THE ANGLICAN WAY

As I go deeper in relationship with God and listen to the call He has over my life, I reflect on the past 48 years of my Christian walk. The many roads He had me travel with experiences of being a member of different church communities, all of which I love and cherish.

Now that I am back at my home church, the one I was raised in and becoming reacquainted with, I realize God’s plan for me. 

As I prepare to become an Anglican Lay Reader, I am learning the Anglican Way.

What I love about the Anglican Way is we are radically open while steeped in tradition. An example of being radically open would be having someone of the Jewish Faith and an Atheist partake and assist in a service. Our belief is that we are still sharing in God's Love whether a believer or not, or coming from different faith backgrounds. Meanwhile, we are steeped in tradition by the prayers we recite, the garments we wear and the service rituals we perform because they all have significant meaning.

I am so very thankful for the St. Mary's Parish. I am also so very thankful for Reverend Colin and the wonderful conversations we have had, and the many more to come.

We Will Advance and We Will Backslide. What's Most Important is Staying in the Game and Putting One Foot In Front of the Other!

I'm in a really good place right now in my life! Such a big change from just 2 years ago when I was quite sick. 

It was 2 years ago that I had what felt like a heart attack in the middle of one of our worst snow storms of the winter - and that experience seemed to reset my heart condition that was completely crippling my life. 

I believe it was through the power of positive thinking and prayers of others that carried me through! How is it one day you are speaking with your internist about going off on permanent disability and having to find a way to improve your quality of life, to sharing that conversation with your inner-circle and close faith based friends, to within a week having a wickedly terrifying heart experience, to starting a new road to recovery and realizing your new normal ... and now being able to work full time and then some.

I'm thankful for my family, friends, career and professional network, volunteer network, faith network, and so much more.

I'm sharing this because 2 years ago, I was grieving a lot of loss in my life as a result of the illness ... heck ... I was grieving even just a year ago and was not sure of my direction. I vividly recall attending the PEI Business Women's Association's Symposium last year thinking 'What am I even doing here!" ... I actually felt at an all time low because I knew what it was like to build up a fairly successful business then due to circumstances beyond my control becoming way out of the loop of the women's business community ... so much had changed and I felt old and washed up! Now ... a year later I'm sitting on the Board of Directors helping to lead the organization. So much has changed in one year.

It really takes putting one foot in front of the other and having the ability to look to higher ground, press in and believe there's something more than what you see before you. It also takes those unexpected awesome encounters when someone speaks into your life - and that actually happened at PEIBWA symposium. A wonderful lady, near the end of the conference, someone I admire and respect and know fairly well, said some pretty profound things to me after I shared honestly with her where I was at in my life. The cool thing is - about 5 years before - she was in one of my programs and I spoke into her life that helped give her direction. Funny how the universe puts the perfect person in our path just at the right time when we need it most. She doesn't know who she is but I will share with her one day because it was her words of inspiration and affirmation that gave me the kick-in-the-butt that I needed.

So to anyone out there struggling to find their way - I say to you please keep going! This too shall pass, and when you breakthrough to higher ground, when you become victorious over your circumstance, you will actually look back and see the life lesson that was given to you, that will help you to bless and speak in to the lives of others.

Life is full of peaks and valleys, we will advance and we will backslide. What's most important is staying in the game, and to always keep putting one foot in front of the other!

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Nancy Beth is the President and Executive Consultant at Sweet Spot Academy.

As an Internet and Digital Marketing veteran, Nancy Beth has vast experience in Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Online Safety and Protecting Your Digital Footprint. Since 2010, Nancy Beth has been highly sought after to share her message on being a Digital Leader, using the Internet & Social Media for good, and how to safely navigate the Social Web. 

Keynote Speaker | Executive Coach | Training Consultant | Founder of Sweet Academy (@sweetspotacadmy) | (@nbguptill)  

To book Nancy Beth for your next event, or to discuss your training needs Visit: http://sweetspotmarketingacademy.ca/contact

#RealTalk Midlife Hum-Drum - Is This Normal or What?

