An Approachable Sense

Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down by Corey Keyes
Crown, February 20, 2024

Much like its title, a new book by Corey Keyes offers both an acknowledgment of a global and personal health problem of languishing and a beckoning to grow towards an approachable sense of flourishing. Languishing refers to a sense of “restless emptiness” and is increasingly impacting people of all ages and in nearly all stages of life. Because experiences or observations of languishing are increasingly ubiquitous, one can read this book as a mirror to one’s own experiences or observations, resonate with its descriptions of languishing, or find guidance in what flourishing can be. Early on, Keyes offers a vision: “When students walk across that stage, take their diploma and graduate, they should feel happy and engaged in their lives, with a sense of direction and personal growth, accepting of themselves and others, and eager to contribute to not just their community but society at large.” To promote such valuable educational outcomes, Keyes encourages us to invest in mental health, not just treat mental illness. He offers “vitamins” for flourishing and strategies to function well and be more whole. Through storytelling, data, and relevant philosophical applications, Keyes provides us with the language and first steps we might need to move from a sense of hopelessness to a sense of inspiration in confronting the challenges of the mental health crises adults and children are experiencing.