Are you tired of the same old New Year’s resolutions? Lose weight, get more exercise, save money, take up a new hobby, get a new job, save the world from climate change! We thought up a list of small steps you can take – and get to know Finnish culture and lifestyle while you’re at it.
Learn Finnish
Photo: Peter Marten
They say language is the key to a new culture, and challenging yourself is good for your brain. Why not start by learning some simple phrases in Finnish?
If that’s not challenging enough, we have plenty more material about learning Finnish. How about this, this or this?
Learn about Finnish culture
Photo: Courtesy of WSOY
Want to learn more about Finnish culture? What better way than to read a book? Yes, a book! Here are ten great options to start with – why not read at least one of them this year? They’re ThisisFINLAND’s readers’ favourites, so you should be able to find some of them in your language.
Try hobbyhorsing
Photo © ThisisFINLAND
If you really want to give your brain something new and challenging to work with, try hobbyhorsing for fun and exercise! You can learn the basics with our online tutorial, and proceed to arrange your own hobbyhorsing competitions. You will also find instructions on how to make your own hobbyhorse.
Enjoy winter
Photo: Rodeo.fi/Juha Tuomi
Don’t like cold weather too much? This is something we sure can help you with: Learn how to not only survive winter but even enjoy it! A hint: coffee, warm clothes and snow are the keys.
Consume coffee like a Finnish person
Photo: Rodeo.fi/Juha Tuomi
Since we already mentioned coffee, why not drink coffee the Finnish way? That is, 12 kilograms of coffee per year. We start our day with coffee, drink it at work with colleagues, and every time we visit a friend. Besides, moderate consumption of coffee has been linked with a longer lifespan, and it may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, among others.
Get some sisu
Illustration: Naomi Wilkinson
Feel like learning Finnish, drinking lots of coffee or mastering the art of hobbyhorsing is too much for you? Don’t give up! Try to be more like the Finns and build some sisu in yourself! Don’t know what sisu is? Well, there’s no simple translation for it, but reading our article will give you some idea.
Come to Finland
Photo: Juho Kuva/Visit Finland
Want to see and experience all this for yourself? Take a trip to Finland! Get inspired and plan your vacation, check out what our colleagues at Visit Finland recommend.
ThisisFINLAND’s bonus resolutions: While in Finland, why not try these?Take an ice-cold dipIce swimming: We mean swimming in freezing water, in a hole cut in the ice. Sounds horrible? Well, it gives you a great feeling afterwards, calms and relaxes, and reduces stress. Some say it also gives you better sleep and keeps colds away. Glide across the landscapeCross-country skiing: It’s great exercise and gives you an opportunity to admire the Finnish landscape. And what’s more, you don’t need to go to the countryside to try it (unless you want to): you can go skiing in a city park as well! But just to be sure: bring a map or a smartphone! Simmer in a saunaAfter those truly Finnish winter activities, here’s your reward: Warm up in a Finnish sauna! It’s especially rewarding after ice swimming, but equally relaxing in the summer after a dip in one of the hundreds of thousands of Finnish lakes. By the way, sauna can keep people healthier, and frequent sauna bathing has been proven to reduce risks of cardiac arrest. But remember: drink lots of water! |
By Anna Ruohonen, January 2019
