- Finland was named the happiest country in the world in 2019 for the second year running in the annual World Happiness Report.
- According to Visit Finland, there are six steps to Finnish happiness, including swimming in icy water and having “the space to breathe.”
- Some research made me realize there was an essential seventh step too: Kalsarikänni, which means “drinking at home, alone, in your underwear,” according to the BBC.
- I went to Finland and spent a week following these seven steps, which are essentially acts of self-care, and was amazed that I really did feel happier — mainly because I was more relaxed.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
In 2019, Finland was named the happiest country in the world for the second year running in the annual World Happiness Report.
As a result, many people have been trying to figure out what exactly it is that the Finns get so right, and how the rest of us can recreate it.
On a recent trip to Finland, I attempted to get to the bottom of the matter by ‘renting’ a Finn as a happiness guide for the day and also asking 10 Finns on the street what their secret to happiness is.
But I also decided it would be wise to follow Visit Finland’s official six-step program “to be happy like a Finn,” which goes as follows:
- Sweat in a sauna
- Walk in the forest
- Swim in a hole in the ice
- Pick berries
- Enjoy the magical light
- Have space.
Some more research into Finnish happiness led me to believe the official guide had missed off one essential part of national culture: Kalsarikänni, which means “drinking at home, alone, in your underwear,” according to the BBC. So I figured it would be prudent to add that to my list as a seventh step.
Over the course of my week in Finland, I attempted to tick off all these steps, and despite failing to see the northern lights or pick berries of my own, I was amazed that living like a Finn really did make me feel happier.
Ultimately, the lifestyle made me feel calmer and more at peace, which in turn led to a delightful feeling of contentedness.
