By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC
We’ve all had an experience that really made us contemplate things in new ways. That happened to me as I recently visited Finland, ranked by the World Happiness Report as “the happiest place in the world” for a record five consecutive years.
As an employment consultant for over 35 years, I don’t think the changes and challenges in what I call “the New Work World” have ever been quite like they are these days. Many would welcome a recipe or a new method for implementing happiness. Take a look at what I have learned with these natives to see if some part of it might allow you to experience happier times in your work world or life overall. I don’t believe there is any one way that fits us all, but consider giving these Finnish practices a try.
1. Practice the art of inner strength, or “sisa.” “Sisa” is a Finnish word variously translated as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience and hardiness. The next time you’re interviewing for a new role where you have light experience or only transferable skills, how would that mindset help you overcome your hesitation to give it your best shot?
2. Surround yourself with nature. The Finns believe nature is a very important ingredient to overall happiness and spend much time in it. If your boss just Informed you that they secured a huge new order and you may have to work longer hours because of the shortage of employees, how would a weekend in nature to de-stress and relax with friends and family be a better choice than voicing a negative attitude or complaining about the situation? (They also all like to spend time together in saunas to relax and decompress.)
3. See value in everyone. The Finnish people don’t seem to make judgements on someone’s worth by the car they drive or size of a person’s house. What if you didn’t judge that co-worker who might not wear the expensive brand of clothes or live in a prestigious area of town but always comes in early and stays late to try to make a valuable contribution to the team? And if you’re a hiring manager, might you not find happiness and satisfaction amid talent shortages in seeing the value in a candidate whose résumé may not check every box but who has transferrable skills and a good work ethic?
4. Start early. According to the Finns, it is important to give children a happy childhood and spend quality time with them. What if you tried to align your next day or days off with your kids’ time off from school or got up a bit early to do something fun with them before going to work?
5. Stay humble. The Finnish people seem to not brag or inflate their accomplishments to co-workers, friends and family. What if, when you got that raise, promotion or new title, you celebrated with the team in the office and let them know how much you valued their input or contribution? In other words, it’s not so much about “me” as it is about “we.”
6. Embrace the darkness. Finland is known for its long dark, cold winter days. What if you looked at your metaphorical darkness and considered how it might be preparing you to embrace a newfound tenacity and perseverance so that you won’t let hard times stop you from moving forward to become a better version of who you are?
As you move forward in 2025, be determined to have a happy life. Aristotle, of course, never visited Finland, but he had the right idea when he said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves.”
I’m so glad I visited Finland, and I am now more determined to not let the challenges of the New Work World hamper my happiness going forward! What about you?
Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.
Check out more lifestyle stories here.
