The Power of Mindset: How to Transform Your Thinking ft. Ivette Mayo
This week we're joined by Victoria Jenn’s long time mentor, Ivette Mayo. In this interview, Ivette candidly shares how she overcame years of physical and verbal abuse, to becoming one of the most recognized professional development experts in the world.
Her story will mobilize you to let go of any limiting beliefs, deadweight relationships, and provide a guide on how to create new belief systems and behaviors so you can own your power and live in your truth.
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivette-mayo/
Power on Heels: https://poweronheelsfund.org/
Buy Her Book: https://a.co/d/17VnIal
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Full Transcript:
What's up, Mi Gente? Welcome back to Banking On Cultura, where we discuss the vibrancy and complexity, honey, of Latino culture, business, and all the bonchinche between. And today, I have the honor of introducing you to a mentor of mine. She's kind of like my fairy godmother really. She calls me at all the right times and she is just a light in my life that I am so thankful and grateful for. and I'm really excited to have the opportunity to share her with you, the community, because you're going to fall in love with her uh just as quickly as I did when we first met. So, get into it. I'm going to do a brief intro so you guys can just understand the magnitude of the woman that is sitting next to me. So, she is an award-winning entrepreneur, international keynote speaker, author, and is globally recognized as a career coach and professional development expert. She is the founder of the Power on Heels Fund, a nonprofit focused on minimizing the gender gap for Latinas that they face in the marketplace and to empower them to become their best advocate. And it's so interesting when I was reading her bio and I was like, how am I going to introduce this woman? because to me outside of the professional accolades, outside of her expertise, she is just one of the most beautiful human beings that I've had the pleasure of getting to know and again just really grateful to have her in my life. So without further ado, I introduce Miss Ivette Mayo to the community. What's up, mama? Hey, Amiga. Oh my god, I've just my lashes are going to come off. Thank you for that introduction. But you have to understand it's easy to fall in love and continue to inspire and empower Victoria. She is um she's a great mentee. She's a great listener. She's become Mana de Alma. Thank you so much for that. And we promise this episode will not be an episode of us like bigging each other up, but I think that speaks to the relationship that we have and why it's so special. So, we actually met in Texas, right? uh Hispanicized. I think they were having an event and I had the pleasure of being introduced to you by my girlfriend. She was like, "You have to meet this woman. I think you guys are going to kick it off." And I was like, "All right, cool." And then I met you and I was like, "Oh my god, like your energy was just so infectious." And immediately it felt like like a Madrina. I was like, "Oh my god, yes, please take me under your wing." And I think that's how it happened. Well, what's interesting is we did meet. Someone met you and then met me and then brought us together. But what was interesting is is that we had a quick chat and I asked you to do like two things and you immediately did them like you immediately followed up. And one thing that happens a lot in our world is is that people give you information and they want you to do something with it and based on what you do you get a little bit more. And in my space I offer myself freely to a lot of people but they don't follow up. Victoria, you were one of the few, not only did you follow up like like in 24 hours, you are already sent your email with task completed. And so I said, "This girl's committed and determined." And I love that about you. And that's that's why I'm still here because you continue to be committed and determined. Oh my god. I didn't even remember that. Do you remember what you asked me to do? It was something like simply send me an email and let's set up an appointment. And it was just something like like two or three simple tasks. And people take the little things, you know, for granted and you saw it as an opportunity and you reacted and you reacted quickly. And so I wanted to nurture that. And um and I have to tell you, I've asked many people to send me emails and to connect and do something and they never do. So here we are, how many years now? Oh my god, I feel like almost 10 years. That's how I feel. Yes. Yes. But yeah, I love it. No, but this is But it's a continuation. and we continue to build and build and build. So, here we are. That is amazing. And I think that's a nugget for everyone. If you meet someone and you're inspired or motivated or someone that you want to learn from, if they offer you the opportunity to connect and give you contact information and you do not follow up, that's like shame on you. Like you're giving the universe a signal that you really don't want it, right? Okay. But I think what happens is naturally, culturally, we bring judgment into the space. Oh, you know, they just said that. They didn't really mean it.
