Escape Languishing

Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.

~ Nido Qubein

A friend told me one day she thought she was languishing, and I immediately thought what an interesting word that was, and a good topic for a blog! Languish [lang-gwish]: To be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade. To lose vigor and vitality.

As I am writing this, the world is presumably on the downhill slide of the Coronavirus Pandemic. My friend is an avid traveler, but of course, during the pandemic she was forced to hermit inside her home. Hence, her languishing.

I have often felt as though I was languishing - not from lack of travel, but rather from the progression of my life. Perhaps I was missing a feeling of true happiness and joy in my life at times. Or the never-ending pleasing of others and boundary issues. The countless to-do lists, too much travel, too many social outings and not enough recharging time. Lots to choose from!

I believe it is easy to fall into a languishing mode when we get stuck in routines that may not be nourishing our soul. Oftentimes, it is simpler to stay stuck than to figure out what we need to do to free ourselves and escape this languishing.

How do we escape languishing? I think the first step is to recognize it. Define it and take a good peek at how, when and why we entered this phase. I find it easier to shift gears when I can understand the initial gear that started the languishing. This can be our behaviors, actions and reactions, people and the connections between them all. Perhaps it goes back to our food and drink selections. Or even our nagging electronic devices persistently taking up precious real estate in our lives. When you understand the cause, you can start implementing some changes to find the escape route. Bottom line, it's up to us to make new choices to create a new path and leave the languishing behind.

It could be as simple as putting the electronics to bed way before yourself for a better night's sleep. Or finding another hobby that lights you up. Perhaps a fresh morning routine that can jump start your day on an improved note. Possibly sprinkling in a few more fruits and veggies throughout the day can make a difference in how you physically feel. Maybe you ought to schedule a fabulous trip to an exotic place, or just a day out in the beautiful nature that surrounds you. For Caylee the Zen Puppy in the picture above, all it took was a trip to the spa to have a nice cool bath, her hot long hair trimmed, a spritz of lavender perfume and a pretty new scarf 🐶😊.

However, if we discover we need to begin thinking about big things in our lives differently, or changing our ingrained behavior, this process can be a bit more difficult. These are excellent topics to meditate on. Let your soul and your instincts speak to you. As you can begin to rely on your inner self to guide you more, the changes you have to make might not be as daunting as they first appear.

Start with a large dose of gratefulness and loving compassion for yourself. We all go thru periods of languishing. I like to remember all the things I want to feel. Excited, joyful, satisfied, enthusiastic, playful, creative, relaxed, adventuresome, inspired, healthy, spiritual... this list goes on! When I know how I want to feel, then it's easier to find the things to do and people that will help me attain those feelings.

Take time to really ponder why you are languishing. Examine everything around you with an objective eye. Are your thoughts and rumination dragging you down? Can you transform this dialogue with yourself? Is it your relationships? Your surroundings? Your job? Obviously, we can't change a lot all at once, but if we start to recognize these things in a clearer and more objective way, we might be able to address some of them one at a time. If you are intent on escaping, before you know it, a plan just might bubble up to help nudge you out of your languishing.

Sometimes, it might require a change in attitude and how you are thinking about life. Are you always a half-glass empty person? Constantly down on, or too harsh on yourself? Worrying about things not in your control? Looking at the problems and 'what-ifs' that might arise? If so, a new goal of flipping those thoughts to the more positive side is definitely in order. These are all a choice. Why not choose the ones that will make you feel better?

When do you find yourself languishing? What are some actions you can take towards getting to the thriving end of the spectrum? How can you change your mindset? How do you want to feel?