Soul Matters – February 2022

Well, congratulations. We made it into another new year. And regardless of how you may be feeling about this fact, I think we should all be feeling darned good about ourselves for having slogged through what can only be described as the weirdest—if not the worst—two years in recent history. We’re here. We are, ipso facto, badass.

But I’m not feeling very badass. Even reading my lunar new year prediction that I am “destined to enjoy a smooth life and good luck in making money in 2022,” something that should make my Taurean self preternaturally gleeful, left me thinking, “Meh.”

What is this?

I’ll tell you what it is: It’s one of the real and insidious ripple effects of The Stupid Virus. I’m talking about the real and insidious effects of not socializing in person; of long-term solitude; of working online; of living with constant anxiety; of losing income/work/connection/mobility/loved ones.

It’s a lot.

Humans aren’t designed to live this way. Which is part of the reason that mental health issues are going off the charts. But in addition to rampant anxiety and depression, there is an equally concerning sort of torpor that has oozed out of these unnatural times. A December New York Times article calls it languishing.

According to the article, languishing is “a sense of stagnation and emptiness,” “the dulling of delight” and “dwindling of drive.” (Check, Check, aaand Check.) It surmised that, “It might be the dominant emotion of 2021.”

And 2022.

I’m languishing. My friends are languishing. My clients are languishing. Nothing might be overtly terrible, but nothing’s very terrific, either. It’s like the movie Pleasantville where everything is black and white until the protagonists discover some fresh life and color begins to seep into the town.

If you’re feeling stagnant, dulled and dwindled, here are three, ideas to bring some color back to your life.

FIND A PURPOSE—Purpose doesn’t have to be some grand, spiritual calling. It can be needing to walk the dog or showing up for your job. Get creative. Find a cause. Volunteer. You can make your purpose simply being intentionally kind to everyone you meet during the day. That’s a fabulous purpose.

GET CREATIVE—Creativity connects you to joy, playfulness and inspiration. Start a book or a blog. Paint, sew, cook and share it with others. One of my colleagues made mini angel paintings during lockdown and sold them on Instagram, donating all the money to charity.

MAKE CONNECTION—Think simple get-together with another human. If you don’t have a person, there are LOTS of lonely, struggling beings who could use some company and kindness. Call someone—that thing we used to do with phones. Help some animals. Get out in Nature. Making even one, real connection a day will help pull you out of that terrible languishing.

If you combine purpose, creativity, and connection, you get ice-cream. Seriously. Go treat yourself. It’s another cure for meh.

 KATE INGRAM, MA, CSBC, is a Counselor, Certified Coach and award-winning author who finds lots of purpose, creativity and connection by using her words. If you could use some help connecting with your purpose or navigating some difficult terrain, go to kintsugicoaching.com or write kate@kintsugicoaching.com.