Top 7 lifestyles that explain why Nordic people are considered the happiest in the world

Nordic people have many different philosophies of life from the rest of the world and that helps them live happier lives .

Every year, the Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland always top the list of countries with the happiest people in the world. The secret to their happiness comes not only from high quality of material life and good social welfare, but more importantly, from their lifestyle and mindset. Each Nordic country has its own 'formula' for taking care of mental health and enjoying life that we can learn from.

Finnish Sisu: Emphasizing Inner Strength

In 2017, The Times included the Finnish concept of Sisu in its list of lifestyles, which roughly translates to: 'If you need to do something, do it now, no matter what.' Sisu stands for resilience and courage, ignoring unnecessary words and excessive emotions from others to do what you want to do.

Sisu also includes a rejection of idle chatter, complaining, and boasting. Thanks to this long-standing philosophy, Finns value social equality and cultivate calmness, perseverance, and self-control.

Lagom: the Swedish philosophy of 'knowing enough'

Lagom is a particularly important skill for Swedes to have in order to live a balanced life. Literally, the concept can be translated as 'just enough, not too much or too little'. Lagom is present everywhere in Swedish society, including economics and business management.

To be happy, Swedes know how to balance income and expenses, cut down on energy and water consumption, reduce waste and reuse old things instead of buying new ones.

Arbejdsglæde: how Danes love their work

The ability to enjoy the work you do for at least 8 hours a day is very important to the Danes. Arbejdsglæde is a concept that promotes a balanced work life, enjoying the joy that comes from work.

To truly work with arbejdsglæde in mind, you should give honest answers to the following questions: Why do you do your current job? Are you achieving the goals you set for yourself? Are you trying to get along with your colleagues and boss, doing enough of the tasks assigned to you, and continuing to improve your skills? If the answer to all of these questions is no, it might be time to think about changing your job. According to the Danes, a truly happy person is one who is happy when they go to work and still feels the same when they go home in the evening.

Friluftsliv: loving mother nature the Norwegian way

The philosophy of friluftsliv is to spend time alone in nature to get back to your true self. Getting out into the beautiful outdoors is not just about going out, the idea is to free yourself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Just you, your backpack, and mother nature. Don't grab your camera and don't post about it on Facebook – just climb a hill or take a walk and keep the memories for yourself.

Gezelligheid: Enjoying intimacy the Dutch way

Although the Netherlands is not part of the Scandinavian peninsula, they also have a very 'beautiful' concept of happiness. The Dutch believe that happiness is essentially synonymous with being close to their loved ones. Spending quality time with loved ones, including family and friends, always improves people's mood. There is a famous Dutch proverb that says 'Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light'.

In Norway, they also have a similar concept called Koselig, which means a nice candlelit dinner with good friends.

Kalsarikänni: Finland's new way to relax

Kalsarikännit (literally meaning house pants) is slang for spending time at home alone in your most comfortable clothes and drinking. Kalsarit is a type of underwear, Kännit means drunk. The Dutch also have a similar term, Niksen, which refers to the ability to relax by doing nothing and not feeling guilty about it.

Gluggaveður: Icelandic Optimism

Gluggaveður is an Icelandic word that defines the wonderful feeling of sitting by the window with a hot cup of coffee or tea, enjoying the weather from indoors but not wanting to go outside to enjoy it. All you need for Gluggaveður is a warm sweater and pants, a hot cup of water, a window and a good mood.