S2E3: Listening For The Nudge with Angie Nuttle

In this episode of Purpose Project, Leslie Pagel is joined by Angie Nuttle, founder of the VIP Center for Business Women. Angie shares her journey of how purpose has guided her in building a business aimed at empowering women. The conversation touches on the importance of mindset shifts, overcoming personal struggles, and listening to one's inner voice to align with their true calling. Angie provides deep insights into the significance of small, purposeful acts and offers advice for women seeking to integrate purpose into their professional lives. If you're looking to uncover your purpose and are open to those subtle life nudges, this episode is a must-listen.

00:00 Welcome to Purpose Project

00:15 Meet Angie Nuttle: Empowering Women in Business

01:31 The VIP Center for Business Women

02:39 Angie's Personal and Professional Journey

06:37 Discovering Life Purpose

07:12 Breaking Free from Personal Prisons

09:03 Turning Points and Major Life Events

16:48 From Corporate to Entrepreneurship

20:28 The Birth of the VIP Center

27:09 Discovering Your Purpose

29:17 Overcoming the Busyness Spirit

32:30 Purpose in Entrepreneurship

46:07 Practical Advice for Finding Purpose

49:54 Final Thoughts on Purpose

Purpose Project is a research study on the topic of life's purpose. You can follow along in the making of Purpose Project:
Instagram: @purpose.project
LinkedIn: @purposeproject-media
TikTok: @purpose.project

Captions are auto-generated.

Transcript

0:05

hi, my name is Leslie Pagel and welcome to Purpose Project. This is the place where we explore the many ways that purpose shows up in our lives and our work. In this episode, I am joined by Angie Nuttle. Angie is the founder of the VIP Center for Business Women. It's a space designed to help support and empower women in business. Angie shares how Purpose has guided her through building a business. She shares the patterns that she sees in women who are searching for success and the critical mindset shifts that change the game. If you've ever felt that pull that nudge towards something greater, this episode is for you. Let's take a listen.

Leslie: 0:55

Angie, thank you for being on Purpose Project. I'm really looking forward to talking and exploring on how Purpose shows up in the workplace.

Angie: 1:04

Oh, that's one of my favorite topics. Um, and I love that you're doing this. I've been watching some of your podcasts and you are just in your zone. You're in your element. I just love it.

Leslie: 1:17

Oh, thank you for that. I do. I feel very much in my zone. Some days it feels uncomfortable, but for the most part it feels really good. I feel alive doing this. I mean, you look at this, I was coming into your space here at the VIP center for women leaders, women,

Angie: 1:38

it's VIP center for business women. Okay.

Leslie: 1:41

VIP center for business women. And you told me, yeah, go back to the circle room or pick where you want to go. And I came in here and read the sign. Yes. Yes. Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created. Yes, and I was like, we are definitely recording here.

Angie: 2:00

This sign has gotten so much feedback from everyone who comes through here because one of the One of the important aspects and themes about what we do is helping women to step into their calling and To help them to stop operating Beneath what they were called to do and so many women have come through these doors, and they've asked that question What am I supposed to be doing? And a lot of them, they'll look at that sign and like, that's just a, that's a confirmation that I'm in the right place.

Leslie: 2:37

Exactly. Yes. Well, I, I want to get into all of that, but before we go there, share a little bit about who Angie is personally and professionally.

