The Next Right Thing

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.

Psalm 54 07/14/2026

Psalm 54 It's week four of Psalm Summer, and I'll be reading three versions of Psalm 54. When this series is over, we'll have all the Psalms for you as a collection in Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order Grab a copy of my book Find me on /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41664115

Psalm 13 07/07/2026

Psalm 13 It's week three of Psalm Summer, and I'll be reading three versions of Psalm 13. When this series is over, we'll have all the Psalms for you as a collection in Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order Grab a copy of my book Find me on /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41664090

Psalm 8 06/30/2026

Psalm 8 It's week two of Psalm Summer, and I'll be reading three versions of Psalm 8. When this series is over, we'll have all the Psalms for you as a collection in Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order Grab a copy of my book Find me on /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41664045

Psalm 3 06/23/2026

Psalm 3 It's the first week of Psalm Summer, and I'll be reading three versions of Psalm 3. When this series is over, we'll have all the Psalms for you as a collection in Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order Grab a copy of my book Find me on /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41663995

Bonus Episode: The Formation Writers Guild with James Bryan Smith 06/02/2026

Bonus Episode: The Formation Writers Guild with James Bryan Smith Today I’m joining in conversation with my friend James Bryan Smith to finally share something that’s been in the works for over a year now. Jim is the author of The Good and Beautiful book series. A founding member of Richard J. Foster’s spiritual renewal ministry, Renovaré, Smith is an ordained United Methodist Church minister and has served in various capacities in local churches. He earned his MDiv at Yale and his DMin at Fuller and is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, where he also serves as the director of the Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation. About a year ago he called me up with an idea for a way to serve writers. That's where our conversation today begins. Even if you aren’t a writer, our conversation will, I hope, shed light on how ideas become reality, how sometimes a good idea takes a decade to grow, and the beauty of collaboration, patience, and moving at a human pace. I hope you’ll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41493425

392: Find Your Inner Compass 05/12/2026

392: Find Your Inner Compass It’s the last episode of our regular season but don’t worry - we may pop in with a bonus episode in the next few weeks and we’ll definitely be back in late June to begin Psalm Summer. Before I sign off, I want to leave you with the heart of why I do what I do here and what I believe is the most important thing to remember when we have decisions to make. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41179615

391: Don't Rush It 05/05/2026

391: Don't Rush It There are a lot of reasons to feel pulled in many directions this time of year which is why I’m delightfully surprised by the invitation I’ve been sensing to slow down and the surprising source from which it comes. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41073785

390: 3 Benefits of Living a Reflective Life 04/28/2026

390: 3 Benefits of Living a Reflective Life April is my birthday month so every year I like to dedicate one episode to birthdays in general - maybe something you can come back to when your birthday rolls around. Of course birthdays are a time for celebration, for treating ourselves, for toasting to another year of life. They are also a good time for personal reflection. If you are someone for whom reflection does not come naturally, you may wonder why do it at all: We can’t change the past so what’s the point of looking back? What are the real benefits of reflecting on your life? I’m so glad you asked. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/41003250

389: What's Saving My Spring Life 04/21/2026

389: What's Saving My Spring Life Some seasons we’re more aware of the ways we need our lives to be saved. For me it’s always good to keep a list and pay attention to the small and big things that are saving me. It’s been especially good for me this month. Maybe in hearing the things on my list you’ll be inspired to make and share your own. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: by Andy Weir by Kate Bowler FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40910460

388: Do What You Can 04/14/2026

388: Do What You Can Inevitably in life, all of us will face unexpected turns and be required to navigate terrain we didn’t choose and don’t understand. What do we do when life is interrupted, when the story you were happy to tell is no longer true? When the crisis isn’t obvious or clear or public? When the help we need feels as desperate as a house fire but it’s not fully ours to ask for? I have a few ideas. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Order Grab a copy of my book Find me on /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40789900