I'm wondering if it's just me who feels this way at times ... that life is unexciting, that there's a void, something is missing.  Do you think this happens during middle age or after a life altering experience?  I wonder if I've reached that mid-life phase where things just seem pretty bland compared to when you're younger.  I remember in my early 20's and 30's, people I worked with would say I'm full of 'piss and vinegar', an expression I have always hated that means you're peppy, energetic and assertive.  I would agree, I (for the most part) have always been energetic and assertive, full of life and passion.  However, in recent years, that's seemed to have change.

For me, at this moment in time, all is good!  Business is great, family is great, life overall is great - I have a close relationship with the creator, I'm grounded in my spirituality and mindfulness, I have a wonderful family and friends, yet something is lacking.

I can't say I've ever felt this way before.  I don't feel sad, I'm not depressed, I am actually quite content in life.  At the same time I've reached a point where nothing really excites me any more.  I get happy for other people, thrilled of others accomplishments, but when it comes to my own personal life, it's hum-drum.  I can go for a walk and spend time in nature and yes it's lovely and I feel alive, or I could go to a social outing and enjoy my time with people, or I could attend a business networking event and enjoy the people and business discussion, but in the end after it's all said and done that passion, enthusiasm and excitement just doesn't seem to be at the same level it once was.

I'm wondering who else is out there in the world feeling this same way.  I want to really discuss this without people jumping to wrong conclusions.  I have held back in holding this discussion for so long because when I try to discuss with others, well, you know how it is, if you're not talking about how happy and exciting everything is, people jump to negative conclusions and well, that's not where I'm at.  I'm 100% content with my life, I'm just not super excited and impassioned about anything.  For me, this is strange because all of my life, I've talked about 'dreaming big' 'emotions being contagious' energy and enthusiasm motivates others ... and yet here I am feeling plateaued and even-keeled, steady in my emotions, not super excited but more hum-drum and I guess this is a new feeling for me that makes me feel a wee bit uncomfortable especially since I've been feeling this way since Spring 2016 which is when I started recovering from being quite sick for a few years.

Before taking ill, I was high energy, easily excited about things, deeply impassioned.  When I was sick and actually thought I would have to go on long-term disability, I saw life through a whole new lense and since then I've been living life through pragmatism versus high on energy, life and emotion.

I stumbled across the vocabulary.com website today that actually contrasts exactly who I was and who I've become, through their definition and explanation of a pragmatist:

pragmatist

If you have a friend whose head is always in the clouds, always dreaming, and taking risks without thinking of the consequences, you might say that she isn’t much of a pragmatist.

A pragmatist is someone who is pragmatic, that is to say, someone who is practical and focused on reaching a goal. A pragmatist usually has a straightforward, matter-of-fact approach and doesn’t let emotion distract her. A pragmatist can also ignore her own ideals to get the job done, so in this way it can have a slightly negative meaning. 

Yeah, so that's me - pragmatic: matter-of-fact and emotionless, ignoring ideals to get the job done.  Maybe this is a good thing.  In time, I guess I'll be able to tell.  In the meantime, if you are like me or find yourself in this situation, I would love to have some #RealTalk about this situation.  

Hit me up on twitter @nbguptill

YOU ARE CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS

YOU ARE CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS!

It happens to most of us ... those moments in our day, week, month, or year ... where we feel like a failure, living an unfulfilled life, living for 'someday'. Even with all the successes we may have achieved, we can still feel disappointed in ourselves and in our life.

Let me tell you friends, most of us cross this bridge at some point in time, and some of us cross this bridge more than once. At the time of moving through this phase in life, it feels pretty rotten but once we push through and come out the other side, we see how the experience has actually stretched us and taken us to new heights.

These moments usually happen unexpectedly. In fact, for most of us, they happen just when we think we've got life figured out and in the palm of our hands. Out of nowhere, we're thrown a curve ball with something completely unexpected that drastically changes our life path and puts us out in left field where we feel alone, abandoned, useless, unimportant, washed up, and old.

