The Only Way Forward is to Navigate Differently

Holly Woods
4 min readSep 14, 2023

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Our Future Depends on a Both/And, Not an Either/Or

Last year a colleague accused me of “bypassing” the important work of orienting people to the polycrisis work that was needed.

“The world is “tough” and we should be focused on solutions that are primarily actions to remedy these problems,” he suggested.

“There need to be more “activists,” he decried, “not more selfish work on figuring out purpose! We no longer have time to care what matters to us!” was his rationale.

He also noted that my work to engage people in moving past their own inner limitations, doing deep shadow work, and then finding meaning, purpose and work in the world reflective of their new “self” was somehow missing the mark.

This, from my friend who had intense conflict in several parts of his life that were distracting his own important work in the world, and finding himself quite disoriented and unable to focus successfully in his big vision.

Hmmm….

I am occasionally accused of wasting my time trying to get people to do the “inner work,” though this happens less frequently than even a year ago.

It’s suggested that only if we could get people focused on the problems, to create solutions and actions that head toward one of the many crises we face… we’d find our way to solutions faster.

Except….

We know that we cannot “solve” problems from the same paradigm/ worldview/ orientation that created it.

The greatest paradox of all is that our solutions for the world need to emerge from a more evolved version of us, not more efforting or complex strategies or even grander schemes.

How to Create Solutions that Will Work

IF ….(and this is a BOLD If)

…we are to create futuristic solutions that will survive beyond the next phase of planetary all-consuming metacrisis…

… where each type of “problem” is nested within the systemic and interdependent challenges of every other crisis…

… and when we cannot even imagine how the challenges will evolve, as the rate of climate crisis spirals downward at a pace we cannot fathom…

… and when we haven’t yet figured out what collective vision to hold for the future because we can’t actually agree on what we want for ourselves — individually or collectively…

… and where our finger-pointing and blaming/ shaming are far louder than our personal acknowledgement of how we’ve EACH and ALL of us helped to shape the current state of the world…

THEN….(and the hefty IF)…what we must do is…

…. Master our unconscious limitations, barriers and regain the power that exists in our fractured parts… to become the empowered and embodied versions of us that will be able to navigate the wild future.

The ONLY way we can create those new visions, innovations, inspirations and approaches that will emerge from the ashes of our own destructive tendencies….is to:

Become a new version of humanity.

Reclaim parts of ourselves that have been lost.

Learn to navigate the uncertainty in a different way.

Stop assuming that we can go on, in nearly any way, that is familiar to us.

We Must Navigate Differently

To find our way into the future, to create innovations that will meet the emerging future…

…we must truly surrender to the unknown…

… yet be focused and guided by that which is inside of us, each of us, innate to our essential being.

We must be guided by the deeply rooted and sourced truth of who we know we are, and live according to that truth.

…. Not by the values of a world that puts growth and profit over the needs of humanity.

…. Not by the pleas of those who suggest to go take random action or speak more loudly or assertively about your own particular views.

A Future We Can Fall in Love With

What If we were all oriented to that which wanted to be birthed through us?

…. To offer to the world what we most innately, intrinsically, were designed to offer, and which longed to be shared?

… and in so doing, creating from that deeply soulful place, we were able to bring our innate creativity and genius to the world in a way that we hadn’t experienced before?

…. And with that offering, that contribution of our deepest self, we felt such joy and gratitude and found our way to a more easeful existence that we wanted nothing more than to keep giving it, and to receive fully the benefits of powerfully creating?

That would be a Love Story for the Future.

About the Author

I’m the Author of the bestseller, The Golden Thread: Where to Find Purpose in the Stages of Your Life. Download this free audio course to learn about your own Golden Thread of purpose.

I’ve spent my life imagining a world where we could all become who we’re meant to be, awake and alive in a way that allows us to express our most innate, natural and purposeful gifts.

I believe the bridge to our future exists in becoming rooted in our purpose, and more prepared for the unknown. Download the Navigate Our Wild Future Playbook to gain tools to help you prepare.

And very soon we’re unleashing an immersive and experiential initiative called Sacred Human Expedition, designed to help us all learn to navigate from love, not fear, and become the audacious and inspired Creators the world needs now.

Stay tuned or contact me to learn more.

Explore at Emergence Institute.

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Holly Woods

I guide leaders to navigate the uncertain future so they can enact world-changing visions, rooted in purpose and catalyzed by synchronicity,.