On Being A Well by Macrina Wiederkehr 04/07/2026

On Being A Well by Macrina Wiederkehr This episode originally aired on March 14, 2023. Today I'll re-share words from someone else for all of us to listen to and carry with us and reflect on together. I've chosen a poem by Macrina Wiederkehr, a writer who has been a companion for me for many years now (though she never knew it.) She was a master of everyday spirituality and had a lovely way of seeing and speaking of God in the midst of ordinary things of life. Macrina wrote a reflection on Jesus' interaction with the woman at the well, as recorded in John chapter 4. So here is "On Being A Well" by Macrina Wiederkehr from her book, Seasons of Your Heart. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: by Macrina Wiederkehr Order Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room Find me on /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40722310

387: Learning to Let Go 03/31/2026

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40630995

386: Counter Your Weights 03/24/2026

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 by Shannan Martin FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40411865

385: Our Friend Jesus 03/17/2026

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: and use code JOURNALCLUB40 for 40% off and free standard US shipping FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40340490

384: When to Protect Your Peace 03/10/2026

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40241805

383: How to Know if a Process is Worth Trusting 03/03/2026

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: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40229600

382: A Reset List for Your Soul 02/24/2026

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40166270

381: What's Saving My Winter Life 02/17/2026

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: by Allen Levi by Belle Burden by Taylor Jenkins Reid by Shannan Martin FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/40087775

380: Wait for the Light 12/02/2025

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: 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: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/39152740

379: Participate in Hope 10/28/2025

379: Participate in Hope What does it look like for us to participate in hope? Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38780160

378: A Rebellion of Care with David Gate 10/21/2025

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room The transcript for this episode is available on Apple Podcasts. /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38630935

377: What's Saving My Autumn Life 10/14/2025

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38499960

376: Calm All the Way Down 10/07/2025

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38439685

375: Cry in Your Kitchen 09/30/2025

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38356840

374: Tell the Whole Truth with Jen Hatmaker 09/23/2025

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: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room The transcript for this episode is available on Apple Podcasts. /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38244865

373: Find Someone to Root for 09/16/2025

373: Find Someone to Root for In a world of comparison, competition, and constant performance, it’s easy to turn inward, guard our energy, or measure our worth by what we haven’t yet done. But what if, instead of striving, we chose to cheer? What if your next right thing wasn’t about you at all, but about seeing someone else clearly and naming their goodness out loud? Even if it’s not their special day of the year, finding someone to root for can be one counter-intuitive way to combat loneliness and discouragement. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38223195

372: Clear Your Space 09/09/2025

372: Clear Your Space Today I’m exploring one of the things I crave that has nothing to do with food: a desire for space - body, mind, and soul. Here are some ways clearing space is helping me in my decision-making life. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38133660

371: Learn from the Children 09/02/2025

371: Learn from the Children If you're feeling far from wonder, or disconnected from your own faith, today’s episode is an invitation to listen, notice, and remember. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/38001865

370: On Envy and Contentment with Kate Strickler 08/29/2025

370: On Envy and Contentment with Kate Strickler I’m so glad to welcome Kate Strickler, the creator behind the extremely popular blog and Instagram account Naptime Kitchen. She’s known for her down-to-earth practicality and home and parenting hacks, and when she isn't working or wrangling the kids, you can find her in her happy place: experimenting in the kitchen. Kate lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband, Nate and their four children and I’m so glad to have her join us today. She's written her very first book called I Just Wish I Had A Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy. In it she shares small habits and mindset shifts to find contentment and joy in life. We’ll talk about that and more. I hope you’ll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room This episode is transcribed on . /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/37982965

369: Make Like Taylor Swift and Opt Out 08/27/2025

369: Make Like Taylor Swift and Opt Out The things we read, watch, listen to and generally consume will almost always contribute in some way to a conversation we’re already having in our heads. It may not be obvious at first, it may take some time to connect the dots. But eventually, the work and words and lives of others – if we’re paying attention – will have some kind of impact. If we’re lucky, they will help us to articulate something we’ve worked to do on our own for quite some time. If we’re smart, we’ll keep a record of it. That’s what I’m attempting to do today here, sharing the words from three different women and how those words are combining in my mind to bring some clarity to something I’ve thought a lot about. I’ll bring you in on it now as a witness to my wonderings. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room /episode/index/show/thenextrightthingpodcast/id/37977990

The Next Right Thing

TOPICS