3 Things You Could Learn From The Happiest Country In The World?

What could you learn from the happiest country in the world? Do you know what country currently holds the mantel for The Happiest Country in the World?

This might come as a surprise to some (mostly to Finns themselves) but it is in fact the Northernmost EU country, Finland. It tops the UN’s happiness ranking, again.

Okay, happiness is an abstract matter that we all perhaps measure differently. But as scientific measurements go, I really can’t argue with the findings. Simply because I grew up in the said country, and have since lived abroad in multiple countries.

A lot of Finland’s happiness rating is definitely due to the country’s outstanding and free education and healthcare system.

• In Finland it doesn’t matter what sort of family you’re from or how rich or poor you may be.
• You’re given exactly the same tools and opportunities in your early life as everyone else, regardless.

Perhaps your family can’t travel as much as the neighbours. But at the end of the day, as long as you have a sound general education, and your health is looked after since childhood, you’ve got the perfect base to build on.

No matter if you want to become an astronaut or an environmental activist, it’s yours if you work towards it.

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What You Can Learn From The Happiest Country In The World?

While there isn’t much that you can do about changing the base systems in your country, or the way the country is run, you do still have power over your own life. You can still learn from the happiest country in the world on a personal level.

Social media and the whole world around us is creating unrealistic expectations for us. But the only people putting the pressure to achieve those unrealistic things on us, are ourselves.

Instead of falling into the fakeness-trap that social media is to its core, you might do well to consider taking a few life-lessons from the happiest people on the planet:

1. Learn to appreciate free time

One of the most valuable lessons to learn from the happiest country in the world, is the appreciation for your own time.

This point was brought home to me largely due to my encounters with American people. It’s completely normal to have 3 jobs in the States, whereas in Finland it’s almost unheard of. A job’s function is to pay you enough so that you are able to live a life. It sounds like in the States this is often not the case.

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In Finland employees just as well as employers value free time over everything else. That is the time over which you have full power! You decide how to spend it and what to do with it.

It’s no wonder there is so much burnout going around if free time isn’t a priority. Work-life balance is completely off for most of us, and it’s causing incredible amounts of unnecessary stress and misery.

But the world will not collapse if you schedule a bit more free time for yourself! Learn to leave work at the office, and especially, learn to kick the useless guilt in the face.

In Finland we, in fact, value free time so much that we have more holidays per year than any other country I’ve ever heard of.

So much so, that we often take altogether 4 weeks off work in a row. This happens on such a large scale, and is such a normal thing, that it is often said that Finland is “closed” for July. We work to be able to forget about professional responsibilities and spend our free time the way we see fit.

2. Value nature

Okay, in Finland it’s easy to value nature because over 70% of the country is covered in forest areas. Finland is a long country, stretching from the leafy South to the deserts of magical Lapland up North. Thus, there’s a lot of different kinds of nature to explore.

This is one of the simplest things to learn from the happiest country, and it’s completely free! Even a short walk in nature boosts your well-being without you even noticing:

1. green colour is well-known for its ability to lower stress levels and blood pressure
2. this automatically affect your mood in a positive way
3. benefits of enjoying some time in nature also include boosting the immune system and increasing your ability to focus.

All of this has been proven to work even for children with ADHD. When you combine all of these things, it’s quite obvious that your ability to sleep is also improved. And that is immediately reflected in your overall well-being.

I live in a city. But knowing the power of nature in regards to my well-being, I regularly visit the leafy park and the forest nearby. Whether just a walk or a proper run, I always feel rejuvenated and energized when I return from there.

3. Take responsibility of yourself

Finnish people are raised to be very independent from a very young age. For example, Finns move to their own apartments on average at the age of 17-19.

Being taught to be independent from such a young age definitely has its cons. But in most parts, it does contribute to our happiness. We do not rely on anyone else for anything. We can cope.

Now, I’m not saying that nobody else than Finns can cope, but what do most of us do when we feel down or lost in our lives? If we’re not wasting our energy blaming everyone else of our problems but ourselves, it’s this:

We google dozens and dozens of guides on how to feel and be this and that. We then do the required 10-step programs to reach the ultimate happiness in everything. And then we find ourselves disappointed. Why aren’t you happy yet?

Many of us strive to be better. Better employees, better mothers, better friends, better for everyone else. But what about ourselves? Aren’t you important enough to be just as present for yourself and feel just as special as you do to your friends and family?

Let me answer that for you: YES YOU ARE!

Admit that to yourself, and then it’s time to get to work: you are the only one responsible for your own happiness, nobody else. So, it’s you who needs prioritize you, nobody else.

This an important aspect you can learn from the happiest country in the world. Taking accountability and responsibility of oneself. Nobody else is responsible for making you good enough or an adequate participant in a society. That responsibility is 100% on you.

If time alone is required, take it. And bear in mind, you will need to take it, because own time is rarely given.

Conclusion

Stop complaining about every inevitability of our miserable lives and take control of yours! Because when you do, you will quickly notice amazing changes in the people around you and the way you feel about yourself. People like to be led by examples, so why not be that example?

At the end of the day, the lesson to learn from the happiest country is very simple: appreciating the little mundane things about our everyday lives and not being a victim of life. We only live once. So, let’s make this one life the best we ever have! ♥