Angie: 2:48

Oh my Lord. Big question. Lots of stuff attached to that So I'm Angie Nuttle and I am the founder of the VIP Center for Business Women. So one of the things that we do is we help women to grow in their faith and in business. And we do that through coaching, through community, through conferences, uh, through connection. We do a lot of, work helping women. Entrepreneurial women who are trying to liven up their calling and step into the business world as an entrepreneur. Mm-hmm So we do a lot of done for you services. So in order to do that, my background has, has been in that just knowing how to stand up a business and how to do all the things, even the artistic and creative things. That's my jam, designing things, branding things. Websites, social media, graphics, uh, designing book covers, right? I mean, anything that's artsy like that, uh, and that has an association with business, um, that's what I do. But, we also have, uh, a big, uh, faith based women's community called Purple Life Community. So, Purple Life, is based on Lydia, seller of purple. So who was a single woman back in the Bible times, and she was successful on her own and had a successful business selling purple and making purple fabrics. And I had no idea. Yeah. And so she really transcended time with having a business. She was wealthy. She was profitable. And she was also purposeful and instrumental in standing up Christianity in Europe. She was the first convert in Europe back at that time. So, I was inspired by her and that's a big part of who I am and my identity. So, that's, it's reflected in what we do here at the Business Center. Um, on a more personal note, I'm a mom. And I've got Two grown children, um, and I have a 16 year old at home. I love all of them so dearly, and I've got four grandchildren, which is just crazy to me that I sometimes I feel like I'm still 25. At least in my spirit, but when I see the grandchildren's I hear Nana, Nana. I'm like Yeah, I'm that old. Um, Happily married to Erin Nuttall and Um, I am a I am a woman of faith and that really comes from just going through a lot of suffering and hardships as I was growing up and I would say that my story is pretty unusual compared to most people. And that's why I wasn't really afraid to step into this big vision that we have here at the VIP center. Um, I came from a life of a lot of difficulties, a lot of trials as a child. I was in, I had a stint in foster care. I was a runaway. I was like bottom of the barrel, like, in terms of, I was just so rebellious as, as a kid because of things that were happening and, um, really did a lot of suffering. And, but it's because of those things, it made me very driven and very focused on doing something that, that matters. So, there's a lot of stuff there.

Leslie: 6:36

Yeah. Well, I want to pull on that because This is all about purpose. Yeah. And a question that I ask everyone is, do you have a life purpose? And if so, what is it?

Angie: 6:52

Yeah. And I will say that the life purpose as you get older, it changes and it, it gets refined. You go through breakthroughs and you go through breakdowns and you just go through all of the obstacles and the things, and it really, it's like being clay and being shaped and molded into. something very unique. And so I feel like at this point in my life, my purpose really centers around helping women to stop being in prison, uh, helping women to not only step out of the personal prisons that that they've been put into, whether it's by their own doing. You know, in their own self doubts and self deprecation and all of that, to even people in our culture and society, putting parameters around them, and so they think that they can't move forward. Um, I have a huge passion to show women that the prison door is actually open. And you have a key. So you're just sitting in there, whether you realize it or not, you're sitting in that prison and there is a whole other life out here. Right. And I love helping women to realize that they have everything that they need. They're not missing anything, they're not lacking anything, they're actually very resourceful, creative and whole. Um, I have, I have a challenge with people who say, Oh, everybody's broken. That is not true. That's not the way we were made. We were, we're not broken. We're creative, resourceful and whole. And I'm on a mission to help women to realize that and fully step into that calling where they can impact the world in really significant and fulfilling ways.

Leslie: 8:48

Well, and it sounds like hearing about your struggle, you had the key, you unlocked the door and you walked out and you're helping to bring that to other women. Yeah. How did that light go off for you? How did you flip the switch and say, Oh, I have a key. I'm going to, I'm going to let myself out.