Oh, you know, she's just too busy. All of a sudden, you just start poo pooing it away. And you don't realize that that opportunity is maybe leading you to other opportunities. That's the door that just opened so you can get in the building. And one thing that's happened is is we've introduced each other to people. Our communities have connected. And um yes, I live in Houston and you live in Jersey. So um it doesn't mean that we are not a daily and a constant contact or connection to each other. And what I really love about our relationship and appreciate is not only am I learning from like literally Lona, like the best in the business. She's she's so strategic and so intentional and just such a great person to ideate with and brainstorm with. And what I love about our relationship is she asked me for advice too. Like she'll ask me like, "Hey, how do I do this? What do you think?" And I think that's a really great example of how a relationship is supposed to work, especially like a mentor, mentee. I think we've moved beyond that. Now we're a family. But that is the benefit and the value ad. And I think that even for folks who have a little bit more seasonality, being open to that kind of like peer mentorship and cross mentorship, even if you're at a different level, I think is key and what allows the relationship to like truly flourish because we have things to learn from each other all the time, regardless of age, regardless of seniority. But I think we both were able to like showcase our value to one another, but it happened in such like an organic and authentic and raw way. We're also both boricquas. So avi but you know what I think um and maybe this is a conversation we have to have with ourselves is is I'm not a very trusting person. Have not really been a trusting person but I've had to become success has created or opportunities um required for me to trust others and that wasn't something that I did easily and I don't know if that was but I think that's one of the things that you were willing to do because you were transitioning at the time when we met if I recall and I was just starting. Yeah. And you were moving into a whole different space that you were before. And then here I show up, you know, and then we're talking, but you were very authentic in your needs and your and express where you were and what your challenges were. And that took trust. So trust is not something that has to go to a deep level. But if you really want to have people collaborate with you and work with you, there has to be that level of trust. And I want to tell you how simple trust is. you're in the big city and you are lost and you will stop someone for direction and go, "Hey, where's 39th Street and at that moment you're trusting that person to tell you where you need to go." So, you can trust even at a bare minimum to strangers. But what happens with that trust as you know someone you get to see who they are and what they offer? You've got to be just as trusting with that person as that stranger that you're asking directions for. Trust is really critical. And I'm not saying you have to give them your children, your money, your your passwords. No, you just have to give them the chance to tell you what they need to tell you and you need to believe in that and do something with that. I love that analogy. That's such a great example because I feel like a lot of people do struggle with trusting, especially showcasing vulnerability. It's like, no, I have to be strong and I have to showcase like I have it all together. But in those moments of vulnerability is when you're actually able to receive help, right? And allow yourself to. And then the other the other component with trust comes doubt. Yes. You know, you know, doubt kills people. You're not willing to do something with it. I'm giving you a treasure trove of stuff. And you're you're like, you know what? I'm not going to do that. That doesn't sound right. Or that might have worked. That might have worked back in the day, but not now. But the reality of it is business is still conducted between people. Yes. Things are transactional online, but when business and collaboration really happens, it happens to with people. Not with tools and apps, it happens that way. And trust and doubt um can't always be in the room. Yes. And and and then they have to alternate. So anyway, anyway, I feel like we can go on and on talking about our relationship. Like I remember when you like I was having a hard time with this event that I was planning and you were like, "Oh, Miha, you need help? You hopped on a plane, came to help me at the event, spoke at my event. Oh, no. You You jumped. We We set up tables and chairs. We set up tables, chairs. Like, you were so so helpful and just came through for me in a way that I was like, "Oh my god, this woman is so special to my heart." And I was like, "I got to keep her tight. My daddy, she always asks about daddy." And you know, it's it's just a vibe. And I I hope you guys find those relationships. But I think this is one of the things that we you know shame how shameful is that that that what I did was a rarity right that it stood out among so many and you were surrounded by so many people you did know and here was someone who was willing to do something that you hardly knew been there done that and you know there's something that we have to do is that we have to be comfortable with asking for help and getting help because if it comes from an authentic place then appreciate and gratitude that you do have these things and that goes with things in life too because there's a lot of people in your life that need to be gone. They're obstacles. They're not helping you move forward spiritually, mentally, in a relationship, professionally, however it is. They're holding up space. We have to be willing to look in other places, go different places to find the people that need to be in your inner circle. The fact that we're g geographically disconnected doesn't mean that we're not connected. Yes. Absolutely. because I will hop on a plane for you any day, baby. All right, so let's get this party started. Okay, so what's the bond? Give us some bond. I don't have bond. Yes, you do, girl. Please. Every time we talk, you got it at all. I don't know. They're creative stories maybe, but not I don't know. I don't know. You know, I was just thinking about that like I don't have any bond today. I'm like a loss. But do you have some bond? How you going to flip it on me? This is cuz I'm like I'm at a loss, you know. I'm at a loss. I don't have any bond. Let