The Next Right Thing

We underline a quote because it mirrors, questions, or inspires something in us. But it does no good for us if we don't have a way of recording and organizing it for later use and reflection. Today I'll share my four bucket system for capturing and organizing my favorite quotes so that they might make a difference in my everyday life. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Say Yes by Scott Erickson When Everything's on Fire by Brian Zahnd Evernote The Three Battlegrounds by Francis Frangipane Episode 167: Spiritual Direction for Beginners Essentialism by Greg McKeown Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this and every episode at emilypfreeman.com.

As we begin the slow transition from one season to the next, let's revisit a familiar framework in another Soul Minimalist’s Guide, this one specifically for spring. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 1: Become a Soul Minimalist Episode 34: Pick What You Like 10 Questions for Reflection & Discernment Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

Sometimes you need someone to read to you words spoken by a sufferer in the midst of struggle, words without a filter or a reframe. Here is a simple reading of Psalm 22, a Psalm of individual lament that may perhaps be a strange kind of comfort for you if you're in the midst of your own struggle. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Psalm 22, read from the Common English Bible Other episodes like this one: Psalm 139 and Read Psalm 23 Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a copy of this, and every, transcript at emilypfreeman.com.

What do you do when you feel like your decisions are running counter to your bodily experience? How can you know when you are living a disembodied life?   My guest today has asked (and answered) these questions and more in her years-long work as a psychologist, a researcher, an author and a teacher. Dr. Hillary McBride is the author of the new release The Wisdom of Your Body where she writes about what it means to find healing, wholeness, and connection through embodied living.   Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Dr. Hillary McBride on Instagram and online The Wisdom of Your Body by Dr. Hillary McBride Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

Some rooms are not for us. Other rooms are not for us anymore. What do we do when a room we've walked into is no longer a room where we belong? Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 138: Leave It Behind Episode 161: Change Your Mind Episode 162: Is It Time To Move On? Episode 174: Is It Time To Quit My Job? Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

What is the Daily Examen? How does it work? What is the purpose? And what does it have to do with discerning my next right thing? Today I'll share a spiritual practice that I’ve found to be personally transformative in my daily life. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 93: Borrow Prayers Episode 160: The Welcoming Prayer Episode 207: The Prayer of St. Francis Episode 167: Spiritual Direction for Beginners Episode 178: How to Find a Spiritual Director Whistling in the Dark by Frederick Buechner Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

When I asked readers to send in their episode suggestions related to discernment and decision-making, one common thread ran through them all. Today we'll take a step back and imagine what we want even more than a right decision. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Do you receive One Last Thing? If not, join the list here. Seasons of Your Heart by Macrina Wiederkehr Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

What do you do when you feel like your life hasn’t turned out the way you thought it would or the way you wanted it to? How do you keep going in the face of personal or vocational disappointment? My guest today has spent a lot of time not only thinking his way through the answer to that question, but he’s lived his way through it and has brought us along through his own stories, questions, humor, compelling art and now, his brand new book, Say Yes. I'm delighted to sit down with Scott Erickson, an artist who is working to give us a new visual vocabulary for the spiritual journey we're all on. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Say Yes by Scott Erickson (out January 25th!) Find Scott online and on Instagram Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.  

What do we do when our next right thing is to wait for an indefinite amount of time or to hope in the face of what seems to be an impossible situation? Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: A Hidden Wholeness by Parker Palmer Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

One of the most helpful spiritual practices I’ve found in the last several years is borrowing the prayers of others when I can’t find words for my own. Today I’ll share one of my favorites and maybe it will be a favorite of yours too. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

At the end of every year, I write down a list of what worked and what didn’t work that year. I’ll share my list of what worked for me this year as well as a few tips and resources for you if you want to make your own list. Listen in! Want help looking back before moving forward? Download these 10 Questions for Reflection and Discernment.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Episode 189: How to Use The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Receive my monthly letter by signing up here Gino Wickman's Entrepreneurial Operating System Traction by Gino Wickman Michael Hyatt's Full Focus Planner Lara Casey's Power Sheets (Cultivate What Matters) Episode 185: Why Makers Struggle to Get Things Done Episode 163: Reflection as Activism Episode 167: Spiritual Direction for Beginners Episode 178: How to Find a Spiritual Director Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