Angie: 9:14

That's happened over and over. I've gotten into different prisons. Sometimes it's a jail. Sometimes it's like a penitentiary where there's lots of weight. You got to get through lots of rooms to get out. Um, I would say that that. has been an evolution in my life. So when I was 17 years old and I was made an emancipated minor by the state of Indiana. And it was just because I had been in the system so much and kept running away from foster homes. I mean, and they were, they were not good places to be. Um And this, some parents might bristle at this or think that this is odd, but really one of the best decisions I made was to actually step out on my own. And I hitchhiked from Indiana down to Alabama and started my life over. That was, that was a major turning point in my life where I really became independent. broke free from all of the traumatic things that had happened back home. I wouldn't advise every 17 year old to do that, but all of the junk had not been worked out of me. You can leave a situation, but the situation itself might still be sticking with you and chances are that that's what's happening. And so. Um, I just went into a different season of my life and, got into a very destructive marriage and my husband loved drugs. I had two kids. He loved drugs more than us. And it, that was another turning point where I had to make the decision, to walk away from that unhealthy situation. Realizing that I had the key, but ultimately for me, the most major event that I experienced is when I got my undergraduate degree and it was really a miracle. I was the first person in my family to graduate with, with a college degree and I had survived quite a bit of, of trauma just walking through that and time. Um, But I was very grateful. The first time that I had ever just really felt such a genuine authentic gratefulness that I got through it, that I made it through. And every time I think about that, I think about the the day I went to take my last final exam, and I was still married to my ex husband. It was pouring down rain. I had on a pink sweatshirt and sweatpants. And I was getting ready to get in my car to go, and my husband, he did not want me to graduate. He did not want me to go and take that exam, and he took my keys and he threw them out in the front yard. It was pouring down rain, and I ran out there, I fell, I was covered in mud, I was sopping wet, but I found the keys. And so I grabbed the keys, got in the car, went, I was sobbing the whole way, went and took my exam, which I got an A on the exam, and I ended up getting my degree. It was such a pivotal moment for me, and so this heart of gratitude popped up in me that I had never felt before. So I went up to this little dead Baptist church where, you know, everybody's like over 80. I'm like this, you know, 23 year old, and I was like, I'm going to just go tell God I'm thankful, you know, that I'm grateful that he got me through this. So I walk into this, this little church, I have no idea what the pastor was saying, it was, this is what it sounded like. That's what he sounded like. But when this precious woman started playing this song, uh, I Surrender All. And I started singing that song. Oh my gosh, I just, I just busted out crying. I was just hysterically crying and it was in that moment that I just had this experience with God. And a huge burden and weight was just lifted off of me. And it was the most miraculous experience. I've never quite had an experience like that since then. But in that moment, I, there was something in me that knew that I was going to be called to a, to a different kind of life. And so I came out of there, when I walked out of there, I was a different human being. I mean, literally for three weeks, I didn't talk. I was just so at peace. I had never been at such peace. I just didn't talk. I was, everything just looked brighter. And as a matter of fact, my, my ex husband, we were riding in the truck one day and he says, what is wrong with you? I said, what do you mean? There's nothing wrong with me. He says, You usually have something to say. You usually are smarting off having something to say. It says you have not talked in three weeks. And I said, I just feel good. I'm grateful there. I'm not worried about anything. And so, it was just for one year, I had a beautiful honeymoon with God and then after that, it all went to hell in a handbasket. And then more trials came. I look back at all these trials and all of the sufferings and the different seasons, all the storms that happened. And I can look back at those now and see where, okay, you got out of this prison. Now you have to work your way out of this one and this one and this one. And, and it just made me stronger. And, I know that that wasn't always just for my sake. It was for the women that I would serve going forward and to present day. So all of that that happened has been folded into what we have for the VIP center and VIP stands for visions in progress. And that's exactly what we are. But a lot of women, they don't see that. They're trapped. They're there, they limit themselves by what's in their bank account or what, Their family says about them or, the responsibilities that they think they have there. And I'm here to help women to understand that you're not limited by that. Right. So,

Leslie: 16:26

yeah. And your business is set up to fulfill your purpose. I mean, there's a direct, because not, that's not the case for everyone. Right. But for yours, it is directly in alignment with, I'm gonna create a business that allows me to serve In the way that I'm being called to serve. Yes. Yeah. Was there a moment where the business side of it came to you or how, yeah, how did that come to you?

