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

4.2 | 65 ratings

Price: 15.75

Last update: 06-18-2024

Top reviews from the United States

teresa

Absolute must read….mind blowing

Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2024

I struggle with anxiety and depression. I’ve been in a funk for about 6 months. I’m wasn’t excited anything but I also wasn’t sad about anything either. Just numb, unmotivated. This book clearly explained why I was feeling what I was feeling in layman’s terms and its current info related to the pandemic. Lastly it addresses issues with each race, age and gender with statistics. Mind blowing.

DJMN

The “healthy” things we do can promote languishing

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2024

Is it possible the healthy things we do are actually promoting languishing? I think so, after reading this book. I’m living proof you can take the Five Vitamins (explained in book) and still languish. Why? Because my motivation for these — my “why” — comes from a disease model of health. I exercise — and choose exercise I like — not primarily for enjoyment or out of a connection to “having more time with loved ones if I stay healthy” (or any other motivation with deeper meaning), but because I am supposed to, I should, and I’m following healthy recommendations. Same with eating, sleeping, leisure activities, and so on.

As Keyes makes clear, we have a disease model for health and wellbeing. It exists on one end of a continuum and we spend a lot of time (and resources) there. So much of the information we take in regarding mental, emotional and physical health is focused on addressing, managing or avoiding disease. No wonder we’re languishing.

What if some of the same actions you take to be healthy, in all aspects, could not only benefit you on the illness end of the continuum but also lessen languishing and help you to flourish? It’s WHY you do these things, your connection to a deeper meaning that tilts the balance. It’s finding the things that have healthy benefits but are free of “should,” “ugh,” “ho-hum” and “have to” and that instead flow.

Reading the book, it became clear that I need a reset. I’m doing healthy things but they’re not getting me anywhere close to flourishing. I need to reevaluate. The time I spent reading this book, and the insights in it, helped me to see this in a way that will stick with me as I make some needed and wanted change.

In some ways, this book is two in one — a detailed look at the research on languishing and flourishing and a compelling tale of the authors own struggles. The research parts are not the easiest read but are important. The time spent with this book is an investment in a deeper understanding, which is necessary to promote real change.

I highly recommend and hope the author follows this book up with more.

Some good information, but biased by author’s own life experiences

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2024

3.5 Stars
Obviously, everyone’s personal experiences are different, and what you get out of this book will vary as well. The author’s ultimate message is nothing new: “The only thing you have power over is yourself. Only you can change how you think, feel, and behave. We are powerless over pretty much everything else.” It’s how we learn to accept what life throws at us that determines whether we languish or flourish.
As a sociologist and college instructor, the author definately wrote more in that tone much of the time. A lot of statistical data to back up his research (over 25 pages of source notes). Some of it very interesting, but also disheartening when it comes to treating “mental health” conditions. Also, at times, repetitive, or full of talking points before getting to the “Action Plan” in the second half to help yourself work towards “flourishing.”
I was totally unfamiliar with Mr. Keyes and the term “languishing.” I did get a better understanding of the author’s whole concept of “languishing” and how it applies to me, and some other family members, and what has been labeled with depression over the years. Found it helpful with some suggestions, but also found it depressing due to the inadequacy of our current and past mental healthcare systems.
However, since nothing was mentioned in the marketing blurb, I was unaware how intertwined his personal life was with his professional life; or that this book would be interspersed with bits of his own life experiences to use as examples of overcoming languishing. While that made him more relatable, I felt it also made him less objective as a researcher. I, personally, didn’t care for the author’s overemphasis on what worked for him—especially yoga. Not everyone can physically manage the poses or likes meditation.

Kelevilin Kimathi

Languishing

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024

This book is a manual for someone whose life is suboptimal..it gives tips of how despite having negative experiences you can turn things around and flourish.

Olivia

got a lot out of this book!

Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2024

Flourishing has been a topic for some time. Languishing is emerging. The author highlights relevant research, much of it his own, into what makes us Languish and Flourish. While others are popularizing these terms, he coined them. His deep academic knowledge shows. This is mixed with stories of the author’s personal struggles. On the surface, it seems incongruous.
Shouldn’t a guru of flourishing have it all together? Nope. None of us do. And so, it’s clear his deep knowledge is not only academic.
I’ll keep on my shelf to read again — there is a ton of good, valuable stuff there.

Alana

Should be titled “Flourishing”

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024

Corey Keyes has packed a boatload of insights and recommendations into this book. Yes, the title is “Languishing” but after the intro where he describes what languishing means, the remainder of the book is about flourishing and the action steps you can take to achieve it. I checked this book out at the library and am going to buy it to continue referring to while on my journey to flourishing. Highly recommend.

Amazon Customer

Too Long to Get to the Remedies & Suggestions

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024

I had very high hopes for this book and pre-ordered it in the fall given my excitement. Once it arrived, I started reading it and felt that there was way much more context on the front end than what was needed. Additionally, some of the examples shared were severe in nature, and, in my opinion, were bordering on mental health disorders rather than the proverbial "languishing" (i.e., general malaise) that has been described in the media over the past three years.

By 50+ pages in, the author lost me as the context was not moving along toward remedies or suggestions for overcoming languishing. I skipped toward the latter half of the book and skimmed through the suggestions, which were unremarkable.

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