387: Learning to Let Go

In Episode 387 of 'The Next Right Thing,' host Emily P. Freeman shares a deeply personal reflection on her journey of letting go during the Lenten season. After years of using January for planning and choosing a 'word of the year,' she selected 'heal'—a word that captured both her desire for future wholeness and her ongoing process of tending to emotional and spiritual wounds. With her children temporarily away from home, she found space to confront a long-standing self-doubting mindset that had been holding her back from creative and personal growth. Over six weeks, she intentionally practiced releasing this internal resistance by embracing small but transformative actions: dancing at Zumba, dedicating time to writing, journaling creatively, and having honest conversations about her stress patterns. She frames this as a spiritual practice of grieving the old season of life—being a mom to high schoolers—so she can fully welcome the new life emerging in Eastertide, a season of resurrection and rebirth. Drawing on spiritual wisdom from Ronald Rollheiser and John O'Donohue, she emphasizes that true healing comes not from fixing but from listening to the quiet, inner voice of one’s spirit. Her haiku reflections reveal a growing sense of joy, freedom, and self-trust. The episode closes with a gentle invitation to listeners: you don’t need to wait for a grand moment to let go—your next right thing might simply be to release what’s holding you back in order to make space for new life.