me see what's the latest bond. I just uh finished a juice cleanse. Okay, which I'm really proud of myself because every time I do a juice cleanse, it is so hard and intense, but I love that I challenge my discipline. And now that I've concluded it, yesterday was my last day and today on my way to this interview, I got a juice. Okay. And so it's like this is what happens like when you kind of switch things up like you have the ability to always like set the tone. So really proud of myself for that and looking forward you know to continue this weight loss journey honey cuz you already know how difficult it is. But uh it's been a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful self-exploration journey and really forcing myself to like face myself, you know what I mean? And like look myself in the mirror and be like, "Yo, V, do you really want what you say you want? Okay, what you going to do to get it?" And that like trickles over to so many other facets of my life outside of just health. So I love this for me. Well, I love it for you. And I love the fact that you are willing to face your truth. Yeah, you know, our own personal truth and over time it's changed. We all know that. But the fact that you want to get healthier and that you you're trying to do different things about about and for yourself and you know that's a that's a lesson a lot of people need to learn. Some people can go a lifetime and not do that. So kudos to you Amiga for Thank you all. Thank you for for um you know be focusing on you. And that's a lesson to the people who are listening as well too because they have to understand is if you're not good nobody's good. Because we have a saying at Casa Mayo and that is if Lena is not happy, ain't nobody happy. Period. Exclamation mark. Exclamation mark. But why is that is because we're so giving and you're always moving and you're going. If you're not right and if you're not right with self, then we're willing to accept anything. Yeah. And we're we're not that kind of diva. We sure ain't. We sure. So, my god, my heart is so full already and we haven't even got into the nitty-gritty. Okay. So, let's get into some more nitty-gritty. So, one of the things that I fell in love with when I was obsessed with everything Ivette Mayo when we first met, I got your book, by the way. Check it out. We're going to talk more about this amazing book. And I was like, "Ooh, power. Yes, that's my girl. Let's go. I want to know about power." and I read about your journey and so much of your story I didn't expect and I was like wow I did not know you know she came she kind of came overcame all of this and became this beautiful woman that I get to see every day. So can you talk a little bit about your journey to becoming a power coach and how you've been able to reinvent yourself over the years? Well, I'm going to start from um just where I'm from. So, I am the daughter and Rammon and Anasa, a little town from a little town in Puerto Rico called Manati. I left Puerto Rico when I was six years old. And we my dad was in the military. So, we lived all over the United States. And so, just to um also for the audience, not every Puerto Rican lives in New York City, right? So, we'll just go ahead and and just check that stereotype off. But the thing about it is is that we lived in so many different places. And so I was the only daughter out of four children, have three brothers, and so we Latino families have a double standard in the way they raise their sons and their daughters. And I was the beautiful daughter. There was just certain guidelines and things. And just remind you that my parents were they are raising children in the United States and communities larger than they've ever seen. And um they're from a small town. So they're raising us with their small Puerto Rican town mentality and you know cultural differences. So for me they were very strict. So again being that beautiful daughter did what I was expected to do. Cultural norms, family norms, all of those things. Then I left their home and got married and became a beautiful wife and then a beautiful employee and a beautiful mother. And you know beautiful is meaning that you do what's expected of you and the roles and the responsibilities given to you, you know. And that was me. And you know, the other side of me, the Virgo, you know, the regimental side of me, the organized, you know, being that and and staying in those roles kind of just controlled my my outcomes. Meaning I was always out, you know, giving out but not taking in because in duty you give. I find myself being married for 12 years, a marriage that did just did not go well at all. In reflection now, was it love or lust? And I think it was more lust than love, right? the inexperience of life just, you know, puts you in that in that space. But I realized that I was probably in the marriage way longer than I needed to be. It ended very badly. And I kept saying to in my head is how did I work so hard to make all of this work and I find myself a victim of domestic violence? How? And then I realized that that was not my role. It was never going to it was never supposed to be my role but I fell in that role because of duty and culture and mindsets and I realized that I was everything to everyone else. So I was in this mindset of doing everything for everyone else. You know filling in those responsibilities but I wasn't centered on myself. I wasn't doing the things that I wanted to do or expected for myself. My dreams, my goals, my ideas didn't really matter because who I was giving to and and expected from me. I was fulfilling that. There's emptiness in that and there's a lot of loneliness in that space as well because you know when we were given breath to come into this world we were also given our passion and our purpose to fulfill in life and you know that you're in that space because you can feel it cuz you can feel good about it and it just lifts you up in a way that you're not even always familiar with. But here I am, you know, in a place where I was empty and giving and giving. And so, um, finally got divorced and moved into a space for the first time at the age of 35 years of age. And the reason I'm giving my age out is because we always think that dreams and ideas are for the young people, people who who who have drive. And there's people who are in in spaces such as work or in relationships. They're just settling. They're not moving in that space. And at the age of 35, I took on a lot of change, but I also made that decision for myself. And I know that took a lot of