Social Coherence

The Human Need to Feel in Rhythm With the World

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We are wired for connection.

But not just any connection. A coherent connection.

Beneath the headlines, the noise, the endless scroll, there’s something deeper we seek:

To belong to something that makes sense.

To feel the pulse of life beating in rhythm with our own.

To find coherence, not chaos, in the spaces between us.

And when that coherence fractures, we don’t just notice it, we ache for it.

So here’s the real question:

Are you living in coherence, or are you stuck trying to survive dissonance?

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NOW: The Ache for Alignment

Every human system, from families to teams to communities, craves coherence.

It’s that invisible glue that makes conversations flow, trust build, and movements ignite.

When coherence is present:

• You feel seen without performing.

• You trust without needing constant reassurance.

• You move in sync, even when everything around you is moving fast.
  

But when it is missing?

• Exhaustion creeps in.

• Cynicism replaces curiosity.

• Effort feels uphill, no matter how hard you push.
  
  

Social coherence isn’t about agreement, it’s about resonance.

It’s about shared understanding, shared energy, and the sense that this fits. We fit.

Ask yourself:

~ Where do you feel the most natural coherence in your life right now?

~ Where are you clinging to systems, roles, or communities that feel more like static than music?

The Now demands honesty, not just about who’s in your life, but how it feels to move among them.

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NEW: Building Coherence Before You Build Anything Else

Coherence isn’t built through strategy decks or clever slogans.

It’s built through energy.

Through intention.

Through small, constant acts of attunement.

Here’s where to start:

1. Listen for Resonance

   • Stop chasing loud voices. Start tuning into the quiet alignments. The people and places where you feel your nervous system settle, not tighten.
     

2. Model the Energy You Seek

   • Coherence isn’t passive. If you want more honesty, clarity, and humanity, you have to become the amplifier of it first.
     

3. Cull the Dissonance (Without Drama)

   • Not every space, conversation, or relationship is meant to be saved. Some need to be released so your signal can stay clean.
     

Ask yourself:

~ Who and what add coherence to my life?

~ What creates more static than sound, and why am I still tuned into it?

In the New, we don’t just find coherence, we fiercely protect it.

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NEXT: Designing for Coherence in a Fragmented World

Imagine a future where:

• Teams aren’t just high-performing, they’re highly resonant.

• Communities aren’t just noisy, they’re meaningful.

• Your personal life isn’t just busy, it’s coherently alive.
  

This future isn’t built on more communication.

It’s built on better vibration. On shared values, shared rhythms, and the choice to align rather than just accumulate.

Coherence isn’t soft.

It’s the most powerful structural force humans have.

Without it, everything breaks.

With it, anything becomes possible.

Ask yourself:

~ What would my work, my relationships, my daily life look like if coherence, not convenience, were my true filter?

~ How would I move differently if I trusted that coherence is my compass?

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THE PAYOFF: Coherence Is Strength

In the Now, we recognize the ache for alignment.

In the New, we choose resonance over noise.

In the Next, we live and lead with the kind of coherence that amplifies, not depletes, our lives.

So here’s your challenge:

Audit your coherence this week.

• Who leaves you feeling in rhythm?

• What leaves you feeling fractured

• Where can you realign with the pulse you want to live by?
  

Because in a world where dissonance is cheap and loud,

coherence is your rarest and richest form of currency.

Find it.

Feed it.

Fight for it.

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Muir

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I’m Tobin Trevarthen, a narrative strategist, founder of Spatial Shift by Tobin, and author of Narrative Generation.

I spent decades in the corporate and start-up worlds, selling over $1B in marketing programs before shifting into narrative work that helps people and organizations make sense of transformation through story.

I’ve worked with founders, execs, startups, Global 1000, and cultural institutions to design narrative frameworks that spark clarity and alignment.

Now New Next is where I reflect on the long game, with a sense of urgency. I write for modern elders, edge thinkers, and curious builders trying to name what matters now, what’s emerging, and what’s worth pursuing next.

You’ll find no hype here. Just a mix of strategy, story, and soulful direction for a shifting world. I also write about narrative worth, identity, and the art of sensing what’s unsaid.

Let’s walk the edge—together.

ShiftStory™ is my new ideation for building narrative agency in uncertain times. The pilot Walk n Talks have helped to shape the program now in progress with a few test customers.

I am pleased with the early feedback and will be launching the beta program this summer. It will be limited to 10 participants in the first cohort.

Follow me on LinkedIn. Or DM at tobin@spatialshift.com for more information.

Join my success roster of Global 1000 companies, Senior Executives, and Emerging Movements.