The future needs us to go deeper

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Einstein once observed that our problems can’t be solved at the same level of thinking that created them.

My take? To address our toughest challenges, we have to go deeper. When we stay on the surface, we often make things worse.

I learned this lesson firsthand through an unexpected teacher: a recurring skin condition. (Stick with me—I promise this relates to much bigger challenges.)

The condition was treatable but not curable, and my doctor prescribed a steroid cream I’d need to apply for the rest of my life. For two years, I dutifully, though sporadically, rubbed the cream onto my skin’s surface. Then, a physical therapist who had studied the condition gave me the clue I’d been missing: I wasn’t applying the cream deeply enough. 

The inflammation lives in the dermis, the layer beneath the epidermis or surface skin. A shallow application doesn’t help much—and can even cause damage. Once I began applying the cream more deeply, the condition improved.

Here’s the parallel: many post-election conversations are happening on a surface level. If we want meaningful change, we have to go deeper.

Photo from the Seattle Asian Art Museum

The Problem with Surface-Level Conversations

I’ve tried to avoid most post-election analyses, but the snippets I’ve overheard sound frustratingly familiar:

• Blaming and shaming
• Oversimplifying issues into right vs. wrong
• Name-calling and finger-pointing
• Endless “Monday morning quarterbacking” without offering solutions
• Generalizing entire groups, ignoring their diversity
• Overlooking progress we have made (seriously, I’m so done with Biden-bashing).

Sure, venting can feel cathartic. But surface-level responses don’t lead to solutions—and can make the problems worse.

How to Go Deeper

If we want real change, we need to engage in richer, more reflective ways. Here are some ideas:

• Pause and Allow Yourself Not to Know
Stop. Breathe. Step back. Be still. It’s okay to admit, “I don’t know what to do.” Big issues—like climate change or societal division—don’t have quick fixes. Solutions emerge when we listen deeply, stay calm, and collaborate.• Do Your Inner Work
At the deeper level Einstein was pointing to, our inner and outer worlds are connected. We can all ask:

How am I part of the problem?
What in me needs to change?

Even as we critique what’s wrong “out there,” we need to confront our blind spots and grow—no matter what life throws our way.• Appreciate the Long Arc of History

Our present is shaped by forces spanning centuries. Understanding the resilience of those before us can give us hope. Seeds of goodness often sprout in the darkest times.

• Imagine the Future with New Eyes
Instead of dwelling on failures, let’s ask:

What is the imagination, and how can we bring it forth?
How can we expand our collective awareness to sense what’s emerging from the future? 
What new ways of seeing and acting can we discover?

• Allow Space for Feelings and Grief
Whether your “side” won or lost, grief, anger, and hopelessness are everywhere. Suppressing emotions doesn’t help—it’s like a bandaid that will fall off. Instead, let feelings move through you—today’s anger may shift into gratitude or levity, sorrow or delight.

The Power of Shared Grief

Last week, I participated in a group process inspired by Joanna Macy, the environmental activist and scholar. For decades, Joanna has helped climate activists face their despair and keep going. I found the experience deeply moving. 

A group of women sat in a circle, each woman sharing what she felt most strongly—grief, rage, confusion. After each share, the group responded with three simple words: We hear you.

I was blown away by the connection I felt. The unspoken message was clear: You are not alone. Sharing our burdens made them lighter, and linking arms in support made us stronger. By the end of the evening, I felt more resilient and grateful for community.

The Depth of Joy: Lightening the Load

Going deeper doesn’t have to feel heavy. Beauty, art, music, walks in nature, sunsets, and—yes—gazing at a baby can connect us to our deeper selves while bringing joy. (Drumroll, please…I’m about to become a great-grandmother!)

Such joyful moments aren’t just distractions; they’re vital. In fact, doses of joy might be exactly what we need to balance today’s bitter medicine. Engaging with beauty recharges us. Even in hard times, there is light—and that light can guide us to deeper truths.

From the Seattle Asian Art Museum

Finding the Depth Within

While it’s tempting to vent, consume endless predictions, or retreat into political comedy for relief, I’ve chosen a different path. (Okay, I’m still eating too much dark chocolate.) 

I’m stepping back, calming my nervous system, and reconnecting with my inner depths. This dark, introspective season invites me to dwell in the stillness, where I remember who I am. From that place, I can offer my best to the world.

The problems we face demand more than surface-level solutions. They call us to go deeper—into ourselves, our history, and our imagination.

Only then will we find the wisdom and courage to meet the future with equanimity, clarity, and strength.