Kokonaiselämä

Kokonaiselämä is a Finnish term describing a holistic view of a person’s life, emphasizing the interconnectedness of different life domains such as work, family, health, and leisure. Rather than treating these areas as separate compartments, kokonaiselämä promotes an integrated perspective in which choices and events in one domain influence others.

Etymology and usage: The word combines kokonainen (whole) and elämä (life). It appears in Finnish philosophy, psychology, education, and public discourse to discuss well-being, life planning, and sustainability. There is no single authoritative definition; meanings vary with author and context.

In practice, kokonaiselämä is used to advocate for balance and coherence across life areas. It informs approaches in health promotion, career guidance, and coaching, encouraging individuals to assess goals and priorities from a whole-life viewpoint rather than optimizing a single domain. It is also used in discussions of lifelong learning, community involvement, and sustainable living, where long-term coherence of one’s life with values and environment is highlighted.

See also: related ideas include holistic health, life balance, and holistic development. Overall, kokonaiselämä serves as a lens in Finnish-language discourse for evaluating and guiding choices toward a coherent, sustainable, and meaningful life.