LANGUOR, LANGUISH, LANGUISHING

How to Cope With Languishing

Try these simple, expert-backed ways to shake off the "blah" feeling and start finding more joy, energy, and purpose in your days.

01 of 10

Take small, actionable steps forward each day.

Create a list of top priorities—the most important needs—and focus on accomplishing just two or three of them per day. "This might be as simple as taking a 15-minute walk each day to get an exercise routine going, or something more involved, like drafting a new resume or tackling house-cleaning one room at a time," Manly says.

02 of 10

Reward yourself for every positive step forward.

As you complete the small tasks on your list, Manly suggests offering yourself a feel-good reward, like watching 30 minutes of your favorite show in exchange for every 30 minutes of cleaning, focused work, or other accomplishment. "This type of reward system supports the positive, flourishing-oriented mindset that's so essential for getting unstuck from languishing energy," she says.

03 of 10

Make plans that excite you.

Having things to look forward to is an underratedly important part of making life worth living. Busy and overwhelmed? Make a plan with yourself/your partner/your family to do absolutely nothing—sit on the couch with a glass of wine, your favorite meal, and a good movie. Bored and lonely? Make a reservation at a restaurant you've been wanting to try and text a friend to join you. Get tickets to an upcoming comedy show. Book a pedicure. Plan a weekend getaway or book a flight to visit your grandkids. Whatever gets you excited for next week, next month, or next season—large or small—get it down officially in the calendar and make it happen.

04 of 10

Find a way to be physically active every day.

There's no getting around it: Exercise has been proven again and again as a powerful mood booster and regulator. On the flip side, lack of exercise has been linked to poor mood and mental health. If signing up for a new HIIT class motivates you to move, do it. If that makes you want to crawl into a cave and hide, don't! Find something else that works for you. Even small doses of physical activity and lower-impact exercise are enough to help keep depression and anxiety at bay (and improve symptoms when they hit), studies have found. Walk the dog around the neighborhood, do 10 jumping jacks while the coffee brews, dance to your favorite playlist alone in your living room, try yoga, or get the vacuum out and start vigorously cleaning. Movement is movement, and it's fundamental for lifting you up both physically and mentally.

05 of 10

Reach out for positive, affirming assistance.

Having a trustworthy loved one or group of friends you can lean on, talk to, and seek guidance from is a blessing, and you shouldn't hesitate to get their support. But if that's not an option for you, or it's not quite enough to pull you through a period of languishing, it's important to find a support group or mental health provider for help. "Avoid the urge to hide your difficulties and challenges," Manly says. "We all need support when life gets rough."

06 of 10

Do something kind for someone else.

Trying to cope with nagging "blah" feelings can be isolating and lead to internal ruminating that's ultimately counterproductive. One of the most beautiful and healthy ways to get out of your own head, feel better, and spark positivity is to think about what you can do for someone else. Find a more formal or recurring volunteer opportunity in your community for some structure and accountability. Or simply think about small goods you can do throughout the day for those around you. Help your next door neighbor with an errand, pay for the person behind you at Starbucks, call your sister and ask how she is (and really listen!), bring home a mini gift to your partner, just because. Random acts of kindness, volunteering, and gifting—in other words, generosity and goodwill—are proven tonics for feelings of languishing and low mood, help us find joy in selflessness, and provide a bit of healthy perspective.

07 of 10

Identify and incorporate joy into your life.

During periods where you're feeling nothingness or emptiness, Dr. Metzger suggests consciously identifying what brings you joy, and then making an effort to incorporate it into your life on a regular basis. "Be very intentional in seeking joy," she advises. "Write down what brings you joy and incorporate it into your weekly routine. It's the only way to undo the languish by counteracting it with positive emotions."

Connect with people you trust and love.

You may not consider spending time with lots of other people (or certain people) something that brings you true joy—but there's no doubt that interacting with people in your life who bring you comfort or make you feel relaxed and at-ease can help. "Connect wi

th others to enjoy little bright spots in life such as a movie, cup of coffee, or baking project," Manly says. "Laughter and friendship can be very good antidotes."

09 of 10

Go outside at some point every single day.

Find some time every day to be in nature or just to get natural light outside. Research has found that even just a 10-minute "dose" of exposure to natural spaces can help lower key stress markers and increase feelings of happiness and calm. Any time spent outside is fantastic for you, but if you want an even more significant boost, try getting your nature fix in first thing in the morning. Exposure to natural light soon after waking is not only a happy hit of sunshine, but it also supports your natural circadian rhythm, signaling to your system that it's time to rise and shine (and making it easier to fall asleep at a regular time each night, too).

10 of 10

Acknowledge and validate your own experience.

Lastly, if you recognize that you are languishing—and perhaps have been for quite some time—be kind to yourself, and keep in mind how much you've been through and dealt with. "If you are suffering, don't blame yourself or expect yourself to magically pop out of languishing," Manly says. "The [past few years] has taken a toll on our bodies, minds, and spirits—it's natural to feel quite low after all that's occurred." Acknowledging how you feel (or how you don't feel) doesn't signal that you've given up; awareness is actually a big first step toward making positive moves forward.

Read the original article on Real Simple

HOPING YOU FIND THIS HELPFUL TODAY. I HAVE BEEN LANGUISHING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS DESPITE THE FACT THAT I COULD DO A HUNDRED GRATITUDES A DAY FOR ALL MY GOOD FORTUNE. I HAD SOME SETBACKS THIS SUMMER AND I CAN SAY THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY SLUMP, BUT it hardly matters. What matters is how to get out of it. A couple of my close friends have been feeling the same way and we wonder if it is just a fact of our age which is 80!

I hope not!

Happy Trails! wrightj45W@yahoo.com