courage. So for those who are in positions where they're just not happy, it's going to take a lot of courage to push you out. But courage also adds to your happiness. So keep those that those words connected. So I found myself in a wonderful career making more money than I ever expected. I was outperforming everybody in our in our in my company at the time. I had two amazing daughters that were thriving because they were in a rel in a home that was happy and everything that I thought was going to fail turned around because I took that step of courage and I got involved in the professional development field. I can I pause you real quick because this is a significant part of your story and I think what makes you so powerful and your ability to help people see the power that exists within them. This courage piece you were in a marriage verbally physically assaulted abused like what was the turning point? What was the shift that you were like all right I'm done? Like where did the courage come from? Well, you know, it's funny when someone tells you that you're not this, you're this, you're that, and you in your mind you're saying, "No, I'm not that." And I think it was just this billowing this billowing. It was just kind of like that last grain of salt that just tipped the the scales. But I think what happened is is again worked in a marriage that I was um that I personally put everything I had into it and I wasn't getting nothing back. And so this particular one time, and I know it sounds crazy, it sounds cliche, but it just took this one time for somebody to come home and decide that you your life wasn't significant enough. That you shouldn't exist, right? And at that point, it wasn't about me. It was what I wanted my children's narrative to be too. At that point, survival mode came in. It's like, no, this is not what I accept. This is not the way my story is going to end. It was not. And in fact, this is the beginning of something new. And yes, um I did things within a short period of time that I even surprised myself. But the best part about it was is getting out of something that hurts you doesn't build you up if anything takes from you and gives you nothing in return. And we can't let those traditional mindsets like I'm doing it for the kids or I'm doing it for because it's the right thing to do. You got to choose you. And in that moment, I chose myself. And by choosing me, I chose my future. And that was more important to me than letting anybody do anything more to me in that situation. You also had a friend that helped you, that looked out, and I think we all need this kind of friend in our lives. So, can you talk about how she helped you? Well, she had been witnessing this this scenario for quite some time and as a friend, she helped. She was like a second mother to my children and she was my community. She was my she was my my my go-to. And um you know, went to all did all the legal matters, did everything. And then I realized what an attorney was going to cost. And it wasn't how was I going to pay for it or but I just needed to pay for it. I got to her and I told her what was happening that day because she was bugging me all day, you know, checking in with me. And I went to her house and she said to me, "What's going on?" And I explained to her, she handed me a blank check and she says, "There's x amount of money in that account and um take some of it, all of it, but don't let money keep you from staying in this space." She made a sacrifice. Our friendship and me mattered to her. And at that moment where I was choosing me and courage was what I was holding on to um she handed me she took away the biggest challenge at that moment for me that meant the world to me. It has led me to where I am right now. That simple blank check. I love that. I love that. So fast forward, you decided to leave. Your friend blessed you and you skyrocketed from there. Career amazing, kids are blossoming, life is fabulous. You entered the professional development space. Take us from there. Well, and I there's a lot going on, but I want to kind of add something too because in that space maybe about within two years of that that moment, that difficult moment, I found someone to love and someone who loved me. But most importantly, as I said in my prayers, was I wanted someone perfect for me that loved me the way I needed to be loved and accepted me as I was. So, love me for who I was. And um somebody came in. But what's amazing is is 25 years later, it's still just as amazing because we got married. So even when you think it'll never happen, it will happen even after the worst scenarios. So it goes back to having people in your corner who supported you. So I moved into the professional development space as you stated got involved in what I believe to be my purpose to be a teacher to hear people get information from you and then all of a sudden they go they inhale. That was always my cha-ching. When that meant to me that they just received something that was going to help them propel their career to help them personally, professionally, whatever it was. they received something that was going to change them when they went. So I did that and then u moved into my own entrepreneurial space, created my own um consulting firm, working on diversity and professional development with a cultural twist. And I found myself um going to training rooms and still seeing only white men in the room. And I realized that in corporate America there were structural biases in terms of how they even developed their leadership. you had to be a certain level of leadership to have access to leadership training. They didn't do anything to create a strategic plan or growth strategy for future leaders. They weren't creating leadership funnels. And um and I found that most of the time people of color, especially Latinos or women of color, we weren't having access to that training. So I started working with organizations around the country to help develop leaders within communities. I've worked with Alpha. I've worked with ACE out of Chicago. So, I've worked with different organizations to help bring that leadership into space and I I associate a lot of what I do with the word power because we all have personal power. We have we have strengths that we give away, but we have strengths that we have to develop. You have to strengthen your power. So, power is a big word for me because I tell women all the time is that we give our power away with little things. We have to learn to capture that so we don't give it away at our big things. Quick