Angie: 16:54

So, as I grew into my career, I was in corporate for over 20 years and I got into human resources and then, uh, another really. instrumental experience in my life was going to Iraq. So I was in Iraq for three years in the defense industry. That was my niche. That was my space. And I knew that that's where I fit, you know, while I was in corporate. And so with that, I just had a knack for doing things around organizational development, coaching, It was just a natural thing for me. And so like, Oh, I know how to do this. Well, let me get the certification. So I did all the certifications, um, but I was actually doing that in the corporate world and my company just kept moving me around to different places to do what I did. And it, it was an interesting. thing that happened because in 2010, my mom was very sick and she had, she had chronic myeloid leukemia and we thought she was dying at that point. And so I, we made a detour on my career, my corporate career. We were living in Charlottesville, Virginia, and I was working for a defense organization. They were about to relocate me to Baltimore, Maryland. Well, We thought my mom was dying and really we felt a strong pull to come back to Indiana. Um, we felt like she, wasn't going to last and we, she needed help. She went into remission. When you got here? Yeah, uh, yeah, within, within six months she went into remission but so I had taken a job with a pharmacy Diagnostics kind of organization international organization. I worked for them for two years. That was not my jam It was I already knew that I was just I made I was making more money than I had in my entire life But that was not satisfying me. It was not fulfilling me and I recognize, it's not about money for me. I have to be doing something that's meaningful. And so, just got a God memo that, Hey, you need to go out on your own. You need to do this on your own. And so. I'm like, okay. And I announced to my husband that, Hey, you know, this corporate career that I've had where I'm making, butt loads of money. Um, I'm going to stop that. But the, the awesome thing is, is I had about an eight month runway. I knew that I was going to be getting a huge bonus. I had eight months to get prepared. And so once I realized that was the direction I was going, I just changed my attention and started preparing for that. And I, I call that out because whenever you're trying to figure out what your purpose is and what your calling is. And when you, when you get the clues, you know, you get these little clues, you start changing your focus on what, what you're doing. Some people call this serendipity. Okay. I, I call it, it's just God's direction. But suddenly people start dropping into your life that were meant to fall in, based on your purpose. It's. It's really such a supernatural thing that happens. And that was happening for me before I ever left corporate. So I went along that path. I left that organization, started my company, first 30 days were kind of quiet, but after that it just started building and building and building and building. So it was a very successful launch to the business and I wasn't doing all of this at the VIP center. I was focused on corporate clients. My platform is around executive influence and presence and strategy around communication and social agility. And I still do some of that to a degree. I just don't have to advertise it because they already know who I am and they just call me when they need me. But, my business life really took off and it was even more lucrative than my corporate career. But at the same time, I still felt like something was missing. I was making all kinds of money. And I was working harder than I had ever, yes, I was working more hours. I was just working day and night, just trying to keep up with it all. And, uh, it was definitely a challenge. But, um, we had this brand new big house that we just bought. We, we had all the things. But there came a, there was one day, I was working corporate stuff and I was working from home and I'm out. I'm looking out the window I'm looking at my crystal clear pool out there. I'm like, I'm gonna go out there and just take a little break So I go out there. I lay on the lawn chair It's all sparkly the pool and it's all just a beautiful 76 degree day. I'm like I kind of fall asleep, you know, I'm like, Lord, thank you. Thank you for giving all of it. We've made it. You know, I just remember thinking all these random thoughts and I kind of dozed off, but I just, I clearly heard what I called this God memo. Like, this isn't it, this isn't your purpose. To whom much is given, much is required. And I just sat straight up, right? I was like, was somebody talking to me? I laugh about it now, but I wasn't laughing then. But I, it really, it disturbed me. It bothered me. Because I thought, well, I thought this is what I was supposed to be doing. And, so I, I would, I journaled about it and, you know, kind of let it fizzle off. That was like in August of 2017. Well, January, 2018. I'm sitting on my couch in my jammies. There's beautiful snow out all these little sparkly flakes I'm looking at my giant California sized windows I'm just so happy as a lark and I'm doing my strategic planning for 2018. Yeah, I'm like, okay Lord I'm here. Tell me what I'm supposed to do. And in my mind, I'm thinking Okay, we're going to go off after two more defense clients, you know, I've already got these preconceived notions about what my purpose is going to be and how I'm going to, you know, change the world in the corporate world, teach everybody how to influence each other. And I get this God memo, very quiet voice that says, I have a building for you. Um, so. I was like, yucky. I don't want that. You know, I don't want that. And, so I had written it on my journal, because I am a journaler. And so I wrote it on my journal, and I just kept writing. Went to the next page, and I was like trying to ignore that. I was like, okay, maybe that was a random thought. So I start rationalizing about it, and I'll just tell you, over the next few days, I just kept hearing that over and over. I have a building for you. And I found myself just arguing with God saying, God, that means I don't want that overhead. You know, I don't, I don't want all that. I'm happy. And God's like, to whom much is given, much is required. And so it took me a little while, but I finally just got on board with that. And then later in the spring, I, I officially started, okay, I'm going to. See what this is about. I had no idea what it was going to be about. I had no idea that we would be what we are today. But as I went on the journey to find this building that God had for me, Um, I started, ideas started coming to me. It's like they just started flowing. Like, we have Airbnb rooms for female guests. And then I thought, wouldn't it be great to have a space where we could have our own events and we don't have to book up, you know, so I just started, all these ideas started coming through and then we came to this building, wasn't for sale and it had never been fully renovated. It was a hot mess and I walked in here and I just felt like this building was, she was talking to me. And she was representative of the women that I would be working with. And she felt broken down. She had felt neglected. And you look around and you could see that she absolutely was just a hot mess. There's a lot behind that story, but just to fast forward, so my husband and I, we took nine months to do the renovations. We managed everything ourselves. It was one of the hardest things that Um, I've ever done and it's one of the hardest things my husband and I have done together but we managed to get through it and we opened August 23rd, 2019 and we've just been growing. I mean, we've just evolved and grown, and as a matter of fact, we're outgrowing this building. Are you? Yes. We've been doing conferences for the last four years and this year for our Purple Life conference for Christian women, we had to go to a different venue because we couldn't fit everybody in here. So we're growing.

