Recently, as a family we were watching the Disney film called ‘Frozen 2’. I hadn’t got around to seeing it, and as much as it was a film for children, there were several poignant moments for me. 

 In particular there is a song that’s called ’Do the next right thing.’ It comes in the film when Anna is faced with uncertainty about what to do next, after losing her sister Elsa and also Olaf, and it helps her to express her depression. Pabby the troll had already expressed it this way: ‘When one can see no future, all one can do is the next right thing.’  

 That resonated with me – ‘Do the next right thing.’ 

We often say that we need to take one day at a time, but this quotation would imply that we should actually break it down to even smaller portions and do the ‘next right thing.’  

So, what does that mean? The right thing is firstly to not do the wrong thing. 

 Entertaining the wrong thoughts in your mind is the wrong thing. Going to the wrong places. Feeding ourselves with the wrong information and the wrong sort of input that won’t do us any good. We need to do the next right thing. Its quite profound when you think of it.   

It might be the smallest thing – writing a letter to a friend, saying a prayer, making a hot drink, going to bed early, taking a walk, enjoying a relaxing hobby, forgiving someone, having a bath, eating something tasty, calling someone – or just being kind to yourself – all of those can be the next right thing.   

If you are tired, the next right thing will be to sleep. 

If you are feeling stuffy and sluggish, maybe get some fresh air. 

If you do the wrong thing, it can impact you hugely, but what is it for you that’s the next right thing? That could really change your day.