example, honey, what do you want for dinner? Oh, I don't know. Whatever you want. And you do that with ease and before you know it, you're eating Chinese and Italian, you know, five times a week because that's what they like. But the reality is is that that simple giveaway becomes harder because when you have to make a real important decision, you haven't worked that muscle enough to know that you're making an important decision. You let others make important decisions for you. You talk a lot about this power and I think power is like this energy, this aura, this essence, who we are. Talk to us about, you know, your theme around this power. Like what what what does it truly mean? Like if you came across someone and you started speaking to them about their power, like what would you pour into them? I think your power is recognizing your strengths, who you are. You know, we know some people who are kind. And we know people who are introverted, extroverted, um they're, you know, they understand technology. Everybody has a power, but everybody has this unique energy that they give, right? And when they get it back, they give even more, right? And I think one of the things that we have to realize is, but our power comes in different ways, too. Our energy also comes from our truth, our words, right? You know, you hear it all the time, say what you are. And I think one of the things that we do is is that we get caught up in our duties and our roles. we forget who we are and we don't share our power fully because we're doing what's expected of us. And I think that for us to be successful, we have to be comfortable and breaking those those norms of expectations because you know it's like traditions. We have amazing traditions but remember traditions were created by people in a different time under different situations, right? So they teach us a story or a belief but what we do is we mimic the behavior you know and that behavior doesn't apply. The belief does but not the behavior. So how do we break that? So I think one of the things that we have to do is we have to be comfortable in breaking those those rules of expectations so to let our real power shine our real essence authentically ourselves. Mhm. One of, you know, here on Cultura, we're all about getting comfortable in your own skin, owning your Latin, embracing your power and releasing it out to the world. For a lot of people, that's really difficult because they've been preconditioned to believe they need to look, they need to talk, they need to sound, they need to do all these things to be successful except be themselves. So what is your advice for people who are yearning for this type of power? Like they want to break free. They want to break some rules. They want to color outside the lines. What is your advice to them to like get this party started so they can live more freely? Well, I think what happens is the word multicultural means that you're learning multiple behaviors from different communities and you're learning to survive in each one of those. I came from Puerto Rico and went to North Virginia. What did I know? I was 6 years old. I had to adapt different culture. You know, we do that when we go from high school to college, from college into the corporate space or into um other in learning institutions. Each one of those communities has a different culture that you have to learn how we do things. But I think one of the things is that you also do things slightly different. So why not begin to have the confidence to introduce those things into situations? Give a different perspective. You know, they hire us because we're people that represent a community different than the community that they are currently serving. Why? Because we bring new ideas. That's called innovation in our world, right? That's how it translates. Don't be afraid of bringing innovation into the community. That's why you are there. If you're not using your power, if you're not sharing and you're not influencing the outcomes, then you're not doing what's good for you and good for everyone else. We can't hold back. You know, in our culture, we talk about being quiet. You know, don't bring attention to ourselves. That 1960s segregation mentality doesn't serve us anymore because the communities that are unlike ours, they now silence, they use silence as a weapon against us because they know we're going to be quiet. We're just going to get along. We have to be feel comfortable in raising our hand and saying, "Hey, can we consider something different this time? I like to offer an idea." Simply say something like that. So that way you can table an idea and influence it. Even if you move the needle two steps near you, you've moved it. Now you can continue to move it because they've accepted it and now they are comfortable with it. Silence is something that is used against us, but we use it against ourselves. We are afraid to speak up. There's that word courage. Again, we have to have the courage to create change. I think one of the main takeaways from your book, by the way, a 30-day guide to your power, powerful outcomes through powerful words by I bet Mayo. Go get you it. It is the bombom.com. Because one of the ways that I think people can really start this journey of courage and speaking up, you have this section in the book called not affirmations but talk to us a little bit about why are critical and so important. So the book starts with a ve the very first quote. It says know thyself by Socrates. This was said thousands and thousands a year ago by a man. But no, these words are so important for us to know um and to accept. Why? Because in order for you to change the world around you, you have to know your own strengths and you have to know your own weaknesses. I shared with you that I was that beautiful daughter and everybody used to tell me I'm this, I'm that, I'm this. But you know what? I'm a creative. I'm an organized extrovert. I love color. I um you know I'm a helper. I'm I can think of a whole list of things that I am. But those things I'm a leader. I'm a leader. I'm a philanthropist. I'm you know I'm all I'm CEO of a company. You're a mil. Excuse me. I have five companies. I don't have one. I don't have two. And I've written a book. But no one told me I was those things or could be those things. So people spoke to me what expectations to me my whole life. You know, I was too dark. I was too tall. I was I even was told I was too pretty at times. Oh my god. All the time. Can I just, you know, I would say something very but um but please. Yes. Say it please. Right.
