The Next Right Thing

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: Learn more about the Formation Writers Guild The Good and Beautiful Series by James Bryan Smith Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation Renovaré FIND EMILY ELSEWHERE: 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"

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: Inner Compass: An Invitation to Ignatian Spirituality by Margaret Silf Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Download The Quiet Collection app Order a How to Walk into a Room Join The Soul Minimalist Substack 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

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: "They Orbited the Moon, But I Keep Coming Back to the Crew." by Priya Parker 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

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: Purchase The Birthday Collection Episode 272: A Soul Minimalist's Guide to Your Birthday Episode 365: A Birthday Reflection for When You're Not Sure How to Celebrate How We Think by John Dewey Journal Club Check-In Get the monthly letter 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"

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: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Joyful, Anyway by Kate Bowler 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

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: Watch this episode on YouTube The Quiet Collection app Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download the transcript

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: Seasons of Your Heart by Macrina Wiederkehr The Quiet Collection app Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal 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" Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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: Download The Birthday 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

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: Start With Hello by Shannan Martin  The Ministry of Ordinary Places by Shannan Martin Counterweights: An Essential Practice for Holding Hope in A Heavy World by Shannan Martin "The Value of Looking at Long-Distance Views" in Psychology Today The Lazy Genius episode 371: How to Neutralize the Sunday Scaries Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr 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 </u

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: Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr Find Hilary McBride 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

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: Order I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen by Kate Strickler Visit Kate's website Follow Kate on Instagram The beloved mesh bags Pretty in the Pines 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" This episode is transcribed on Apple Podcasts.

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: Taylor Swift's 2022 Songwriter-Artist of the Decade acceptance speech Why the French Don't Obsess Over Purpose by Pamela Clapp on Substack I've Seen What I Needed to See on the 10 Things to Tell You podcast   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

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: Taylor Swift's 2022 Songwriter-Artist of the Decade acceptance speech Why the French Don't Obsess Over Purpose by Pamela Clapp on Substack I've Seen What I Needed to See on the 10 Things to Tell You podcast 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

It's our first episode back after our summer hiatus and I'm so glad to welcome my friend, partner, and husband, John P. Freeman. (Yes, his middle initial really is P!) Aside from being my biggest cheerleader, John is also a pastor who served for 12 years in two different churches as a youth pastor until 12 years ago when he walked out of the room of official church ministry and walked into the room of our actual home where he worked for several years as a stay-at-home dad. For the last decade, he's been  running his own nonprofit called Grace Discipleship, where he offers soul care and spiritual direction for couples, pastors, and Gen Z high school and college students. On this first episode of this next season of the podcast, we'll cover some questions you submitted about spiritual direction, family life, and life with God. Plus John will share which episodes of this podcast are his personal favorite. Listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Episode 294: Standing at the Threshold with Lowland Hum Episode 319 Finding Vocational Clarity with Parker J. Palmer Episode 23: Release Your Agenda The Listening Life by Adam McHugh Learn more about John's work Find a Spiritual Director through Anam Cara 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" This episode is transcribed on YouTube and <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-right-thi

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: Taylor Swift's 2022 Songwriter-Artist of the Decade acceptance speech Why the French Don’t Obsess Over Purpose by Pamela Clapp on Substack I've Seen What I Needed to See on the 10 Things to Tell You podcast 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on November 15, 2022. Today I'm glad to welcome our favorite Enneagram teacher, author Suzanne Stabile, to talk about the three centers of intelligence and how our stances inform our decisions.   Suzanne is a highly sought-after speaker and teacher, known for her personal vulnerability and creative approach to Enneagram instruction. After 25 years of studying the enneagram, learning from people's stories, cultivating relationships, and learning under Father Richard Rohr, she has become a bestselling author and world-class teacher of the enneagram.   Her most recent enneagram book is called The Journey Toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance and Transformation and if you ask me, it's her best one yet. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Find Suzanne online and on Instagram The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on October 12, 2021. It's the list we all know to make when we're stuck in the decision-making process. There are helpful things about the pro/con list but we all know they don't work all by themselves. This type of list could be a good starting point, but what do you do next? I dedicated The Next Right Thing to anyone who's ever made a pro/con list in the middle of the night. If that's you, listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Gilmore Girls: Season 3, Episode 17 (Netflix) Let Your Life Speak by Parker J. Palmer Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on March 8, 2022.   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. 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 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on April 6, 2021. If you want to incorporate journaling into your daily rhythm but don't know where to begin, here's how to use just one word to get started. Listen in. Episode 49: Collaborate Episode 172: Make These Two Lists Now Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on August 22, 2023. If we're going to be on the internet, because we are, how can we stay sane and remain soul minimalists in the midst of the constant stream of information? That's today's question. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:   "Our Brains Are No Match for Technology" by Tristan Harris Episode 32: Stop Collecting Gurus Atomic Habits by James Clear Depression, Creativity, and the Dangers of Being Constantly Plugged In by Ally Fallon The Quiet Collection app Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on April 13, 2021.   When it comes to the decisions we make in our lifetime, questions about our job and vocation top the list as the ones that can cause the most decision fatigue. For 15 minutes, let's consider the question beneath the question and see if we can uncover more information that could help you discern your next right thing. Listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Explore a free trial of premium membership at Skillshare 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 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on May 4, 2021.   We all have the capacity to live our lives in such a way that we forget to remember who we are, we hurry through our minutes looking for the next important thing, we are overly attentive to what people think of us, and we are addicted to our own press.   So what is the next right thing for those of us who are so aware of other people's opinions that we have a hard time knowing our own, making wise decisions, or doing our next right thing in love? Listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Get 10% off your first three months of Ritual Vitamins A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman Episode 175: How to Find a Mentor with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on October 26, 2021. 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 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on MArch 29, 2022. How can we discern our next right thing when presented with a great opportunity? Is there a framework to follow when discerning when to say yes or when to say no? Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Episode 19: Choose Your Absence That Sounds Fun Ep. 375 with Kristin Chenoweth Miss Me with That by Rachel Lindsay Record your favorite "yes!" and share it with me here Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on June 13, 2023.   In today's episode, I'll be sharing some of my favorite summer-time decisions and then we get to hear from YOU! If you're already feeling in a summer rut, I hope these ideas will help if you find you need a little extra inspiration heading into summertime. Listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Episode 181: A Soul Minimalist's Guide to Summer Episode 229: A Blessing for the Graduates The Quiet Collection app Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on January 11, 2022. 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 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

