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

The Emory University sociologist who coined the term languishing—low-grade mental weariness that affects our self-esteem, relationships, and motivation—explores the rise of this phenomenon and presents a comprehensive guide to flourishing in a world that demands too much. If you’re muddling through the day in a fog, often forgetting why you walked into the kitchen in the first place... If you feel emotionally flattened, lacking energy to socialize or feel joy in the small things… If you feel an inner void—like something is missing, but you aren't sure what... Then this book is for you. In Adam Grant’s viral New York Times op-ed about languishing, he cited groundbreaking research by Corey Keyes, the sociologist who has been researching it for decades. Languishing is distinct from depression and its attending state of hopelessness or sadness. Left unchecked, languishing erodes our sense of purpose and leads to self-reinforcing spirals of negative thoughts—and increased odds of depression, anxiety, and premature death. Now, Keyes is drawing on the latest studies, cross-national comparisons, and gripping stories to write the first definitive book on languishing. He reveals the surprising domino effects it can set off in our lives, and traces the events and cultural shifts that brought us here: a global moment of intense loss and fear, the false promises of the self-help industrial complex, and a failing healthcare system that directs resources towards treating rather than preventing illness. Ultimately, Keyes asks the fundamental question of how we find lasting well-being. Unlike self-improvement systems offering quick mood boosts, Keyes’s research focuses on functioning well: taking simple but powerful steps to hold our emotions loosely, become more accepting of ourselves and others, and carve out minutes in your day for the activities that set off virtuous cycles of meaning, connection, and personal growth. Languishing is for anyone tempted to downplay feelings of demotivation and emptiness as they struggle to haul themselves through day after day, and for those determined to flourish. We can expand our vocabulary—and with it, our potential.