What’s Going On?

How to Find Peace When Everything Feels Broken?

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There’s a reason Marvin Gaye’s epic 70s song “What’s Going On” has been looping in my head lately. It’s a song that in many ways captures the undercurrent of present days— marked by political upheaval, social unrest, and a deep yearning for answers.

“Mother, mother,” he pleads, “there’s too many of you crying.” His voice, smooth yet aching, cuts through the noise, and suddenly, I’m not simply listening to a song — I’m feeling the weight of the times pressing down on my chest.

Years later, we find ourselves in another turbulent season—political divisions deepening, economies teetering on the edge, and the constant hum of uncertainty vibrating through our collective consciousness. It’s easy to get caught up in the noise, to feel like the only options are despair or outrage. But I’ve learned, through experience and study, that there’s another way.

The Still Point in a Turning World

When the world feels like it’s unraveling, I turn to the wisdom of those who have navigated chaos before. The Stoics, the Bhagavad Gita, and the I Ching all offer something modern news cycles do not: a map for the inner landscape.

Stoicism, with its fierce commitment to self-mastery, reminds me that while I can’t control external events, I can control my reactions.

Marcus Aurelius, leading an empire on the brink, wrote, “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

So instead of spiraling into fear over political shifts or economic instability, I ask myself: Am I making decisions from a place of clarity or a place of panic?

The Bhagavad Gita, one of the oldest teachings on navigating moral conflict, centers on Arjuna, a warrior paralyzed by doubt. Krishna tells him, “You have a right to your actions, but never to your actions’ fruits.” It’s a radical message in a world obsessed with results.

The lesson? Do what’s right, take thoughtful action, but release attachment to outcomes. In a time when people are gripped by fear of what’s next, I am practicing taking the next best step without obsessing over an uncertain future.

The I Ching, with its Taoist sensibilities, whispers a quieter truth: Everything is in flux. What seems like catastrophe now may be the prelude to transformation.

Hexagram 40, “Deliverance,” speaks to the moment after tension, where release becomes possible. The message? Flow with change instead of resisting it.

When I read the news or hear the despair in friends’ voices, I remind myself that history is full of cycles. Even the darkest winters eventually yield to spring.

Living the Questions

These philosophies don’t call for passive acceptance. Instead, they urge a deeper kind of engagement—one rooted in mindfulness, curiosity, and presence. Each day, I choose how I will meet the world: with reactionary fear or with grounded awareness.

I’ve come to see that our work isn’t necessarily to “solve” what’s going on. Some problems are too vast for one person to fix. But that doesn’t mean our choices don’t matter. How we move through the world—how we speak, listen, and act—creates ripples.

I think of Marvin Gaye asking, Who are they to judge us, simply because our hair is long? and recognize that the antidote to judgment is understanding. What if we approached our differences not with hostility, but with curiosity?

Each morning, I wake up with an intention — to be present, to be open, to be thoughtful. To not let the fire of outrage consume the better parts of me.

I take long walks, letting my feet remind me that the Earth is still beneath me. I breathe deeply, anchoring myself in the moment. I ask, What is mine to do today?—not in some grandiose, world-saving way, but in small, human ways.

A kind word. A well-placed question. The courage to act where it counts.

This is the work.

This is how we meet the chaos—not with more chaos, but with a steady heart.

And as I hum along to Marvin’s voice, I think: Maybe the real question isn’t what’s going on? but how will I show up in response?

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