Why is that crazy? So my whole life I spent f fulfilling those rules, those those compartments. And some of you may feel that way too. But the thing about it was is that I got to a point in my life that I was redefining who I was. I had to realize who I was. What were my strengths? And I spoke power to truth. I spoke my power. I was no longer letting someone's ideas of me shape me and my future. That was that was done. Right? But the the thing about it was at that moment I started writing like a journal. started writing things and I started telling myself things that I found truth within myself that I wanted to believe and just inspire in myself. I was no longer using someone else's words to define me. I was using my words to define me. Mi, I've got the perfect freebie for you. So, I just dropped a 17page workbook to help you get your mind right, especially in this climate of so much uncertainty. So, if you are an aspiring or current entrepreneur and you're just feeling stuck, you're not feeling too good about what the future holds and all the turmoil, the politics, all of it is just throwing you off your game, this workbook is actually going to act as a journal for you. It covers goal setting, efficiency tips, how to manage your time, financial management tips, strategies on how to wrap your head around the next big thing that's coming down the pipeline to bring you consistent revenue in your business. It covers what you should be doubling down on in terms of your well-being. And it is just my favorite jam-packed journal full of marketing and sales strategy to help you get clarity, but most importantly to help you secure the big bag. So, make sure to tap on the link in the show notes. I've linked it there so that you guys can get really clear on the top hacks that you can put into play in 2024 to set yourself up for success. I hope you love it. Mhm. And so, I started creating this thing called affirmations. Instead of saying I am powerful, I created a statement to say why I believe I was powerful and use those words to continue to inspire me. So it was myself inspiring my self-truth. So affirmations is the product of that. Now this is the teacher in me now is that you must do something 30 days consecutively for that habit to continue or discontinue. You know smoking you got to do it for you know somebody starts and stops in a week. No you didn't do it long enough to break the habit. You have to do this for 30 days. That's how the human behavioral system is changed. So that's why it's a 30-day guide. If I can get you to do this for 30 days, this will be a continuum of you empowering you. Interesting. I did not know that. That's why it's called a 30-day guide. Interesting. I didn't know that. Fun fact. Thank you so much. Okay. So, one of So, okay. So after you go through the book and you have frameworks that you've put in here which I think are super amazing. We learn more about your story and then it gets into I mean you're kind of journaling throughout the entire book really uh and taking notes. I know I did. Uh so towards the back of the book you have put in here which I loved so much and I actually have it written so for those of you watching this is for real. Okay. It's 30-day journal of eye formations and it's all about power mantras and one of my faves was day six. So you have each day you're listing kind of like your 30 days. So on day six I was doing the information I am diamond. Oh my gosh. So talk to us about what is I am diamond and then I'm going to read what I wrote. Okay. Well, the 30-day guide and he when you do this is I actually give you um 30 different affirmations to start with and then I give you an example of an affirmation to inspire your thoughts. So, I'm Thank you so much for doing the work. You see, you have to be willing to work to create change to build success. You see that? You see how that works? So, um so then here is an example of one of those day six in this case, which is I am diamond. This is what I wrote to inspire. And then Victoria, then you'll share yours. Yes. I love it. Okay. I am Diamond. I have been created under extreme um temperatures and pressures. You may not see my imperfections that lie deep below my surface. They do not define me, but rather inspire me. The things that are inside of me have no effect on my beauty or brilliance. Each element that I have endures endured has made me distinctive in color, size, and blemishes. I have handled pressure exceptionally well. I am a uniquely beautiful and priceless and each day I choose to shine brightly. I am diamond. That is beautiful. That is not how I did it, but I use yours as a guide because it really was uh different statements that I wrote for the I am diamond process. So, this is a tough act to follow cuz you saw how beautiful that was. But really what came to mind when I was doing this, I wrote, "I am diamond and precious. I am diamond and in high demand. I am diamond and love. I am diamond and highly favored. I am diamond and beautiful. I am diamond and powerful. I am diamond in the rough. Come and find me. I am diamond. See me shine." That is what I wrote. I love it. And this one in particular just stood out to me. A because who doesn't love diamonds? Um but I don't know, it just it just really like spoke to me because I I truly, you know, throughout my entire career, it was always told to me like, Victoria, you're amazing, but don't shine so bright. You know, simmer down. Dim that down. So, this one really spoke to me because a diamond sparkles. Yeah. A diamond like is unapologetically shining in your face and everybody wants it. And everybody wants it. Exactly. That's why it spoke to me. But you know, one of the things is is that this is speaking your truth to power. These are your words inspiring you. Forget what everybody else thinks. I mean, put that aside. Lift yourself up through your own words. We depend on so many others to do it for us. Listen, no one told me I was beautiful. In fact, people used to tell me my skin was too dark. I had a Thea who wanted to put bleach on my skin, you know, I thought my skin color was gray, not brown, you know, um just all these different things that, you know, your hair is this when I decided to go white and my hair I mean people, oh, you know, everybody just always has an opinion, but those are their beliefs, not yours. And if they're negative, then you become negative. It's time to break the cycle. We all are diamonds. We have to feel comfortable and shining so brightly that we blind people. I love that. I love it so much. So, let's go into our talk that talk segment. Oh, I love and we we spoke on this a little bit. You mentioned about, you know, we're taught to be quiet and how this is now being weaponized against us. And you know in the cultura especially for Latinas it is almost taught to us to
you know right. What was the saying that you all have our sayings?
