Representing the best
Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
From the world’s happiest nation*, a practical and compassionate approach to personal development, akin to Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project — over 100,000 copies sold across all formats.
Maaret Kallio’s Resolutely Kind has become a rapid and steady bestseller in Finland, cementing her status as the leading voice from the Nordics when it comes to self-care and popular psychology.
But Resolutely Kind is by no means a traditional self-improvement bible: ”I’m not going to promise you happiness; a new, better version of yourself; or a great life,” says trained psychotherapist Maaret Kallio. ”Instead, I hope to provide you with the ideas and tools you need to start working towards something stronger, slower, and more permanent.”
Taking a calm and measured approach to self-improvement, Kallio shares her professional insights into the process of self-reflection, using practical, real life examples to equip readers with the necessary tools to analyse their own lives, realise what it is that brings them happiness, and start working towards achieving it. Kallio’s founding mantra is that happiness comes from experiencing a whole range of emotions, from joy to sorrow; enthusiasm to disappointment. Key areas she addresses include:
*according to the United Nations World Happiness Report 2022 conducted by Gallup and the OECD’s Better Life Index
Maaret Kallio (b. 1977) is a leading cognitive analytic psychotherapist, sexual counselling specialist, and mindfulness coach. An NACS-qualified sexual therapist, she is the former chairperson for the Nordic Association of Clinical Sexology as well as an ambassador of World Vision Finland. Since 2012, she has written a column on the topic of resolute kindness for Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s leading broadsheet. Her first non-fiction book, Resolutely Kind (Lujasti lempea, WSOY 2016) became an immediate bestseller in Finland.
Finnish edition
English sample translation, 47 pp
Synopsis
Author letter
Estonia (Varrak)
Hungarian (HVG)
Netherlands (AW Bruna)
“Resolutely Kind is certainly not a traditional self-help lifestyle book. Kallio doesn’t even try to give the reader some kind of ready-made ‘do this and your life will improve’ package, but rather challenges the reader to reconsider their thoughts on life… Modern life can push people towards performance-oriented goals… Kallio’s book enables you to stop and reflect, without doing anything drastic. Kallio’s book evokes lots of new thoughts, especially concerning how we can learn to accept imperfections, both our own and those in general. And that whatever we may have planned for our lives, there’ll always be something that comes in the way and makes us change them… But instead of letting setbacks paralyse us, we need to be kinder to ourselves and accept that hardships are a part of life, too.” — Järjellä ja tunteella literary blog
“The writing style is light and conversational, but also, well, kind. I especially liked Kallio’s idea that it’s important to be strong and demanding, but at the same we need to be compassionate and accepting towards ourselves… Kallio’s main message is that we should learn to live with our own incompetencies… that a happy life is not just about joy, but includes a whole spectrum of feelings: from joy to sorrow; enthusiasm to disappointment…. The book’s simple language and Kallio’s way of addressing the reader as an equal makes this a really enjoyable reading experience.” — Bibbidi Bobbidi Book literary blog
“This book provides a counterbalance to today’s deluge of ‘life skills’ guides. It is more of a thinking guide, which provides the reader with a framework for reflection and finding their own truth… Maaret Kallio does not give our ready-made answers, rather she enables readers to find their own solutions.” — Luku lamppu literary blog
“I can warmly recommend Resolutely Kind to anything who is interested in reflecting on what it means to have a good life.” — Positiivisuus projekti literary blog
