What do you do when you can’t decide what to do next?
In her book The Next Right Thing: a Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions, Emily P. Freeman captivates her readers with simple truths and easy-to-follow action steps to do the next right thing in each of the 24 chapters. I took this book on a recent international trip with the intention of reading it on a long flight. However, I found myself not wanting to read it quickly. I’m a book-a-day kind of reader yet this one subconsciously encouraged me to slow down and let the information simmer.
It was an invitation to turn off my e-reader and look out the window. I patted myself on the back for packing my capsule wardrobe with pants that fit (read Chapter 21). And that’s just how I emotionally reacted to the book, not even a review of the content!
Emily’s book is great for the “here and now” decisions where you need to just do the next right thing instead of waffling in indecision. It’s also for the bigger life decisions where you need to stop collecting gurus. It’s for staying in the moment by asking yourself “What is one next right thing I can do today?” and then doing it. Scattering quotes and stories throughout the book, Emily makes her information connect to readers from all walks of life. In writing this book, she first made a podcast with the same title. According to Emily, “What matters more than the decisions you make is the person you’re becoming.”
There were not any earth-shattering moments in this book, but gentle reminders of practical advice we have heard and forgotten “Just do the next right thing.” I highly recommend this book whether you buy it for yourself, for a friend who’s changing jobs, or for a graduation gift. Just buy it!
I’m already working my way through her newest book How to Walk Into a Room and can’t wait to read more. Emily creates space for your soul to breathe and permission for you to process the information whether you are making decisions or walking into a room. She’s the kind of person I’d like to hang out with for an afternoon.
Next to having coffee with Emily, reading her books makes you feel like she is in a conversation with you and you are nodding your head in agreement at her wise thoughts. I’m a bit envious of her friends who actually get to hang out with her, like Kendara Adecki who first introduced me to Emily through Kendra’s own book, The Lazy Genius.
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Want to take time to read a book slowly? Go ahead.
Table Talk: What areas of life are you struggling with doing the next right thing? What is the next right thing you can do with your time today? (Besides reading my 2 Minutes Together blog post – THANKS!)