Just do the next right thing.

“Do the next right thing.” That’s pretty much a call to action, right?

The problem with follow-through is complicated, though.

You have analyzed your situation until you’re paralyzed.
You’re not comfortable where you are, but it’s more comfortable to stay there than it is to take a risky step.
You aren’t even sure what the next right thing is.

If you’re a Disney fan (and, unapologetically, I’m one of the most passionate), you may recognize “The Next Right Thing” as the title of a song from Frozen 2. If that leaves you saying “Huh?”, never fear. I’ll get you caught up.

Without getting bogged down in the plot (which is really dense and thought provoking), we have a character named Anna. Anna is one of two sisters from the mythical kingdom of Arendelle. (Maybe it’s not all that mythical!)

You’ll need to watch Frozen 2 to appreciate this (and Frozen too, of course. Trust your Uncle Tony on this.)

At the darkest point in the movie, when Anna thinks she’s lost her sister Elsa and the beloved snowman Olaf, she sings this:

I’ve seen dark before
But not like this
This is cold
This is empty
This is numb
The life I knew is over
The lights are out
Hello, darkness
I’m ready to succumb

I follow you around
I always have
But you’ve gone to a place I cannot find
This grief has a gravity
It pulls me down
But a tiny voice whispers in my mind
You are lost, hope is gone
But you must go on
And do the next right thing

Can there be a day beyond this night?
I don’t know anymore what is true
I can’t find my direction, I’m all alone
The only star that guided me was you
How to rise from the floor
When it’s not you I’m rising for?
Just do the next right thing
Take a step, step again
It is all that I can to do
The next right thing

I won’t look too far ahead
It’s too much for me to take
But break it down to this next breath
This next step
This next choice is one that I can make

So I’ll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light
And do the next right thing
And with the dawn, what comes then?
When it’s clear that everything will never be the same again
Then I’ll make the choice
To hear that voice
And do the next right thing*

This. Do the next right thing. The song is a study in depression – not what most folks would anticipate from a Disney movie.

Kristen Bell portrayed Anna. Here’s what she said about the song:

A lot of people feel that feeling: What do I do when I don’t know what to do? My personal mantra is you just do the next right thing. It also stems from when I am experiencing anxiety and depression. What do I do when I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning? You just do the next right thing, and that’s stepping out of bed. The next right thing is brushing your teeth. The next right thing is eating your breakfast. The next right thing is looking at your calendar and going to work. This idea of having an intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic motivation is something that as a parent I know is incredibly important to show kids and to help them cope. I really wanted Anna to be representative of that.

You’re probably way ahead of me already. This is a blog about encouragement.

Between the song lyrics and Kristen Bell’s astute observations, I don’t have a lot to add. But I’ll try to help us collectively determine what the next right thing is for us.

You may be in a mental and emotional place that is really bleak. Or not; perhaps you’ve been there in the past and know you could easily be there again. It’s in your nature, right?
You look toward the future. Maybe it isn’t hopeless, but it IS discouraging at the very least.
You tend to project your anxiety because of all the “what if’s.”

Let’s make some progress here.

You are not psychic. Maybe you think you are. Fact is, while you may have some sense of what’s coming next, there is no way you can know every detail of the future.
If you’re a Believer, then your future is already secure. That doesn’t mean that you won’t face some excruciating challenges, but the final outcome is settled.
If you don’t know what to do – right now – then take some counsel. The next right thing might be to simply stand up and stretch. Eat something. Latch onto at least one thing you are thankful for (a pulse? Somewhere to sleep? An upcoming meal?)
After you’ve done that thing, take a deep breath. Then do another thing.
These are baby steps, but they are steps. They are actions. They are little victories. Compounded, you can engineer a whole stretch of wins.
Don’t wait until you feel like doing the next right thing. Do something anyway. Your feelings will catch up.
There is no shame in letting someone you trust know you’re struggling. I can’t stress this enough. And if you don’t have anyone trustworthy enough or understanding enough in your life, there is plenty of help available.

This is all personal to me, no doubt. Since my head injury, depression is an unpleasant addition to my life. I am progressively getting better, and I’m so grateful for that. I’ve learned, though, that my improvement is largely in my own hands. I can’t passively sit around wishing things were different. I’m not ready for postmortems yet.

Sometimes you simply have to act. Do the next right thing.

Be blessed.

Tony’s Question: Without going into any detail – a simple yes or no would work here – do you know what the next right thing is in your own life? Share, if you’re comfortable doing so.

*Written by: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind