The Next Right Thing
with Emily P. Freeman · Emily P. Freeman
Show overview
The Next Right Thing has been publishing since 2017, and across the 9 years since has built a catalogue of 419 episodes. That works out to roughly 120 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run ten to twenty minutes — most land between 12 min and 18 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Religion & Spirituality show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 days ago, with 13 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Emily P. Freeman.
From the publisher
For the second-guessers, the chronically hesitant, or anyone who suffers from decision fatigue, best-selling author and host Emily P. Freeman helps create a little space for your soul to breathe so you can discern your next right thing in love. Because out of the thousands of decisions you make everyday, chances are a few of them threaten to keep you up at night. If you're in a season of transition, waiting, general fogginess or if you've ever searched "how to make a decision" on the internet, listen in.
Latest Episodes
View all 419 episodes392: Find Your Inner Compass
391: Don't Rush It
390: 3 Benefits of Living a Reflective Life
389: What's Saving My Spring Life
388: Do What You Can
On Being A Well by Macrina Wiederkehr
387: Learning to Let Go
Today I want to share a bit more personally about my own journey this last 6 weeks. As always, my only hope in sharing with you my inner processing is that perhaps it will help you begin to make sense of your own. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: The Holy Longing by Ronald Rolheiser FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
386: Counter Your Weights
If you continue to struggle with knowing how to carry the hard stuff without becoming cynical, angry, or sad all the time and also how to carry the good stuff without feeling guilty or succumbing to toxic positivity you're in the right place. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order Counterweights by Shannan Martin Join Emily and Shannan at Main Street Books Davidson on April 9th Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen Greensboro FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
385: Our Friend Jesus
I've been hosting The Next Right Thing for nearly nine years and through sharing simple, soulful practices for making life decisions, I've also offered a window into my own walk with God, including my questions, struggles, gratitudes, and growth. Like you, I've experienced a lot of change in nine years – from parenting middle schoolers to now having college aged kids; going to graduate school and becoming a spiritual director; from loving our church to leaving our church, and finding a new one, including becoming curious about the Quaker expression of our Christian faith. In the midst of all these changes, many things have remained the same, one thing in particular and today I wanted to share more about what it has meant to walk with our friend Jesus through this winding path of life. I hope you'll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order your Next Right Thing Guided Journal and use code JOURNALCLUB40 for 40% off and free standard US shipping FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
384: When to Protect Your Peace
Today I'm sharing another phrase we might hear often – Protect your peace. I like that phrase and I also wonder sometimes if we take it too far. Does our peace need protecting? When and to what extent? How can we know when our next right thing is to protect our peace and when instead we might need to extend it or even step into discomfort on purpose? That's today's episode. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Episode 383: How to Know if a Process is Worth Trusting New Heights with Taylor Swift David Brooks in the New York Times Find Brooke Romney on Instagram FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
383: How to Know if a Process is Worth Trusting
What does it mean to "trust the process"? What qualifies as a process worth trusting? How can we discern the difference between when it's time to trust the process and when we need to disrupt it? Let's get into it together. FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Purchase The Lent Collection Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
382: A Reset List for Your Soul
Clearing the clutter on the inside will almost always lead to more confident decisions on the outside. If you're in need for a gentle inner-life wellness check, this episode is for you. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner Order a How to Walk into a Room FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
381: What's Saving My Winter Life
I'm glad to be back on the mic and to join you on Tuesdays to help create a little space for your soul to breathe as you discern your next right thing in love. The season of Lent begins this week so I welcome you to navigate to The Quiet Collection app as we have our Lent Collection once again available. I'll say more about that in a bit but first, here are 8 things saving my life this winter. I hope you'll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: The Monks Walk for Peace Journal Club Theo of Golden by Allen Levi Strangers by Belle Burden Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Counterweights: An Essential Practice for Holding Hope in a Heavy World by Shannan Martin Sign up for the monthly letter Download The Lent Collection FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
380: Wait for the Light
It's the last episode of the year and I'm glad to welcome the season of Advent together with you. I hope you'll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: You can download The Quiet Collection app for iPhone or Android right here. If you get LIGHT (the new 2025 Collection) by December 7 you'll receive an invite to join me for a free Live Guided Advent Reflection. I hope to see you there! FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
379: Participate in Hope
What does it look like for us to participate in hope? Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: The Beloved Women's Conference The Pastors, Priests and Guides retreat Follow Jonathan Merritt on Instagram FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
378: A Rebellion of Care with David Gate
Today I'm glad to welcome poet, writer and visual artist David Gate. His work centers around care for the individual and the nurture of community including culture, the earth and the environment, the dignity of others, and spiritual communities. He says the most important thing for us is to care for the world, ourselves, and each other and all of his work points in that direction. In his debut collection of poems and essays, A Rebellion of Care, he inspires us to rally for what makes life worth living. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Visit David's website Find David on Instagram Order A Rebellion of Care FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" The transcript for this episode is available on Apple Podcasts.
377: What's Saving My Autumn Life
It's time for our seasonal episode of What's Saving My Life Right Now. I'll be sharing the things that are life-giving to me during this current autumn season and I'll encourage you to make your own list. It could be anything from a favorite product to a spiritual practice, a fun new show, or a meaningful relationship. When it comes to naming what we love this fall, everything counts. So what's saving your life right now? Here's what's saving mine. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: My Autumn playlist The Popcast with Knox and Jamie The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
376: Calm All the Way Down
If you sense some parts of your life are feeling a bit over bedazzled and if you're looking for ways to quiet the outer chaos or the inner chatter, this episode is for you. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Episode 336: The Quaker Practice of Silence with Carrie Newcomer Get that list of my favorite Quiet Resources right here FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
375: Cry in Your Kitchen
An often-unspoken spiritual practice – one that doesn't make it into sermons or how-to guides - is the unconventional practice of crying in your kitchen. More specifically, navigating surprising or unwelcome emotion with kindness rather than control. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski Episode 358: Pray However You're Able FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Download the transcript
374: Tell the Whole Truth with Jen Hatmaker
Today I'm glad to welcome author, podcaster, speaker, advocate, educator, mother, Jen Hatmaker. From the power of her written word across 14 books including four New York Times best sellers, to speaking on stages, leading her own courses and book club communities, and interviewing countless visionaries on her award-winning For The Love podcast, Jen has an undeniable gift for reaching the hearts and minds of her community. It's an honor to host her today to have a conversation about her deeply personal memoir, Awake. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Purchase Awake by Jen Hatmaker Visit Jen's website Find Jen on Instagram FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Watch this episode on YouTube Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Download The Quiet Collection app Join The Soul Minimalist Substack Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" The transcript for this episode is available on Apple Podcasts.