Itsessäsi

Itsessäsi is a Finnish phrase meaning "inside yourself." It combines the pronoun itse (self) with the inessive suffix -ssä, which marks location as "in" or "inside," and the second-person possessive suffix -si, indicating the addressee. The result is a locative expression that literally conveys “in your self” and is used to refer to what resides within a person.

In usage, itsessäsi is typically employed to direct attention to inner states such as thoughts, feelings, motives, or personal resources. It is common in contexts of introspection, personal development, coaching, and psychotherapy, where the aim is to focus on internal factors rather than external circumstances. The tone can be exploratory and encouraging of self-awareness and self-reliance.

Examples include:

- Keskity itsessäsi olevaan rauhaan.

- Tuo esiin itsessäsi oleva vahvuus.

The phrase belongs to a broader family of forms built from itse and related possessive suffixes to express different persons and numbers, with the inessive -ssä marking location. Related constructions may use different suffixes to refer to other people’s selves (for example, itsesi, itsensä) or to alter the nuance (self-reflection versus self-empowerment). Overall, itsessäsi functions as a concise linguistic tool for encouraging examination of one’s inner life rather than external conditions.