Oh my god I want to blow that up with dynamite. Yes. Yes. And for those who are Spanglish fluent translate um that is um you're prettier if you're quiet. Yes. Yes. And what's up with that? Like what is Well, think about it is is that again that that don't bring attention to yourself. Um we'll take you know um there's another one. Dirty clothes is not washed in the in the street. It's washed at home. Those things is because we they want us to handle things outside of our you know outside the public. But the reality of it is is that you get home and nobody handles it. It just I I got they forget it. I don't want to talk about it or no one's equipped to even handle the problem. So they they hope that it just go away. Um and then when we talk about celebration too. Oh, I got an award and you know I don't don't tell people you know it's always be quiet. Be quiet. Be quiet. Don't handle it. So the thing about it is is that we've accepted our quietness as as a survival skill whether at home or whether at work and now when you say something you're a problem you're aggressive you know you're this all these adjectives come out and I just spoke my mind you know so that's one of the things that's what I meant by weaponized it's so expected of us to be quiet that when we say something we're being disruptive and I'm saying choose disruptive Um, I like to call it smart disruption. It's easier for people to digest a little bit. Uh, but yeah, I'm I'm all about that life. And one one of the things that came up in our prep conversation uh was around why boricquas in particular are so passionate about showcasing our flag. Can you talk to us about that? because I I see the connection between like us being quiet, us like chilling with how we were colonized. So, can you make that connection for us? Well, historical, you have to take history. Now, I have to apologize. I don't know the exact year or dates, but once the US took over the Puerto Rican colony of um Puerto Rico, Cuba, um we were forbidden by law to display our flag. We were forbidden by law to um even sing our national anthem. And if you were if you had even a faded found, you were you went to jail. You were jailed. And that went on into well into the 19, you know, the 20th century, 19, I want to say 1950 or 1960, the flag, the Puerto Rican flag for the first time was allowed to fly next to the American flag. It was finally recognized. So, Puerto Ricanos, we put the flag on everything. Our tennis shoes, it's in our car. It's on on proud display because part of our history denied us the ability to do that. That didn't happen anywhere else in colonization, but it happened to us. And this is something my grandparents lived through. So, it's not it wasn't that long ago that this was our history. And it's so interesting that that happened. And we also it's like it's like almost like it was so strategic like let's dim let's figure out a way to like calm them down. Let's figure out a way to like dend them down. Let's figure out a way to strip them of their cultura to strip them of their pride to strip them of their power so that we will continue to run things as we wish and the hierarchy will remain the same. The hierarchy will continue and it will be in control. And that's the word that we're talking about control in relationships as well. All of these things when you are forced to go into be silent to go forced to follow rules to fall in place those are levels of control. We've this is a conversation today. We've allowed ourselves as women as women of color of a culture or community to be silenced to fall into place. And then when we show that vibrancy, the color of culture and community, you know, we're over the top now. We're too much. But most importantly, the underlying undertone of that is we're out of control. Whose control? So, it's it's it's it's all tied together as a community, as women, as as men, as society. Woo. That was a heavy one. Uh, and and it's so interesting. And one of my objectives with this podcast is to teach our history because it explains so much of our identity today and how we show up as a community and how we collaborate and how we build relationships or lack thereof and how we show up at work and how we show up in our relationships in our businesses. It's so critical to know why we are showing up this way, right? because then we can figure out how to like shift the behavior by doing our eye formations and getting our 30-day journal to get it together. And you know, we're creating a new belief system is what we're doing. Um, the thing about it is is we're like onions. We create layers of information. I think what's important is I like to call them compartments because you can put just like a a drawer or something, you could pull out what you need, use it, and then put it back and close the drawer. the things that we're learning are helping us survive in communities such as educational forums, um corporate forums, nonprofit forums, governmental forums. We have to understand that we have to behave differently. So, let me give you a place where we need to shift and beliefs need to change. And if you're listening, please share this. Okay, this conversation is is why aren't we doing the same thing with politics? I know that we've come from cultures and communities where the systems are slanted. We don't have belief in the voting systems. But now you are here in the United States of America, right? There are more Latinos than any other. We're the largest community in today's America's demographic. We are growing by leaps and bounds, right? We have political and economic power, but we're not using both of them or either one to our fullest potential. Laws are changing. They're changing against us. But yet we're not registered voters and the ones who are registered are not voting. See, the minute we realize the power in the vote, the minute the laws change and the better positions we will become, not only as people of color, but as women as well. And when you think about it, it was 1970, like 1976, that a woman couldn't even have a checking account by herself. Yet she had the power to vote. And we since then have done very little to give women power. But voting can change that. We're in an election year and our belief systems have to change. But most importantly, our actions have to change. And we and the more we let others control the political and the economic system, we will continue to be considered secondary citizens or not worthy.