This summer, I'm re-airing some of my favorite decision making episodes. This one originally aired on October 31, 2023. How can we know the difference between a yes, an absolutely yes, a maybe, a probably not, and a no. And what do we do with the simple one line advice that doesn't always seem to apply? Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order How to Walk Into a Room Subscribe to The Soul Minimalist on Substack The Quiet Collection app Essentialism by Greg McKeown Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers Episode 219: 20 Questions to Ask Before You Say Yes to a Great Opportunity Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman 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

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 spring 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 spring, everything counts. So what's saving your life right now? Here's what's saving mine. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum Slow Productivity by Cal Newport Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling Feeding The Soul by Tabitha Brown The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore The Wedding People by Alison Espach Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner Love Life by Rob Lowe Liturgies for Resisting Empire by Kat Armas 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

Today, I'm so glad to talk with author, speaker, and friend, Niki Hardy. Niki is the author of three books, including her latest, God, Can We Chat?, in which she writes about doubt and faith at the same time. Whether you're a doubting believer, a believing doubter, or you're not quite sure, we're going to get into what happens when we come to the intersection of faith, doubt, and skepticism. I hope you'll listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Order God, Can We Chat? by Niki Hardy Visit Niki's website Follow Niki on Instagram Find Niki on Substack 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

It's the last week of April and before the month gets away from me, I wanted to have a short birthday episode for you to return to when your birthday rolls around. For today's episode I'll keep it short and sweet with just 4 questions you can ask yourself during your birthday week. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Episode 272: A Soul Minimalist's Guide to Your Birthday 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"

Today I'm so glad to talk with bookstore owner and brand new author Annie B. Jones. Annie owns The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in downtown Thomasville Georgia, and she's the host of From the Front Porch, the store's conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. Annie talks about books, sells books, and now she's written one of her own. It's called Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put, and it releases into the world on this very day, April 22. Annie challenges the idea that loud lives are the ones that matter most and reminds us that we don't have to leave the lives we have in order to have the lives of which we've always dreamed. Not only do I commend this book to you, I also wrote the forward where I talk even more about my admiration for both Annie as a person and as a writer. Today we're going to get into what could be magical about a quiet, ordinary life. I hope you'll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones Follow Annie on Instagram Visit The Bookshelf website 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

Here we are in Holy Week, just a few days before Easter. Before we arrive at the resurrection, we have to walk through the crucifixion. One of my favorite guides in the dark is Barbara Brown Taylor who wrote one of my top 10 favorite books of all time, Learning to Walk in the Dark. For today's episode I want to offer a short reflection on walking in the dark – the challenges, yes. But also the necessity and the surprising gift. If you've been following along inside The Lent Collection, you'll recognize this from Day 24. If not, I hope this simple reflection offers something for you to carry into the remainder of this Holy Week. Either way, I hope you'll listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor 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

It's been a minute since I've dedicated an entire episode to the craft of writing but today is that day. Engaging in writing as a spiritual exercise has many gifts to share beyond publishing. If that's something you've been wanting to explore, I hope you'll listen in. The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith Download the Lent Listening Guide 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

If you struggle to find the time for home life, work life, and creative pursuits this episode is for you. Listen in.   Download the Lent Listening Guide Episode 179 of The Life Coach School with Brooke Castillo Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport The Plan by Kendra Adachi 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

Maybe you're just trying to navigate maintaining some healthy personal boundaries around your intake of headlines and the news but you don't know where the line is between a legitimate desire to stay informed and an unhealthy addiction to confirmation bias. If you're looking for some guidance on how to balance the paradox of life that will always be with us, you're in the right place. Listen in. 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" Dowload the transcript

So far this year I've been engaging a simple little practice you can do right now that is helping me feel a little bit more grounded than I would without it. And if you've been around here very long you know that any practice can be a spiritual practice if we do it with an awareness of God. Listen in. 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"