Usually at those times, we're pretty good at concealing our troubles from the people around us, and many looking in from the outside may think we're living the dream because they too are going through troubled waters.

Here's the secret when we're feeling this low - it may take some time before we even realize we've reached one of these moments in life - but when we do, it's actually time to celebrate and tune in to our inner-selves. These negative feelings are actually signals from our inner being that we are not living our destiny. That somehow we have put everyone and everything else before our own needs to the point of neglecting the dreams we have for ourselves.

When we awaken to this moment, it's time hit the reset button. In moments where we feel like 'something is missing', this is the time for self-reflection - a time to stop, close our eyes, centre our thoughts, silence the negative voices in our mind, and breathe ... just breathe ... start focusing on the positive, have faith in ourselves and believe in our destiny.

We need to look at what we have accomplished, what is working, what we have done right, the people we have helped along the way. We need to be thankful for the blessings we have received and we need to go deep within ourselves to ignite our creative energy and entrepreneurial mindset - to dream and have a big vision for our life.

No matter where we are in our life, it is always important to remember:

WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING GREAT THINGS!

#BelieveAchieve #AttitudeDeterminesAltitude #StepIntoYourDestiny #YourAreCapable

My Theme Song for 2017 - DO SOMETHING

My new theme song for 2017 is  "DO SOMETHING" something by Mathew West.

"Be the change you want to see in the world".

I just launched a new community "WOMEN ON THE MOVE". 

#WomenOnTheMove  #IfNotUsThenWho 

We are a group of women who have big dreams for our lives and are determined to make them happen. 

We work with women in business and leadership as well as women in transition. Our goal is to create a movement and community where women feel empowered and supported to take bold leaps to live their dreams and love their life, by providing the confidence, tools and networks to be the change they want to see in the world through community or business leadership.

Our ultimate goal is to help support women to step into their destiny to live their dreams and love their life, whether that is launching a new business, starting a new non-profit, undertaking a new volunteer activity or creative project. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8

WOMEN ON THE MOVE - LEADERSHIP & EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS

It is with great excitement and passion that I relaunch the Women On The Move programs.  The first time I offered ‘Live Your Dreams, Love Your Life’ was in 2008 when I was a Ladies Who Launch Certified Facilitator.  At that time, Women on The Move was founded on similar pillars of the Ladies Who Launch Incubator program.

Over the past few years, my life journey has taken me on some pretty interesting adventures, some were completely amazing and full of self discovery, others were very painful and confusing, while others, I actually wondered about my future and whether I would be able to continue working or have to go on long term disability.

I totally believe we are given experiences and challenges to take us to places that stretch us beyond what we ever thought possible, to bring us back with new understand and knowledge so we are able to speak life and wisdom into the lives of other people who desperately need love, support, understanding, compassion and guidance.

I am thankful for every single experience because I have grown, evolved and adapted with each and feel they were fundamental in bringing me back to this place where I feel ignited to make change and start a movement for women and girls to step into their destiny, to live their dreams and love their life, to be the change they want to see in the world.

2017 marks the beginning of a new chapter and journey in my life, one which will take a life to complete. The moment has just begun and I fully embrace what the universe has in store for me.

JOIN ME IN 2017!  MAKE DREAMS HAPPEN!

Sincerely,  Nancy BethGuptill

LIVE YOUR DREAMS LOVE YOUR LIFE - SUMMERSIDE

WORKSHOP DATES: January 13, 20, 27, February 3              

TIME: 9:15 AM PM – 11:30 AM

LOCATION:  Summerside PEI

LIVE YOUR DREAMSLOVE YOUR LIFE - CHARLOTTETOWN

WORKSHOP DATES: February 17, 24, March 3, 10

TIME: 9:15 AM PM – 11:30 AM

LOCATION:  Charlottown PEI