How To Be Happy Like A Finn
Ok, so maybe it’s a little too cold to be practical for me year-round, but Finland is onto something. I came across an article titled “6 Ways to Be Happy Like A Finn” on the Visit Finland website. They’ve long been listed as one of the World’s Happiest Cities so I’m sure they know a thing or two.
Here’s what they list as the secret to their success:
!. SWEAT IN A SAUNA. Apparently, there is nothing more Finnish than going to the sauna regularly. There are more than three million saunas in Finland. That’s one for every two people. I can definitely get behind this. I love saunas, but I probably go once a year. I never thought about going regularly, but I’m definitely going to explore this. The Finnish say they feel incomplete if they don’t go. Maybe that’s what’s missing for me in the winter months.
2. WALK IN THE FOREST. Getting fresh air regularly is a common recommendation. Can you imagine how amazing that would feel walking in a tranquil green forest with very little chance of running into another person? Pretty perfect.
3. SWIM IN A HOLE IN THE ICE. They lost me with this one. I’m skipping it, but if you’re more courageous than me, Finns say that swimming in icy water does you good. They attribute this to how good you feel once you’re out of the water and your circulation kicks in and your body starts to warm. I think I’ll stick to the sauna.
4. PICK BERRIES. There are plenty of berries in Finland and people of all ages go berry-picking. Uhhh! What an amazing culture. Once they’re done wandering in the woods to pick the berries, they go home and make a pie. Yup…exactly. I’m happy thinking about it too.
5. ENJOY THE MAGICAL LIGHT. From May to August, the sun doesn’t set in Finland. In the winter, the skies are greeted by nature’s light show, the Northern Lights. This sounds like a recipe for happiness.
6. HAVE SPACE. At this point, I’m convinced that Finland is populated by introverts and that’s why they’re so happy. The Finns make it a point to have space and quiet time. According to Visit Finland, “The space to breathe, a time to dream – you can find these treasures in Finland, where the lakes are many and the people are few.” Yeah, they’re definitely introverts and they could have just started with that.