Leslie: 27:02

Yeah. Congratulations. Thank you. That's exciting. Thank you.

Angie: 27:06

This, I know this is a bunch of stuff, but it's. So relevant to talking about purpose because I don't think many people wake up and say oh I've realized what my purpose is. It really is a discovery. It is.

Leslie: 27:21

Well, I hear so many things in your story. One is just being really in touch with God. Mm hmm. For you, for others it might be The universe, your subconscious, whatever it is that speaks to you, a voice

Angie: 27:39

inside that's talking to you,

Leslie: 27:42

your gut, yes, or

Angie: 27:43

signs,

Leslie: 27:45

yeah, but being really in touch with that and listening to it, yeah, surrendering to it, yeah, and then also there's a lot of, just saying Okay, I'm going to do this and then doing it through the hardship because it wasn't always easy. It was not. But you did it anyway and, and that's a trust factor, surrendering and trusting. Yeah.

Angie: 28:17

I love that you say it that way, surrendering, because I would challenge that women do get nudges all the time. Well men do too. You know, I mean anybody. You get nudges. You get subtle clues. That you're supposed to go in a certain direction, or you know, there's a purpose for you here. And the thing about it, I use purpose and calling together. They, they work together, um, but a lot of times calling doesn't look like we think it should. So sometimes we create a, a vision in our head about what that calling is and our purpose feeds into it. And then we find out, oh, well that wasn't really the calling after all. It was actually Something, something else, you know, um, and so I'm just being in tune with that is very key because we'll blow it off or we'll say, Oh, you know, I'll think about that later. I don't have time for that right now. And I, I see one of the biggest obstacles for women is the busyness spirit like, Oh, I have so many things. I have so many things to do and I've got to do this and I'm responsible for that. And it really is a mirage to what your purpose actually is and stepping into it. And I like to help women wake up to that. A lot of times we keep lists in our heads. I mean, I'm a list person as it is, but we keep lists in our heads. And we need to purge that out so that the purpose can fit in there.

Leslie: 29:52

Well, and as you were talking about the busyness spirit is in so many ways that keeps us from the intuition that comes. You know what I mean? Because we're so busy, we're so busy, we're so busy that we don't have those spaces. It's to be out there by the pool, to hear, to be looking out the window and hear, to be in connection with the voice that speaks to us.

Angie: 30:23

Yeah. And so one of the things that we do for. Our business members here is we do like a Thursday mindset coaching clinic. We were actually talking about this yesterday. And a lot of times we will allow ourselves to just be consumed with overwhelm and panic and anxiety, which that is all rooted in fear. That is a spirit of fear that is eating away. At women. And that's, I would say that that is one of the biggest causes of their busyness is that, that fear of not succeeding or not doing their best or, whatever it is being judged and exactly, and just not doing it all. Right. And so they, they just create this big ball of fear and, and overwhelm that gets in their way. And so one of the things that I just challenged everybody to do, let's, let's just take two minutes to just be still. Let's, let's do that. You know, when we did that experiment. I timed it for two minutes to, to let them just, just to be still. And then I asked them, you know, how many of you, it took you? It took you a little bit to really just get still and like everyone raised their hand there. It's because they're not used to that. They're not practicing that in their lives. And in order to hear that voice or feel that nudge, you really have to be still. You do.

