“Life is a leaner”: small actions, big changes – don’t wait for a better life
Watch Matti Nykänen The Legend on Yle TV 1 on 23.2.2025 at 21:00. On Yle Arena from Sun 23.2.2025 https://areena.yle.fi/1-66522602
Are you waiting for a change, but the days are slipping away? The truth is, a better life doesn’t start tomorrow – it starts with that one small action you can take today.
“Do one small thing for yourself today. And tomorrow another. These actions will ultimately make you the man you can be at your best.”- Petteri Sveins.
Why do we need to talk about men’s health now – and in a different way?
In many ways, men’s well-being is in crisis. Many are struggling with loneliness, substance abuse, mental health challenges and violence. According to a survey by MIELI, 70% of men would need help with anxiety, depression or relationship problems – but few seek it.
The Finnish man has traditionally been taught to fend for himself. But doing it alone can be one of the biggest risks to well-being. One of the biggest barriers to seeking help is the idea that you should manage on your own – but in reality, the best way to strengthen your wellbeing is to build small but lasting good habits into your everyday life.
The story of Matti Nykänen and what every man should learn from life’s rough patches?
I have seen first-hand how small things can add up for better or worse. I was a friend of Matti Nykänen since childhood and saw how he tried to fight his inner storm. His story is extreme in many ways, but at the same time very Finnish – drug-induced anxiety, underlying depression and a loneliness that many people didn’t see.
Matti sought acceptance and got through many places with his charisma and skills, but without a proper support network and ways to deal with difficult emotions, life got out of hand. His life was full of extremes – highs and lows. The story is sadly familiar to many Finnish men struggling with loneliness, substance abuse and mental health challenges.
But what if Matti had found a way to stop in time and make small but significant changes Changing direction in life doesn’t happen overnight, but every day is another opportunity to make better choices.
Matti was aware of the effects of alcohol on his life, but it was difficult to break free. He tried to stop drinking several times, but loneliness and old habits pulled him back. What can you do in this situation? Small but conscious choices in alcohol consumption: reduce portion sizes, increase alcohol-free days and replace drinking with other relaxing activities.
Matti often said he was a timid person, and alcohol gave him the courage to face others. Loneliness was a big reason for drinking. One way is to consciously strengthen relationships without alcohol. For example, calling an old friend, joining a men’s peer group or just spending more time with family. Small, everyday conversations can go a long way to reducing loneliness.
Mat’s life was chaotic. Although a sporting career had required discipline, later on life lost control. Creating small routines that bring balance has a huge impact on the whole. For example, you can start the day with a breathing exercise, go for a daily walk or stick to a regular sleep rhythm. Even small everyday actions can create a sense of control.
Depression and anxiety were part of Mati’s life, but often left behind. He himself admitted that he felt bad, but resolved it in self-harming ways. Investing in the well-being of your mind can be done in small, but many ways. Write down your thoughts and feelings, identify harmful thought patterns and talk more openly about how you feel. Therapy or peer support could have provided Mat with tools to deal with difficult emotions. Through BitHabit, he could have practised small habits that support mental wellbeing.
Matti experienced many feelings of disappointment and setbacks, which added to the negative cycle of thoughts. He often got caught up in failures instead of seeing his successes. The key is to make small successes visible to yourself; by writing down just one thing you can be proud of every day – whether it’s a clear day, a good conversation or even just a smile in the mirror. Noticing small successes can boost motivation and self-esteem.
Violence and alcohol – a legacy or an opportunity to break the cycle?
The Finnish man often carries with him learned patterns – ways of coping, coping well and masking pain. For many, violence and alcohol are ways of controlling emotions, but they also make life uncontrollable. This is what happened to Matti. Bar fights, fights at home and bumps in the road were part of his everyday life. Each time the cycle deepened, making it harder to break free.
But no spiral is eternal. What we have learned can also be learned away.
I personally witnessed this at a young age, when I prevented Mat from going even deeper in fights countless times. It wasn't always easy - but words, understanding and caring were often the decisive moment that stopped the blow. Later, I realised there was something bigger here: a chance to change direction, to find an alternative to violence.
Small changes build big change. It starts with seeing ourselves and our lives as valuable. When we understand that violence does not make us strong, but breaks us from within, we can look for new ways to face challenges. Suppressing emotions with alcohol or venting with violence is only a temporary solution that in the long run will eat us up from the inside.