I feel like that's a whole other podcast episode that we can do on the politics and how we show up. But yes, absolutely. I I totally agree with you and am aligned with that to your point of breaking old belief systems and building new ones and committing to those new beliefs even though it may be really comfortable to kind of go back to like you know the old you can always go back. Yeah. Yeah. So, Mami, let's tell the people more about Power on Heels and then let's tell them where they can find you and all that. Well, two things real quick. So, one of the things that I wanted to say is is that in the position of power, before we change the subject, real quick, I wanted to say is is that you have the power. And what I would really want people to do as a good takeaway is to consider creating a a an assessment of themselves. Create what is that vision? Where do I want to be? What job do I want? And create a plan on what you need, whether it's education, a training, whatever 10 steps you think you need to take to get there. Right? Then what I would love you them to do is to also create a list of people that could assist them in those areas. Start reaching out and creating that power structure around you. Right? Because it becomes their goal too to help you achieve that. Right? Why is that important? is is because when you're working towards your goal and every time you achieve that your power increases, your courage increases. When you see that one step closer to that goal and it that's one of the things we have to do. We have to build things in ourselves in our communities for ourselves to help us grow. All right? And that's where that trust and that courage comes in. So the reason um I wanted to say that is is as as we transition into the conversation of Power on Heels. Power on Heels was a nonprofit that I decided to create, specifically training topics on personal leadership, emotional intelligence, and financial mastery with a Latina perspective. Adding these cultural components and belief systems into it. So, you can see why you're not moving ahead because there may be a hurdle in front of you and it a lot of it is your belief. Um, we help women build economic wealth for themselves and their families because if you change the life or the economic life of a Latina, you change her family and the generations to come, but also the communities they serve, they prosper as well. So, building us up as a community is what Power on Heels is. Helping every Latina become her own best advocate and defining her power and her strengths wherever she serves. And that's so important to build that courage and that confidence in these women. As you say, um there's uh bad acerie in our DNA. Yes. I love that. Full of badasserie. So, but we're not giving it away. We're not sharing it. We're not d we're not shining like diamonds. And that's what we are focused on doing. We do professional development training. We're not a big networking event. We do fundraising. And so if anyone is interested, Power on Heels um power on heels fund d.org or find us on social media at um Power on Heels F the letter F. Um it's it's important for you to not only share what we're doing, but participate because we do a lot of our programming also virtually. I love it. And where else can people find more uh information about Miss Ivette Mayo? Well, Ivette Mayo, you can um go to um yosoyam.com and um you can follow me on also LinkedIn's on all social media platform under Ivette um_o. Well, listen, mujer Mamore Mikor, I appreciate you so much for being here. Oh, you know I love you, girl. I love you even more. I got on a plane. I know you did. you got on another plane to come here and film in the studio and your boo thing is outside the studio waiting patiently. He is he is the bomb and I am just uh so grateful and thankful for you being here and I hope you guys have gotten a lot out of this episode. As always, we love love love your feedback. So, make sure to put your comments. Let us know if you are going to journal now and do some more information. Make sure to subscribe. all that jazz and check in with Ivette. Grab her book. We'll put it in the show notes. I appreciate you guys so much for being here and I'll see you on the next episode. Mente, I need your help. Look, the real game behind podcast is we need to really understand our demo aka you, our audience. so that when we go out to sponsors who help us put on this amazing show and deliver this content to you that they can clearly understand who we serve and what is significant to you and what you value. And the only way for us to get that information is for you to give it to us. So, we just created this survey. I'll put it in the show notes. It will take you less than three minutes, literally, but it will be so helpful for us to get a better understanding of what it is that you care about, what's important to you, what do you value, so that when we're out in these streets trying to secure the big bag and get sponsors for this show, they know exactly who our audience is and what you care about. So, we can bring you the best products. We can bring you the best organizations that are out here serving the cultura, the community, you. So, please take a moment and fill out the survey. I'll link it in the show notes. I appreciate you. Hey guys, if you enjoyed this video, I'm pretty sure you're going to love the next one. So, make sure to click right here and tap in to the next episode.