The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu Paperback – June 26, 2018

I listened to this book and fell in love with the philosophy. I need to make changes in my own life so looking forward to reading the book or listening to the audiobook again.I enjoyed how the author explained the SISU philosophy. My heritage is Scandinavian but not Finnish.

This is going to be a great read. Catches your attention right away.

This is a book about the Finnish lifestyle, or at least the parts of the Finnish lifestyle the author thinks are worth sharing with the rest of the world.It’s an exploration of the beliefs and habits, unique to the Finns, that helped the author discover her own healthy lifestyle habits.And it’s an exploration of Sisu, a unique Finnish concept that the author tries to use the book to explain.If you’re intrigued by the Nordic countries, their high happiness ratings, their minimalist style, then you will probably find this book of interest.It’s a peek into a world vastly different from the US and the UK, and is possibly more of an argument for city living than anything else.It’s an enjoyable book though, and certainly gave me the idea that perhaps I might want to try winter swimming at least once, or maybe a sauna!

I very much enjoyed this book. It is inspiring and good for anyone who may be in a rough patch in the life to understand how perhaps the Finnish way of life can bring you a sense of peace and reframe on how to go through and appreciate life. Its method is not on a drastic way of completely changing your life but offering a new perspective. I love how the author makes it personal by sharing her own experiences in her discovery to the true meaning of sisu. I am very inspired by the Nordic way of life from concepts of the danish hyugge to the Swedish lagom. If you are the same way this is a must read book to add to your reading list.

I agree with the overall message of the book: lifestyle changes are the best medicine in most cases, both for physical and mental health. I am originally from Siberia and familiar wtih winter swimming and saunas. Nonetheless, I avoid ice-cold water and prefer moderately cold hydrotherapy at about 20 degrees Celsius, but if ice-cold water works for you, that's fine. Nature therapy is something new for me, and this book prompted me to explore this area. It makes sense that your body will recover from many problems when you are away from electromagnetic fields and polluted air and in the presence of pristine soil, wonderful plants, and other living creatures.

Sometimes it is the most obvious and common to you that needs to be explained and brought into focus by someone from the outside. Katja Pantzar does just that, though she is not completely an outsider. Yet, to completely open and explain Sisu, is probably impossible. However, Katja Pantzar has a good go at it.A Finn brought up in Canada by Finnish parents, Katja Pantzar has a good platform for this enterprise. It was not the visits to Finland as a child that pushed this search for Sisu in action, but her getting into the Finnish way of life by having moved into Helsinki to work.What is this Sisu then? Is it internally genetic? Is it just for Finns? Can it be taught? How could we cultivate it? What does Sisu bring into your life? Can it help you socially? Can it help you mentally or physically? How does it show itself in Finnish daily life? These are some of the questions that Katja Pantzar sets herself to answer the best she can. She does, of course, interview several experts in varied fields like Emilia Lahti and Pasi Sahlberg. Having a media background is of value to her here.Any Finn will have used the word ‘sisu’ several, yes, countless times. It is used to push people into action as well as to congratulate upon having achieved something demanding. It is also used as an explanation for accomplished actions. But usually a Finn does not sit down and think about what it actually means. It is part of our language and deeply set in our culture. It would be shameful to admit that one does indeed have none at all. We have sweets by that name as well as t-shirts bearing that upon our breasts.It was good to have the time to bring to one’s attention Sisu and to stop for a moment to reflect how it is part of one’s life. I am happy to have done that. This Sisu – as some kind of fortitude/courage/grit/resilience to help you encounter difficulties in life and being able to turn them into opportunities and frontiers to be dealt with as best one can – is something that is useful to anyone wishing to develop themselves. It is important to also reflect what Sisu is not, pushing one’s self beyond the edge – or remaining in a stubborn nucleus.I do recommend the book – as for one I am biased towards this concept as a Finn. Yet, who knows, if this is just what you need? However, I am not giving top marks for the book, because it is not clear at times, repeats things, extend a little too far and especially concentrates too much on ice swimming. But, in fact I have reduced the temperature of my showers.Stars:3/5Book: Finding SisuAuthor: Katja PantzarPublished: 2018 (Coronet 2019 ??)Pages: 304, read for this review on KindleReview written by leeawrites.wordpress.com

Made a great gift really cute!

The subject of this book intrigued me, because presently I read an article that stated Finnland is the happiest country on earth. One chapter in, and I'm enjoying it, although I doubt I will ever plunge into ice cold lake water! Lol...