Ten very Swedish New Year's resolutions for 2023
Is this the year to do all those things you’ve been meaning to do since moving to Sweden?
Finally learn Swedish
Yes, you’ve got a 479 day streak on Duolingo, but you still can’t quite pronounce sjuksköterska ("nurse"). That's fine, no one has to be perfect, but maybe this is the year that you commit to taking language lessons for real. There are plenty of adult Swedish courses up and down the country, many of which start up in January. And if you need to learn some new Swedish words, we have the perfect book for you.
Take a really long holiday
And don’t feel guilty about it. Part of enjoying the Swedish work-life balance comes from taking at least four weeks off work over the summer holidays.
Enjoy Swedish friluftsliv
Swedish life is all about getting out of the city and enjoying the uninhibited right to roam, called allemansrätten. Perhaps 2022 is the year you finally take up cross-country skiing, or cold-water swimming, or mosquito hiking.
Fly less
Perhaps this is the year you make the decision to travel as much as possible over land and save some carbon along the way?
We know that avoiding flying entirely is near-impossible for many international residents, who may have have family, friends and businesses in several different countries, but here are some tips from The Local's readers about how to fly sensibly.
Discover more of Sweden
You've done all the tourist traps, you’re bored of the cities, so now it’s time to visit places off the beaten track. Have you surfed at Torö? Or stood in three countries at once at the Three-Country Cairn, where Sweden, Norway, and Finland all meet?
Go to the gym more
But not that gym.
Sweden is full of outdoor gyms (utegym) that are free to access for everyone. They’re usually in parks, so they’re a great reason to get some fresh air (which is also free and very good for you). So there’s no need to spend money on an expensive gym membership that you give up on just as quickly as you start. Plus, 2023 is not the year to body shame yourself into lifting sweaty weights at your local gym chain.
Buy more second-hand
Sweden is the only country in the world to have an entire shopping mall dedicated to selling only second hand and upcycled things. You’ll find great vintage and antique stores everywhere in cities, and you’ll find loppis ("flea markets") everywhere else.
Even if you can’t get out to search through racks of pre-loved clothes, you can check out websites like Sellpy that sell previously worn clothes.
Change your career
With strong labour unions and employee rights, Sweden is an excellent place to find what makes you passionate and make a job of it – but it can also be surprisingly difficult to break into the job market. Perhaps this is the year you quit or give up your job hunt and start your own freelancing agency, or you take an adult learning course at one of the many universities that offer them for free to Swedish residents.
Bake like a Swede
If 2020 was the year of sourdough and banana bread, maybe 2023 will be the year of the kanelbulle. Not the easiest pastry to master, but once you’ve got it down you’ll never need a bakery again.
Read more Swedish books
Want to read up on your Swedish culture? Here’s a list of Swedish books to read in the new year.
What are your New Year’s resolutions (nyårslöften) for 2023? Let us know in the comments!
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See Also
Finally learn Swedish
Yes, you’ve got a 479 day streak on Duolingo, but you still can’t quite pronounce sjuksköterska ("nurse"). That's fine, no one has to be perfect, but maybe this is the year that you commit to taking language lessons for real. There are plenty of adult Swedish courses up and down the country, many of which start up in January. And if you need to learn some new Swedish words, we have the perfect book for you.
Take a really long holiday
And don’t feel guilty about it. Part of enjoying the Swedish work-life balance comes from taking at least four weeks off work over the summer holidays.
Enjoy Swedish friluftsliv
Swedish life is all about getting out of the city and enjoying the uninhibited right to roam, called allemansrätten. Perhaps 2022 is the year you finally take up cross-country skiing, or cold-water swimming, or mosquito hiking.
Fly less
Perhaps this is the year you make the decision to travel as much as possible over land and save some carbon along the way?
We know that avoiding flying entirely is near-impossible for many international residents, who may have have family, friends and businesses in several different countries, but here are some tips from The Local's readers about how to fly sensibly.
Discover more of Sweden
You've done all the tourist traps, you’re bored of the cities, so now it’s time to visit places off the beaten track. Have you surfed at Torö? Or stood in three countries at once at the Three-Country Cairn, where Sweden, Norway, and Finland all meet?
Go to the gym more
But not that gym.
Sweden is full of outdoor gyms (utegym) that are free to access for everyone. They’re usually in parks, so they’re a great reason to get some fresh air (which is also free and very good for you). So there’s no need to spend money on an expensive gym membership that you give up on just as quickly as you start. Plus, 2023 is not the year to body shame yourself into lifting sweaty weights at your local gym chain.
Buy more second-hand
Sweden is the only country in the world to have an entire shopping mall dedicated to selling only second hand and upcycled things. You’ll find great vintage and antique stores everywhere in cities, and you’ll find loppis ("flea markets") everywhere else.
Even if you can’t get out to search through racks of pre-loved clothes, you can check out websites like Sellpy that sell previously worn clothes.
Change your career
With strong labour unions and employee rights, Sweden is an excellent place to find what makes you passionate and make a job of it – but it can also be surprisingly difficult to break into the job market. Perhaps this is the year you quit or give up your job hunt and start your own freelancing agency, or you take an adult learning course at one of the many universities that offer them for free to Swedish residents.
Bake like a Swede
If 2020 was the year of sourdough and banana bread, maybe 2023 will be the year of the kanelbulle. Not the easiest pastry to master, but once you’ve got it down you’ll never need a bakery again.
Read more Swedish books
Want to read up on your Swedish culture? Here’s a list of Swedish books to read in the new year.
What are your New Year’s resolutions (nyårslöften) for 2023? Let us know in the comments!
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