Languish No More: 12 More Ways to Master the “Meh.”

The dominant emotion of 2021, according to the New York Times, was “languishing.” We so badly want to get back to “normal.” But in 2022, so many of us are still languishing - feeling stuck, unmotivated, sort of “meh.” In this follow-up to “Languishing and Lousy News: 12 Ways to Master the ‘Meh,” we get more granular. Read on to discover ways to not just cope, but actually thrive despite the uncertain times.

mindfulness, CBT, self-helpAndrew KushnickFebruary 16, 2022values, brain, self-discovery, mindfulness, trauma, neuroscience, self-help

Languishing and Lousy News: 12 Ways to Master the "Meh."

We’re still not back to “normal.” So many of us are living in a new reality, with disrupted routines and continued frustration when we hear things in the news. All of this can lead us to feel stuck, kinda blah. Not psyched about much. Unfocused. Withdrawn from the people we care about. Forgetting things. It’s not depression, but it’s not a true sense of well-being either. Mental health professionals call this “languishing,” and it’s a thing. In this post, we offer 12 ways to get through it, to master the “meh.”

mindfulness, self-help, traumaAndrew KushnickDecember 13, 2021brain, change, compassion

Therapy Solutions for Trauma From COVID-19 and Racial Injustice

First came news of COVID-19 and social distancing. Then sheltering in place. We felt isolated and stuck. We felt anxious about where it was safe to go, what was safe to touch, and whether we’d get the virus. The future felt uncertain. To make matters much worse, we learned of the killing of George Floyd, and were reminded of the brutal, senseless oppression of Black people in this country. We felt angry, and unsure what to do with that anger. We heard the president’s threats to attack protestors, and felt even more angry. Many of us have experienced extreme stress during this time. In this post, we’ll explore what trauma is, how to know if you’re had a traumatic reaction, and how to heal. It’s possible to feel close to “okay” again.

trauma, self-help, anxietyAndrew KushnickJune 25, 2020EMDR

Profiles in Tech, Part II: Chasing the Carrot of Success

In the second installment of “Profiles in Tech,” we meet “Morgan,” a front-end engineer who’s questioning whether coding is for him, and seeking more from his work. As a reminder, “Profiles in Tech” is a blog series highlighting the unique mindset of those who work in tech… their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and begins with their story, followed by a few reflections from a mental health perspective.

techies, self-helpAndrew KushnickJanuary 9, 2020communication, burnout, self-discovery, values