I'm Emily P. Freeman and welcome to the next right thing. You're listening to episode 369.

This is a podcast about making decisions, but also about making a life. If you struggle with

decision fatigue, chronic hesitation, or if you just need a few minutes away from the constant

stream of information,

and the sometimes delightful but also distracting hum of entertainment, you're in the right

place for discerning your next right thing. I'm an author, a spiritual director, and an occasional

workshop leader. I live in North Carolina with my family, and through my work, I've helped

thousands of spiritually

thoughtful people overcome decision fatigue so that they can discern their next right thing

in faith, work, and life. 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 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.

And that is what I'm attempting to do here today, sharing the words from three different women

and how their words are combining in my mind to bring some clarity to something

that I've thought a lot about. I'll bring you in on it now as a witness to my wonderings.

Listen in.

In September 2022, Taylor Swift stood on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

She was one of two recipients of the Songwriter Artist of the Decade Award by the Nashville Songwriters Association International. It was exactly

one month before the release of her 10th studio album, Midnights, which is one of my top favorite,

...