Leslie: 32:02

You do. And that was probably the first two minutes in a long time that those women had. Where it was an intentional two minutes to quiet the mind, right? Yeah. So thank you for sharing your story. It's an incredible story. you work with a lot of women and would love to shift gears a little bit and. And talk from your perspective of how purpose shows up for them as entrepreneurs, right? They're coming to you because they're an entrepreneur or seeking to be an entrepreneur. And how does purpose show up for that woman?

Angie: 32:50

Yeah. And really it's not just for our entrepreneurial women. We do have corporate women. Okay. We have of faith from all walks of life that are, trying to grab onto this concept of purpose. And so, you know, if I start with the entrepreneurs, a lot of times they'll come in and, they want to start a business, but they really don't know why. Did they know

Leslie: 33:21

what?

Angie: 33:22

Well, they think, so, usually by the time they get to me, uh, they have an idea of what they want to start. And, so, a lot of them, they'll take it from the career that they just came out of. So, they've made a living in the corporate world or the work world this way, but now they want to do it on their own and they think that that's what they're supposed to do because that's how they spent all of their life. And, as we get into the journey of helping them stand up their businesses, this never fails. We get halfway through. standing everything up and they're like, I'm not sure this is the direction I need to be going. You know, it's usually about halfway through they, they realize that they're supposed to be doing something else.

Leslie: 34:07

Why is that?

Angie: 34:09

Do you know? I think it's because they've never really been given the opportunity to explore what the purpose is. Um, and It could be that people have told them that they should go into business and so they tend to really rely heavily on other people's feedback or what they know. And, it's not to say that there's not a calling in that, that area, but when they think about purpose, purpose goes with you. wherever you are and whatever you're doing. So purpose is not necessarily your business, right? It's something deeper, you know, it's something that's connected to, um, to connecting more deeply with humanity and, um, building relationship and authenticity with other people. It really is about the people aspect and connecting with them and, uh, your purpose. the day, maybe that you go and talk to somebody and encourage them when they're not seeing a way out of their situation. So, just to give you an example, this year I have been studying Abigail out of the Bible. She was married to a modern day narcissist. He has a total jerk face. Here she is. She's in a time where, you know, he was rich, she's the only woman in the Bible that says that she's beautiful and smart, wise, witty, had discernment, and so looking at her life, you think she has everything. She's got the money, she's got the looks, she's got the brains, but I guarantee she was absolutely miserable in, in that role because back at that time they had arranged marriages. She was probably bought by this very wealthy man who was a dirt face. And so I imagine she's like sitting there just waiting for life to end because he's not a good person. Well, what she didn't realize, she was going through that suffering, but there came a day when her purpose and calling came to life. And that came through an unexpected way. Um, her husband had ticked off King David, who was, this was before he became the big king of Israel and David kind of lost his mind about it and told all of his 400 soldiers to strap on their swords and they were going to go kill everybody. Well, so one of the servants comes to Abigail and says, okay, we need you to do something. We need you to intervene because your husband is a jerk face and he's going to get us all killed. So Abigail, what does she do? She whips up like full provisions for 400 people and she goes and she meets David she falls on her face in total humility and says don't pay attention to my husband He's a fool. I've you know, forgive me Here's your rations. We want to take care of you and Then she began to prophesy it to him and tell him You can't do this. You can't come and slaughter all these people because it will tarnish your, your rule and you'll always have blood on your hands. So you're about to be the king of Israel. And so she prophesied to him. Well, and then he confirmed that. He says, God sent you to me this day. So I tell you this story because she probably never expected that. To be her purpose. She probably envisioned something else and many women are like that today they're looking at their circumstances. They're complaining about it. They're comparing themselves to other people and You know a lot of times they'll miss that That purpose because they're not listening. Right. They're not being still and waiting for, for it to be brought about. And there are a lot of women entrepreneurs who come through the doors that they're looking in the wrong direction for their purpose. I know that's kind of conceptual and high level, and I could probably give you, here are the five steps that.

Leslie: 38:34

Well, I think it makes sense because, I mean, you started by saying they come. With an idea of what, but not why.

Angie: 38:41

Yeah.

Leslie: 38:42

And I'm imagining as they're going through this process, they're starting to explore a little bit more of the why. Yeah. And realizing, okay, I've got some freedom here. Yeah.