A blessing for you and yours on this week of Christmas. You may recognize these words from last year’s version of The Quiet Collection and I hope they extend a welcome to you on this Christmas, when we mark the day God moved in and everything changed. Now, God is making all things new, in you and in me. Amen. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

There are as many ways to approach the end of the year as there are people. Still, it’s easy to be fooled into thinking there’s just one right way to finish — Finish strong! they say. For anyone who feels like they might not be able to finish strong this year, your next right thing might be to just finish regular. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Honest Advent by Scott Erickson 10 Questions For Reflection and Decision-Making The Quiet Collection (closes Wednesday, December 15!) Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

A minimalist asks, "What am I holding on to?" A soul minimalist asks, "What has a hold on me?" Let's ease some of the decision fatigue that can come along this time of year with another Soul Minimalist’s Guide, this one specifically for Christmas. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 01: Become a Soul Minimalist Episode 181: A Soul Minimalist's Guide to Summer Episode 193: A Soul Minimalist's Guide to Autumn The Quiet Collection (all new for 2021!) The More of Less by Joshua Becker Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr. Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this and every episode at emilypfreeman.com.

Chances are at some point during the next four weeks, you'll find yourself feeling extra frazzled, lonely, or distracted despite your best intentions. Here's the simplest way to quiet your mind during one of the busiest months of the year: the 2021 edition of The Quiet Collection is here and ready for you! I'll tell you all about it. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: The Quiet Collection for Christmas (all new for 2021!) The Lazy Genius aka Kendra Adachi The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider Come Lord Jesus Honest Advent by Scott Erickson Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.

  What if the greatest theologians the world has ever known are those whom the world wouldn’t consider theologians at all? I'm glad to welcome theologian and author of Abuelita Faith, Kat Armas, who tells the stories of unnamed and overlooked theologians in society and in the Bible--mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters--whose survival, strength, resistance, and dedication to the next deeply right thing teach us the true power of love and faith. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Find Kat's work online and on Instagram Abuelita Faith by Kat Armas Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com

Our lives are endlessly complicated and our decisions are almost always laced with layers of nuance which is why it's always a challenge (one I love!) to create episodes about decision-making. Is it possible to share principles, perspective, and simple frameworks that are helpful no matter who you are or what decision you have to make? I say it is, or at least I try.   Today I've curated the top 10 episodes to listen to if you're carrying a particular decision right now and could use some practical help to make it; a decision-making starter kit if you will. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 167: Spiritual Direction for Beginners Episode 32: Stop Collective Gurus Episode 70: The Best Time to Make a Decision Episode 109: Wait Until the Morning Episode 113: Decide to Decide Episode 136: Decision-Making for Slow Processors Episode 172: Make These 2 Lists Now Episode 196: Why Your Pro/Con List Isn't Working Episode 162: Is It Time to Move On? Episode 168: Is It Time to Dream Again? Episode

Today’s conversation is between me and you—because today we celebrate 200 episodes of The Next Right Thing! What a gift it has been to be a small part of 200 of your Tuesdays. For the first time, I'm hosting an Ask Me Anything where you asked questions and I say words about my dream guests, my limited parenting advice, what the P stands for, and if I've ever thought about quitting. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 187: State of the Podcast 2021 Episode 115: Before You Decide, Halt Episode 189: How to Use The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Episode 172: Make These Two Lists Now hope*writers online writing community Episode 106: Let's Talk About Disney's Frozen 2! Episode 185: Why Makers Struggle to Get Things Done Episode 71: Let Time Be Your Friend Episode 103: Look for the Children What Now? by Ann Patchett Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this and every episode at emil

May this simple reading of Psalm 27 be a reflection you can return to as you discern your next right thing in love. This reading is from the Common English Version of the Bible. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Psalm 27 Other episodes like this one: Psalm 139, Read Psalm 23, Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this episode at emilypfreeman.com.

Today I’m joined by a writer who deeply understands what it means to live life on autopilot, chugging through the day "on fear and caffeine." As it turns out, that life is a train to nowhere and Shauna Niequist decided to get off. I’m happy to sit down with her to talk about writing, connection, and her next right thing. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Learn more about Shauna on her website and Instagram Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist Laura Tremaine and Shauna Niequist talk about journaling Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript for this, and every, episode at emilypfreeman.com.