Languishing

November 27, 2023
Sociologist Keyes (coeditor of Flourishing) sets out in this perceptive guide to lead those who feel “emotionally flattened” onto “a path toward flourishing.” Defining languishing as an “absence of wellbeing... that millions of people were experiencing but found hard to put into words” during the Covid-19 pandemic, Keyes explains that the state of mind involves a lack of excitement, community disconnection, and “the constant feeling of unease that you’re missing something that will make your life feel complete.” It can also precipitate self-harming behaviors, suicidal thoughts, and “absenteeism” from work or school, among other ill effects. Antidotes include “follow your curiosity to learn something new,” “build warm and trusting relationships,” and “mov closer to the Sacred, the Divine, and the Infinite.” Keyes explores these and other remedies in a wide-ranging and eclectic collage of insights, research, and anecdotes. In the section on forming relationships, for instance, he elucidates principles undergirding true friendships (equality, reciprocity, and the willingness to empathize and compromise) and discusses how gangs answer a core emotional need by providing their members with “psychological safety.” Keyes carefully sketches the contours of a pervasive and sometimes-nebulous phenomenon, though his “action plans” can skew vague; such suggestions as “allow your curiosity to triumph over your disappointment” and “fix what can be fixed” may leave readers feeling as adrift as they did before picking up the book. Taken together, though, Keyes’s eye-opening musings will be a balm to those in need of a fresh perspective.

Starred review from January 19, 2024

Sociologist and psychologist Keyes (emeritus, Emory Univ.; editor of Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life Well-Lived) examines languishing, the feeling of being disconnected, rudderless, and irrelevant. Extended periods of languishing can have a domino effect and lead to conditions such as anxiety, depression, addictive behaviors, an early death, and much more. Keyes's book provides a detailed description of the concept of languishing and identifies societal pressures underlying its cause. Readers learn that languishing most often presents itself in adolescence, young adulthood, or after age 75. But there's hope; languishing can be combatted by flourishing. Readers of this book will discover specific steps for thriving, such as learning something new, developing quality relationships, moving toward the divine, living one's purpose, and engaging in play. Keyes argues that shifting focus enables happiness to come to people naturally. VERDICT Supported by research, this book is a valuable resource for those who may be languishing or who want to find more meaning in their life. Action plans are included.--Lydia Olszak

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.