Angie: 38:57

Yeah. I mean, I just had a strategy session with somebody today. That I've been working with for six months, and she is actually going into a ministry type business. And I felt like she was really struggling about what she was supposed to be doing. And we can't, it all came back to purpose. And I said, before we start, what is your purpose?

Leslie: 39:23

You know,

Angie: 39:23

and all these things that we have, all these things that you want to do, you want to publish a book, you want to get speaking gigs, you want to do this. What ultimately is the purpose? And that was a game changer, to just ask that question. It seemed so simple and unassuming. But it is such a powerful question, and a lot of women never get asked that question. And so, I would say, I'm a facilitator of faith and purpose because I ask that question all the time.

Leslie: 39:55

Yay!

Angie: 39:58

Yeah, so, and that's usually why, halfway through, They're coaching engagement. Oh, I realize I'm going the wrong way. Uh

Leslie: 40:06

huh. Well, and I have, I have been asking that question a lot lately, too, for Purpose Project, and I have been told by multiple people of how helpful it is to have been asked so that they could stop and think about how they would answer it. Yeah. And the reality is from my perspective, Our society we don't have conversations about purpose. We're talking about the weather we're talking about, and that's part of what I'm starting to realize. I think I'm being called to do is make it more of a conversation that's doesn't need to feel scary. It doesn't need to feel like this big old thing. Your purpose today could be to open the door for someone. But it is something that is more a part of our everyday lives. Yeah. Because it brings meaning to our life.

Angie: 41:02

You know, just as you were saying that, opening the door for someone, I like to think of purpose, in the sense of there are just these, I call them holy intersections, right? There are just these points in time when you're meant to be somewhere for a specific person whether it be to prevent something or to facilitate something. And they just happen over the course of your life. And it's almost like there's a map out there for every single one of us. And we're moving along that map to hit these intersections. And And sometimes we miss them. You know, a lot of times we miss them. I still miss them. I like to say that I'm in tune with my purpose and calling, but there are times when I miss it. And sometimes I do it on purpose. Because I'm like, I'm too tired right now, right? But those intersections matter to people. It's not just about you. Right. It's about the other person who, is supposed to have that intersection with you.

Leslie: 42:16

Yeah.

Angie: 42:17

And that's, that's how I would look at purpose. Like that big map of intersections.

Leslie: 42:24

Yes. I love that visual. Because the other thing it says is that sometimes you won't even know why you were meant to be there, but the other person would. I mean, you know what I mean?

Angie: 42:40

Yeah. You could have no clue,

Leslie: 42:42

but you were meant to be there for a reason that, that they took on. And it also says the word that was going through my head as you were talking about the intersections is trust is trusting. that you are where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there and not fighting it, there's so much. Deflection of responsibility, you know, it's on you to make me happy. My employer needs to make me happy, my family, and it's, and it's really, it's responsibility for our selves. Yes. Yes. For our purpose, for our happiness and entrusting that, that it lives within us too. Right. You talked about that as well. Yeah.

Angie: 43:31

Yeah. Yeah. And I love that you're saying that because I think about how so many times we love people conditionally or, you know, love is conditional. But a lot of times we feel like we should do things for people because it's the right thing to do. Versus we're really doing it out of a heart of love and gratitude and when we're not operating that way, it's, and we're doing it because we feel like we have to, then it steps outside of purpose, right? It's no longer purpose.

Leslie: 44:06

Exactly. At that point. Yes. Yes. So,

Angie: 44:09

so love is wrapped up in, in purpose. We've got spouses. And sometimes we want to throat punch them because they're not doing what they need to or they're like, throwing their boots on the kitchen counter or things like that But You know, I, I used to be a person that I wanted, I wanted everything reciprocated,

Leslie: 44:30

right?

Angie: 44:31

If I'm showing you love, I want you to show me love back. I want you to, if I'm going to give to you, you better give back. And that was the wrong mindset to have. So going back to you saying you, you've really got to manage these things within yourself, and if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it because I want to. And because there's love in my heart around that situation, or there's compassion in my heart

Leslie: 44:59

around

Angie: 44:59

that situation, not because, if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. That's, that doesn't work in purpose. Purpose is very selfless. Yeah,

Leslie: 45:10

well, and the you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. You said it earlier, I'm supposed to do this, or, I have to do these things because you've done them for me as opposed to, I'm doing these because I choose to do them because it's, it is who I am and it's out of love, yeah.

