Welcome to MANIFEST SISU
My name is Julia Abbott-Koivumaa and I am an American married to a man from Finland with a Finnish-American daughter. We spend our summers in Finland at our cabin by the lake and I very much enjoy the people and countryside.
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My approach to the Finnish concept of SISU comes from my perspective as an American intimately tied to Finland interwoven with my desire to help others approach their own personal challenges with determination, mental focus, kindness to themselves, perseverance, and resilience.
Sisu roughly translates in English to the word "guts" and the determination to overcome even the most overwhelming odds. If I can do it; you can do it. We just need to find and channel our own Manifest Sisu.
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My Story
Life can be hard. Sometimes life conspires to overwhelm us. For me the moment that time was being diagnosed with breast cancer and going through the mental and physical beat down that went with it. Cancer is a tough Bitch! Reaching in and trying to access a strength you never knew you possessed or needed. Gearing up for battle. Putting one foot in front of the other when sometimes just moving forward can be miraculous. It can be a true example of MANIFEST SISU - Moving forward when you’re overwhelmed in the moment... when the fear or the pain you feel takes over and your brain can barely process or register what’s happening.
It's about allowing yourself one small victory at a time and sometimes not even small victories. Transcending all of the other factors surrounding you to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to succeed or get through them in one piece. That is MANIFEST SISU.
Share your MANIFEST SISU story. This website is a space to learn about MANIFEST SISU - What it is and how to manifest it in your own life. Finally, to share your MANIFEST SISU experiences with us in an effort to help others. We are all stronger when we're together. Remember that you're not alone.
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Contact Me
I'm always looking for shared stories by people like you! Tell me your MANIFEST SISU story. Let's share SISU.
