On Point | Podcast How to move from languishing to flourishing
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Mar 28, 2025 Corey Keyes, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Emory University and author of "Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down," dives into the complex experience of languishing. He shares personal narratives of trauma and societal observations of this phenomenon, especially during the pandemic. Keyes discusses how languishing differs from depression and emphasizes the importance of community. The conversation highlights proactive steps for moving from emptiness to flourishing, including nurturing relationships and embracing vulnerability.
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Early Languishing
- At 16, Corey Keyes heard Jackson Browne's "Running on Empty" and it resonated with his own feelings of emptiness.
- After being adopted out of an abusive home, he felt a void despite being in a safe environment.
Impact of Trauma
- Childhood trauma and abuse require immense energy to survive, leaving a sense of emptiness when the threat is gone.
- Keyes's high ACE score (seven) reflects the significant impact of his childhood experiences.
Defining Languishing
- Languishing is described as a void in one's soul, a feeling of being half-alive, stuck, or empty.
- It is characterized by the absence of positive feelings rather than the presence of negative ones.
