"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude". Maya Angelou.
You've probably heard of the Danish word Hygge (pronounced hue-gah) which has been at the forefront of the recent Wellbeing & Well doing trend for all things Scandinavian.
To practice Hygge is basically to "take genuine pleasure in making ordinary, everyday moments more meaningful" and genuine happiness is actually found in the subjective everyday experience. It isn't some grand, exotic, mystical, unattainable thing, so Hygge makes sense.
However, it isn't the only Scandinavian lifestyle trend that's currently Valdigt Het, and if you haven't already heard of - Arbejdsglaede, Bolfud, Gluggavedur, Herdegarde, Lagom and Morgenfrisk - you certainly soon will.
So, what's the craic?
These Danish, Swedish and Icelandic terms cover everything from making your work a source of joy and happiness, Arbejdslaede; having an intimate get together with friends, Bolfud; or just staying indoors and appreciating the winter weather through the window panes, Gluggavedur; cooking for pleasure and tasting the joy in your food, Herdegarde; finding the perfect balance in all things, Lagom; and waking up each day with an up-and-at-'em freshness, Morgenfrisk.
But now say hello to Sisu
Sisu is a Finnish term that can't be readily translated into English, but is a derivative of the word Sisus which quite literally means the internal organs (or guts), of either an animal or a person.
It's hotly tipped to become this year's must-have quality, but actually it's several qualities rolled into one, including bravery, determination, resilience, stoicism, perseverance and hardiness. Sisu embodies all of these things and more and it has a pedigree dating back hundreds of years.
So, what are the Seven Reasons you need a little sisu in your life?
- It's the beating heart of being amazing every day
- Like Mindfulness it can create new neural pathways and help emotional regulation
- Whilst its original meaning was literally to have guts, to be courageous and have the drive to act regardless of the situation and circumstances, to have Sisu has come to mean much more and now also infers an additional dimension of doing so with honesty, integrity and humility
- Indeed it is now seen as representing the very essence of one's character
- It's a life philosophy
- It's a key psychological competence that enables extraordinary action to overcome a physically or mentally challenging situation; and
- It's definitely not just for heroes!
As Le Rochefoucauld wrote, "We are all strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others" - With Sisu though perhaps we can all be strong enough to bear our own too, and if we can't change things we can at least have the resolve to change our attitude, n'est pas?
Paul Mudd is the author of 'Uncovering Mindfulness: In Search of a Life More Meaningful'. As well as being an occasional contributor to The Huffington Post, he is also a contributing writer to Thrive Global. Through The Mudd Partnership he works with business leaders, organisations and individuals in support of change, leadership excellence, business growth, organisational and individual wellbeing and well doing, and introducing Mindfulness. He can be contacted at paul@themuddpartnership.co.uk and you can follow the continuing journey Uncovering Mindfulness on Twitter @TheMindfulBook and @Paul_Mudd