Are You Languishing?

“We need to prioritize functioning well over feeling happy.”

— Corey Keyes

Have you ever felt like you’re just drifting through life? Going through the motions, feeling joyless and aimless?

You might be experiencing what American Sociologist Corey Keyes calls "languishing."

Keyes, a pioneer in positive psychology and a professor at Emory University, first introduced this term in 2002. He noticed that many people who weren't depressed still weren't thriving.

His book, Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down, dives deep into this concept, aiming to create a nuanced understanding of mental health that goes beyond the binary of “good” or “bad.”

What is Languishing?

Languishing is a state where you’re not experiencing intense negative emotions, but you’re also not feeling good about your life. It’s a middle ground between flourishing and mental illness.

While depression is marked by persistent sadness and severe impairment, languishing involves a lack of positive feelings and engagement. The French existentialists called this feeling "ennui" – a weariness and dissatisfaction stemming from a lack of interest.

Keyes’ dual continua model of mental health explains this well. It posits that mental wellness exists in two dimensions: mental illness and mental health.

You can have no mental illness but still have poor mental health, or you can have a mental illness but experience high mental health.

The Two Continua Model

Flourishing, which stands in for true mental health, is characterized by positive emotions, engagement, purpose, and strong social connections.

The Symptoms of Languishing

Emotional: Feelings of emptiness, stagnation, and a lack of joy.

Cognitive: Difficulty concentrating, lack of focus, and reduced problem-solving capacity.

Behavioural: Reduced motivation, decreased productivity, and disengagement from activities that were once enjoyable.

Languishing leaves you with a neutral or flat mindset—a state of “meh.” You might feel stuck, unfulfilled, and like you’re just going through the motions of life. This state can be a gateway to depression if left unaddressed.

Flourishing: The Antidote

Flourishing is about functioning well and experiencing high levels of well-being, including emotional vitality, meaning, and strong social connections.

It involves:

Psychological Well-Being: Purpose in life, self-acceptance, personal growth, and positive relationships.

Social Well-Being: Feeling integrated into a community, contributing to society, and accepting others.

To move from languishing to flourishing, focus on these five activities, which Keyes calls "behavioral vitamins":

Help Others: Engage in meaningful acts of kindness and community service.

Learn Something New: Pursue new skills or hobbies purely for personal growth.

Socialize: Build and maintain warm, trusting relationships and find your community.

Play: Engage in playful activities that bring joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Participate in Spiritual or Philosophical Practices: Connect with something larger than yourself to find encouragement and strength.

Moving Forward

Languishing is a natural state, but the key is not to stay there too long. By incorporating these activities into your life, you can move towards flourishing, experiencing more joy, purpose, and connection.

Prioritise functioning well over merely feeling happy, and remember that true mental health is about the presence of positive states, not just the absence of negative ones.

For a deeper discussion of the book and some practical implications for how you might live your life, listen to Episode 29 of the Talk Doesn’t Cook Rice podcast.