Angie: 45:30

That's funny, I was smiling because whenever I coach people, I always remind them that they live in choice.

Leslie: 45:38

Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

Angie: 45:39

You, you don't have to do anything you don't want to, right? I mean, if you're doing something, it's, you're choosing to, to do that. And purpose is also a choice, right? You can choose to do it or you can choose to ignore it, but you're the one that lives with that at the end of the day.

Leslie: 45:58

Exactly. Yes. Love that. So what advice do you have? For women who are seeking to bring purpose into the workplace, what advice do you have for them?

Angie: 46:15

Um, so I would just say to women to remember that purpose is it's probably not what you think it is. Um, to allow yourself those times to be still, to hear when your purpose is to be activated. I would say that in the workplace, purpose, it's not always going to be like a huge bang. It might be something very subtle. It could be This little nudge that, hey, you need to walk by such and such's desk and say hello, right? I mean, it's just being in tune to that.

Leslie: 47:03

Um,

Angie: 47:05

I would also encourage women in the workplace, before you ever go into work every day, make sure that you are having time to, to just, I mean, I'm a woman of prayer, so I'm going to go to God, I'm going to say, God, I want to live your purpose today. Show me what that is, no matter how big or how small. Um, if you're, I mean, even if you're not a woman of faith, it's really just saying, okay, what's my direction today? I'm open to that direction, and I'm going to purposely shut down the busyness spirit that wants to cut all of that out, because the busyness spirit will crowd out every good thing in your life. And this sounds extreme, but you will go through life having so many regrets of not slowing down and focusing on the things that really matter. Yeah. So, I would say that that's just, that's just a few things.

Leslie: 48:05

What is your morning routine?

Angie: 48:07

My morning routine is, um, before I ever get out of bed, I'm usually awakened by thoughts. So, I'm usually slaying those. Laughter I'm taking every thought captive right now. Laughter I grab a cup of coffee, and I immediately sit down and just have that time of peace. And I try to have a few minutes of quiet just to see what I hear. Uh, I, I have a time of prayer. I've got a Bible app, and so I'm usually looking at scriptures and scenarios and just saying, God, what are you showing me today? I'll do a little bit of journaling. My morning starts out, I set the stage, that way. And, um, then when I get in my truck, it's like a second wave. I get in my truck to come to the building and I'm just, I'm tuning in. I'm usually listening to a devotional, something that's speaking life because there's so much hate out there right now. Right. Um, I really try to stay away from social media and all of the junk. Um, that's hard because the scroll addiction is real, but I've also realized that that is just such a time and a life suck. Yeah. So I purposely try to stay away from that. Yeah. And I'm talking to God throughout the day, making decisions, but when I get in my truck going home, I'm usually right back at it. I'm filling myself up with things that are positive, you know, good messages, uh, might even be some worship songs. And yeah. So that's,

Leslie: 49:50

yeah, thanks for sharing that. You're welcome. Is there anything left unsaid on this topic of purpose? I feel like I've said

Angie: 50:00

every single word that could be.

Leslie: 50:04

I'm sure we could go on for hours and days. I would love to. I

Angie: 50:07

know. I know. I just want to encourage everybody when you're thinking about your purpose, really realize that it's probably not what you think., some people are looking for the, the big major thing when really it might even just be these small little things that, that push along. And so just my encouragement is to look for that and to listen for that and allow yourself to be still long enough to hear and see those things.

Leslie: 50:44

for being on Purpose Project. Thank you. I'm so glad you invited me. As I listened to Angie's story, one thing kept standing out and that is the importance of listening to We often get so caught up in the noise of business expectations and strategy that we forget to pause and listen. Angie talks about it as the busyness spirit. But that quiet voice, our intuition is always there. It's guiding us. And the question is, are we paying attention to it? When we take the time to tune in, we're not just gaining clarity. We're aligning with our purpose. Purpose isn't something that we have to chase. It's something that we uncover. When we create a space to listen. So what is nudging you right now? And what would happen if you trusted it to lead you towards your purpose? Angie, thank you for being on the show and thanks to all of you for tuning in. Purpose Project is brought to you for education and for entertainment purposes. This podcast is not intended to replace the advice that you would receive from a licensed therapist or doctor or any other qualified professional.