There is strength in the Finnish man – but the real strength is not in the fist or the bottle. It’s in the courage to stop, take an honest look at yourself and make a new decision. You don’t have to change everything at once. Just one small act – stepping in, opening a conversation, asking for help – can be the moment that life takes a new direction.
What could you do today? Choose one small action that will move you towards a better life – and make it part of your everyday life. Small actions ultimately change the direction of your whole life. Each of us men can make a choice that will lead to a better tomorrow. Don’t wait for a crisis – take control of your life today.
A man’s way to feel better – easily and without unnecessary adjustment
Feeling good and having a more energetic everyday life doesn’t have to be complicated or require huge changes. Small, daily actions can have a huge impact on how you feel, sleep and feel about yourself. The BitHabit/Small Actions app is designed to do just that: help you adopt small but meaningful habits that become permanent routines over time.
The app is based on research on habit formation and self-determination theory. It allows you to easily and reliably add healthy habits to your daily life without having to make big changes all at once. You just choose the small actions that suit you, and the app helps you make them part of your daily routine – whether it’s better sleep, exercise or staying fit.
If you want to feel better without any unnecessary gimmicks, BitHabit is a practical tool for the man who wants results in small but effective ways. Get started today and see how small changes can make a big difference to your life.
The app is based on research and works on the theory of habit formation and self-determination theory. Its core idea is simple: if you repeat good habits often enough, they become part of you. And when you do small things every day, their impact grows over time beyond your wildest imagination. BitHabit was developed during the national StopDia project by THL, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the University of Eastern Finland. The app combines in particular sections on brain strain and memory, as well as on work performance.
5 simple ways to feel better - start today
A man doesn’t have to turn his whole life around to feel better. Small, smart choices can make a big difference in everyday life. Try these concrete ways and you’ll notice a difference in no time.
1. Switch to a non-alcoholic drink or drink from a smaller glass
→ If you take it, take it smart. Choosing a smaller glass or a non-alcoholic can mean fewer calories and better moods without you noticing – without compromising your mood.
2. Take a moment a day for yourself
→ Press the brake for a moment. Five minutes of breathing exercises, stretching or walking outside can bring stress levels down and do wonders for your concentration.
3. Smile at the mirror and others
→ It may sound silly, but it works. When you smile to yourself in the morning and greet others with a smile, your mood is lifted and your confidence is boosted – without much effort.
4. Keep your phone away from the dinner table and talk more
→ Real encounters are a rare treat. When you give your full attention to those close to you, relationships are strengthened and you feel better – and food tastes better without the constant scrolling.
5. Challenge yourself to change one thought pattern
→ When you find yourself thinking “I can’t do this” or “I’m not good enough”, test how it feels to translate it into “I’m doing my best and that’s enough” or “Why not try?”. Attitude matters more than you think.
Psychotherapist’s perspective: how can BitHabit help in therapy?
“One of the biggest challenges in psychotherapy is that people get insights and tools in the office, but often don’t take them into their daily lives. BitHabit can support therapists by providing patients with concrete, step-by-step ways to change their daily lives.”
For example, the app can be used to:
✅ Monitor the client’s wellbeing and changes in everyday life ✅ Give the client concrete tasks between meetings ✅ Help identify harmful patterns of thinking and acting ✅ Provide information and support on men’s wellbeing
BitHabit is not just an app – it is a tool that can help you make a lasting change.
Prosperity doesn’t happen overnight – but it starts with a single act
Men’s mental health and well-being require a new approach. We need ways that are practical and easy to adopt. We need ways that do not feel like therapy, but have the same effect.
Matti Nykänen once said: “Life is the best time of a man’s life.” But to make it happen, it requires actions – small, but repeated.
Do one small thing for yourself today. And tomorrow another. These actions will ultimately make you the man you can be at your best.
Watch Matti Nykänen The Legend on Yle TV 1 23.2.2025 at 21:00
An expert’s perspective – small actions, big impacts
The author of this blog is a specialist psychotherapist and CEO Petteri Sveins, who has dedicated his career to supporting people’s well-being and behaviour change. With decades of experience in psychotherapy, Sveins has helped countless people find better ways to manage stress, strengthen self-esteem and make sustainable choices in their daily lives. She understands that big life changes don’t come in one fell swoop, but in small, repeated actions – and it is from this idea that BitHabit was born.
“The biggest mistake a person can make is to wait for the perfect moment to start a change. A better life is built on small actions repeated day after day,” Sveins concludes.
The BitHabit app allows everyone to take these small steps towards a stronger, more energetic and balanced life – easily and without unnecessary effort.
