Sisu!

Sisu -- a Finnish term regarding strength, will, determination, more than courage, making the decision to stick with it even after failures. Something I want to display this year and the rest of my life.

I grew up in an area of Wisconsin that was intensively proud of their Finnish heritage. You know the Finns, the ones that persevered through the Winter War, vastly outnumber by the Russians, the stoic Nordic people from the land of Santa Claus, the sauna taking, ice fishing, polka dancing people. My father is Finnish, my mother is not. I know I have always identified myself as a Finn, even though it is only half of my ancestry.

Back to sisu...a friend that lives in the UP of Michigan recently reminded me of this word and I have decided to adopt it as my one word mantra for my life. I want to have that strength, that inner determination, that ability to stay the course even after failing to succeed the first, second, third or however many times.

I just made a pendant for myself (and will probably remake it at some point in the future) that says "sisu strong". I plan on wearing this as a reminder that I have sisu inside of me. I can be strong, determined, stay the course.

Sisu Strong!