Just Do The Next Right Thing
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It’s been quite a year, huh?
A global pandemic has shook the world to its core while pivotal social movements have challenged us to rethink our current ways of life.
Back in March, Frozen 2 was released early on Disney+. I, along with many kids and former kids, greatly appreciated this amidst a world on lockdown. While the original film is still far superior, Frozen 2 offered me a few moments of reflection more intricate than its predecessor.
There’s a scene where Queen Elsa is going through an extremely challenging time. Grand Pabbie, a wise old troll, calms her anxiety with this one simple piece of advice — “When one can see no future, all one can do is the next right thing.”
I’ve recounted this scene time and time again over the last 10 months. It’s helped me realize that the best way to navigate an uncertain future is to make the most of the present moment. All we can do is the next right thing.
That may mean working on an overdue project, building up the courage to make an important phone call, or taking a shower for the first time in 3 days. Whatever it is, just do the next right thing.
Gosh. We humans are so wired for certainty! Finding peace amidst turmoil is exhausting, but the key has been learning to live with questions that don’t have answers yet. Will the answers ever come? Perhaps. But what we don’t know now, we’re not supposed to know yet.
When the whole world seems like a giant mess and it’s hard to imagine how we will come out on the other side, the only thing we can do is let hope guide our actions and just do the next right thing.
What 2021 will bring is unknown, but what I believe to be true is:
We’ve made it this far and we know our resilience.
We can do hard things (I love you, Glennon Doyle).
Mountains do not rise without earthquakes.
We are responsible for our democracy.
Black Lives Matter.
And when the current is overwhelming — all we can do is the next right thing.
Bring it on, 2021. I think I’ll start with a shower.
