Am I Languishing – or Just Surviving? A Love Letter to Nonprofit Leaders at this Moment

By Jacquelyn Davis , Managing Partner, Volution Advisors

Are you feeling stuck in that unsettling middle ground? Or even worse?

In 2021, Adam Grant described a state many of us found familiar during COVID: not quite depressed, not quite thriving—something in between. He called it languishing.

Understanding the Spectrum

Flourishing is like Socrates described: life humming along, energy coursing, the sense that you're exactly where you're supposed to be.

Depression is the pit—paralyzing, suffocating, without light or exit.

Languishing is quieter and trickier. It's a fog that dulls motivation and blurs purpose. You're moving, but not really going anywhere.

Surviving is that feeling of barely staying afloat—the overwhelm, exhaustion, and mere holding on that many nonprofit leaders report feeling acutely right now.

The Path Forward: Small Acts of Grace

When hope feels thin and energy flatlines, perhaps the answer is deceptively small: Keep a gratitude list and hold onto your joy.

Buddhist leader Thich Nhat Hanh linked joy and gratitude as essential parts of mindful living. He suggests paying attention to ordinary, daily joys. Find one thing—just one—that lifts the fog today. Then do it again tomorrow.

Choosing joy in times like these isn't indulgent—it's an act of quiet resistance. Joy is a power we can hold onto that no one can take away.

Maybe that's where hope begins: one small act of grace, one constructed joy, one day at a time.

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10 Practical Ways to Cultivate Joy Daily

Morning Practices

1. Begin with Gratitude Start your day thinking of something you're grateful for—even something small like a warm cup of coffee or a new bloom on a bush.

2. Mindful Breathing Take slow, deep breaths during the day. Smile softly as you breathe. Place your feet flat on the ground and notice all ten toes touching.

3. Drink Tea (or Coffee) in Awareness Instead of rushing, savor your warm drink. Notice the aroma, warmth, and taste. Turn an ordinary act into joy.

Movement & Presence

4. Walking Meditation Walk slowly—at home, in your yard, or to your car—aware of each step. Joy (or at least increased calmness) can arise with each mindful step.

5. Pause to Notice Beauty Stop and look at a flower, cloud, or the sky. A simple flower can be a doorway to happiness if we truly see it.

6. Smile at Your Breath When stressed, pause, breathe, and smile. A smile can nourish joy in yourself and others.

Connection & Nourishment

7. Listen Deeply When someone speaks, listen without planning your reply. True listening creates connection—a source of joy.

8. Eat Mindfully Eat one meal slowly, without screens. Notice colors, flavors, and textures. Recognize the earth, sun, and rain in each bite.

Evening Wind-Down

9. Release Tension Practice "deep relaxation" for a few minutes—lie down, notice each body part, let go of tightness. Joy comes when the body feels light.

10. End with Reflection Before sleeping, recall one thing that brought you joy or gratitude that day, no matter how small. Train your mind to see happiness.

To my fellow nonprofit leaders: You're still alive, still here, still capable of meaning and action. That itself is something.

What small act of joy will you choose today?