Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down

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An exploration of the rise of languishing - a state of mental weariness that flattens positive feelings, connections and motivation - and a counterintuitive guide to flourishing, from the Emory University sociologist who coined the term. The inspiration behind The New York Times' most read, most shared, and most cited article of 2021. Do you feel demotivated and aimless Are you running on empty Is it hard to pinpoint what's wrong This is an experience millions of us are struggling with, and until now, we've lacked the vocabulary to understand it. But Dr Corey Keyes has identified this feeling as languishing, and here he draws on the latest research and real-life case studies to trace its spread to a level of global epidemic, asking the fundamental question of how we find lasting wellbeing. Breaking down the science of emotional exhaustion, Keyes shows that our very obsession with happiness complicates the process of finding it. Only by shifting our focus from feeling good to functioning well can we unlock the key to flourishing. He reveals the choices and mental habits that inadvertently worsen the problem, and shares simple but powerful steps anyone can take to restore meaning, joy, and calm to their lives. Languishing is a must-read for anyone tempted to downplay the feelings of demotivation and emptiness they've been experiencing, to help them find true flourishing in our short time on earth.

Author Bio

Corey Keyes is a full professor of Sociology at Emory University where he has held the Winship Distinguished Research Professorship. Dr Keyes was a member of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Research Program on Aging as a member of the interdisciplinary network on Midlife in the United States research network and studies. The year after Positive Psychology was formed as a new field of research, Dr Keyes was the chairperson, along with Dr Martin Seligman, of the First Summit of Positive Psychology in 1999. For decades, clinicians have used his original 14-point questionnaire for evaluating mental health, which highlights the socioeconomic and psychological factors behind flourishing. His work on the social determinants of health (SDOH) set the stage for our overdue reckoning with the effects of trauma, discrimination, and the pressures of modern-day living exert on mental wellbeing. Over the course of his career, he's advised the CDC as well as governmental agencies in Canada, Northern Ireland, and Australia.