Flourishing is a term psychologists use to refer to a state of optimal human functioning in which we feel engaged, open, purposeful, self-accepting, resilient, robust, motivated, and satisfied. It’s the opposite of languishing—which is to say, the all-too-familiar sensations of hollowness, emptiness, or being stuck in a rut.81 Many psychologists believe that, when it comes to feeling good about ourselves and our lives, flourishing—even more so than happiness—should be our goal.
