Sisu: Find Your Resilience the Finnish Way

by Justyn Barnes

Confront life's challenges courageously and gracefully with this beautifully illustrated, gifty guide to sisu , the Finnish concept of resilience.
 
Often translated as resilience or perseverance, the Finnish concept of sisu is about never giving up, no matter how impossible a task may seem. At its heart lies the idea of getting back up from any failure, whether it be losing a job or the end of a relationship, and having the courage to use that experience to grow. So, if you’re running a marathon and feel like you’ve hit a wall or have a great business idea but feel too frightened to try it, channeling sisu can help you overcome both mental and physical blocks. This friendly introductory guide, filled with inspirational quotes, explains how to embrace sisu and incorporate its principles into your daily life. Learn how to welcome change with open arms and turn difficult situations into opportunities for self-reflection.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

Published March 3, 2020

Reviews

[Sinem Gülen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Even in the most taxing times, know that, if you draw on your inner sisu, spring will always come."
....

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Laozi, ancient Chinese philosopher"

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief introduction to the Finnish concept of Sisu, which is often translated to "resilience" or "perseverance." It is the idea of never giving up, even when things seem impossible. It is about confronting adversity head on. This book gives some great ideas on how to bring Sisu into your life by finding resilience, seeking solutions, doing things together and nurturing Sisu. Many of the ideas are very simple and accessible for the average person. These include things like breaking things down into smaller tasks and moving more. Others are more abstract like learning to "lengthen your stride." Overall, a nice introduction to the concept with some great ideas.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Superficial, wandering, and all center aligned. Also, there was no “about the author,” so I continually found myself questioning Barnes’ authority to speak to a Finnish concept. I read this book in about 30 minutes and would like that time back to devote to something else.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
This is a guide to developing SISU. The resilience of the Finnish people. Sisu kept the Finns going through wars and domination from the Swedes and Russians. Sisu is what makes Finland the "happiest" country in the world.

[Kimhok Taing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm surprised by how the Finns have assimilated and practiced 'Sisu' - the bold concept of courage, perseverance, resilience, and never-give-up ways of doing things and facing adversities on head, be it small or big. Love it!

[Tomi Kuisma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't read self-help books but I am Finnish, living in Finland, and I can't say that this book is accurate. Not every positive thing about Finland can be labeled under sisu, and we have a lot of problems that can't be fixed with resilience.

The photos are nice (if only stock photos).

[Anca Popescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little book for only one word ..

[Alli Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photo and believer supportive inspiring text on each set of pages.. Hundreds of ideas in this beautiful little book

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was the easily digestible inspiration I needed, and the photographs were beautiful. I'd recommend anyone in need of a quick burst of motivation pick it up. I took about a half hour to read it

[Mirja · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lyhyitä ja latteita tekstejä, kuvapankkikuvia. Live, laugh and sisu. Luetellaan iso kasa Suomeen liittyviä positiivisia juttuja, mutta kaikki jää hyvin pinnalliseksi.

[Alena Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

About summed up by the person who said "live laugh sisu"

[Kim Fisher · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shutterstock photos and generic info you could find on Pinterest. Not worthy of being on the bookshelf.

[Payton Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

The sweetest lil book about what sisu is, what it has done for generations, what it can do for you, and what it can do for your community.

[Beth Dorsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars quick and pleasant read, but nothing too groundbreaking.

[Gohar G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very "cozy" book for rainy days.