieve your fitness goals Raise kind and resilient children Act with integrity and fight for what you believe in Sisu is a universal trait. It may have been bottled and labelled by the Finns, but it is within reach of everyone. It lies within you, and you are very likely to have used it already.
Discover how the happiest people on earth survive—and thrive—through tough times using inner strength and courage. Sisu is a powerful mindset that makes Finland one of the happiest countries in the world, despite long winters, social isolation, and a history of challenging times. In Everyday Sisu, journalist Katja Pantzar explores the simple practices that make Finnish life so stable, sustainable, and healthy for body and mind, even when life doesn’t go as planned. You’ll discover ways to boost your mental and physical resilience to face life’s challenges head-on, including: • connecting with nature • strengthening community • using what you have • reframing what you can’t control • adopting a solutions mindset • finding strength in the struggle Featuring insights from Finnish experts in mental health, wellness, sustainability, social justice, and more, this practical and empowering guide presents a road map for overcoming what you thought you couldn’t—and finding hope and tools to create a brighter way forward.
We need to transform building the Finnish cultural context of sisu; taking action through perseverance, integrity, and tenacity when adversity strikes and brings us to our lowest levels. If we do not, we will continue to suffer consequences of our invisible challenges that people can not see to understand. This book is the story of Kelly Thune, a brain injury survivor, that lost her career, home, identity, and purpose in the line of duty as a school administrator.It was a blessing and a curse to have the summer off with my children. A blessing to look out my bedroom window at the swarm of middle school boys on their bikes circling wondering if my pretty thirteen year old was home. If she was home, a game of volleyball would start and kids would be laying all over the lawn with the contents of the pantry cabinet littering the grass. A curse because this will never happen again. I lay on my side on my bed, as I look out the window, meditation music playing. The crisp white bedspread is contrast to my suntanned legs curled in the fetal position; toes painted a light summer blue with a touch of sparkle on my big toes. My eyes close and I begin to notice the ringing in my ears. The ringing never ever goes away. Ever. I have a headache and I can't see properly even though my eyes themselves are fine. Neurofatigue keeps me from life as I knew it. Two concussions in two years meant a loss of income, career, and purpose. Ultimately, watching my daughter from that bedroom window will never happen again because I also lost my house. Just when I envisioned a new life for myself and had a goal of becoming a school superintendent, I suffered two concussions in two years; the second in the line of duty as a school administrator. However, I have sisu. The three main goals of this book are 1) to share a story of transformation by using sisu after two serious concussions within two years, 2) to describe how the cultural and historical construct of the Finnish word sisu (noun and verb) can be used as a framework to overcome personal adversity including concussion/mTBI, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or other mental health challenges 3) and to serve as a reflective question and answer guide and motivational tool of "I can" statements to process and record your pathway of sisu to a new you. Kelly shares the story of injury, and the challenges as a working single mother and an individual that has been forced to redefine herself when she thought everything was in place. By taking a long look back and baby steps forward, she traced how an exchange experience to the country of Finland during her youth was formative in building sisu. Through her transformation after injury she realized why this word has surfaced over and over during her life and how others can build sisu, a fire within to overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable. The main chapters are represented by a theme of the day format; seven themes that describe what sisu was used to transformation and how to build it yourself. Mindful Monday: Building Sisu Requires Confronting Your Challenges Trying Tuesday: Building Sisu Involves Finding Enjoyment While in Discomfort Workout Wednesday: Building Sisu Requires Exercise/Training Thoughtful Thursday: Building Sisu Involves The Role of Reflection Informative Friday: Building Sisu Is Reason and Learning Informed Social Saturday: Building Sisu Involves Making Connections and Strengthening Relationships Reset Sunday: Building Sisu Involves Finding Balance & Restoring Purpose. Follow Sisu To A New You on Facebook or Instagram. Sisu To A New You!
Leadership is a set of abilities with which a lucky few are born. They're the natural relationship builders, master negotiators and persuaders, and agile and strategic thinkers. The good news for the rest of us is that those abilities can be developed. In The Leader's Brain, Wharton Neuroscience Initiative director Michael Platt explains how.
For fans of Hygge and Lagom comes this inspiring guide that introduces the Japanese wisdom of chowa—the search for balance—to help us find harmony and peace in every area of our lives. The Japanese wisdom of chowa offers a fresh approach to being, showing us how to create space and symmetry at work, at home, and in our relationships. Chowa is an ancient philosophy and set of practices that enable us to discover what matters most in our individual lives, and help us transform our way of thinking about ourselves and others. By harnessing the power of chowa, we can learn to ignore the ephemera, focus on the important things, and cultivate a steady state of equilibrium and calm that gives us the confidence and fortitude to handle any challenge we may face. Following the practical steps in this empowering book, we can better balance our priorities and relationships and find inner strength and flexibility in times of change and stress. With The Power of Chowa, curious seekers can achieve wellness, happiness, and contentment every day.
'A raw and honest account. In Search of Sisu touches on key elements of human psychology, overcoming adversity and difficult decision making on an intensely personal journey' Bear Grylls - - - - - 'Powerfully written and compelling. A must-read for anyone with an interest in adventure' Sir Ranulph Fiennes - - - - - At the age of 22, Geordie Stewart became the youngest Briton to climb the Seven Summits - the highest mountain on every continent. Aged 17, he read a book about Everest and, despite no climbing experience, became obsessed with achieving this ambition. Four years later, despite turning around 150m from the summit on his first attempt, he stood on top of the world. The book offers a raw, emotive and passionate insight into the complexity of teenage vulnerabilities. The real aim in those seven mountains was not climbing glory or breaking records but rather a path to contentment. In Search of Sisu reveals Geordie's transition from a self-doubting teenager battling an all-encompassing eating disorder to a young man who had the belief to realise his dreams.
Discover eight powerful mindset shifts that enable leaders and seekers of all ages to thrive in a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty. Being adaptable and flexible have always been hallmarks of effective leadership and a fulfilling life. But in a world of so much—and faster-paced—change, and an ever-faster pace of change, flexibility and resilience can be stretched to their breaking points. The quest becomes how to find calm and lasting meaning in the midst of enduring chaos. A world in flux calls for a new mindset, one that treats constant change and uncertainty as a feature, not a bug. Flux helps readers open this mindset—a flux mindset—and develop eight “flux superpowers” that flip conventional ideas about leadership, success, and well-being on their heads. They empower people to see change in new ways, craft new responses, and ultimately reshape their relationship to change from the inside out. April Rinne defines these eight flux superpowers: • Run slower. • See what's invisible. • Get lost. • Start with trust. • Know your “enough.” • Create your portfolio career. • Be all the more human (and serve other humans). • Let go of the future. Whether readers are sizing up their career, reassessing their values, designing a product, building an organization, trying to inspire their colleagues, or simply showing up more fully in the world, enjoying a flux mindset and activating their flux superpowers will keep readers grounded even when the ground is too often shifting beneath them.
