Pattern repetition can keep us stuck, but pattern transformation gives us strength. We grew up learning how to fit in and be appropriate. Now is the time to flip those ingrained, outdated patterns and soar. We change when we are brave enough to face the old patterns and say, “No more.”
Dear Dr. Sylvia,
Yes, I have a mother. I am a mother. And my daughter? She’s a mother, too.
Three generations. One powerful thread: women who lead, love, and teach.
GUTSY Women Lead, Love, and Teach
My mother was a high school principal back when women in leadership had to roar just to be heard. I’m a marketing executive, using influence to shape stories and strategies. And my daughter? She’s a social media maven who teaches through pixels, posts, and reels.
Different times. Same calling.
Each of us teaches in our own way, with creativity, courage, and commitment. We’ve faced burnout, the weight of expectations, and the stress of trying to do it all. And somehow, we keep leading with grace when possible and grit when necessary.
That’s why I keep returning to your work, Dr. Sylvia.
Your GUTSY Women Lead program is more than professional development; it’s a survival guide for women who are done playing small.
This Mother’s Day, many of us will pause between meetings and meals, take a breath, and wonder: How did I get through this year? The answer, more often than not, is: “Because I’m GUTSY.”
So, what advice do you have for all of us, mothers, daughters, leaders, who are still standing, still giving, and still growing?
Signed,
Staying GUTSY
GUTSY Means Being A PAL (Pattern Aware Leader)
Dear Staying GUTSY,
Good for you! Not easy these days when so many issues are resurfacing. The suffragettes and the fierce fighters for women’s rights in recent decades need us to stay strong and committed to equality even when our voices often seem to be “blowing in the wind.”
A GUTSY Story: When Quiet Courage Roars
I think of Marsha, who participated in the GUTSY Women Lead program. She was a project manager at a major tech company, known for always saying “yes” and quietly fixing everyone else’s messes.
One day, she realized she was tired of being the office mom. It was frustrating to always be nurturing but never to be noticed.
Through the GUTSY process, she uncovered the pattern she inherited from her family: the belief that love is earned through saying yes to keep situations calm.
She flipped the script.
She had to practice; she was in transition. It took time to move from pleaser to truth teller.
Marsha started setting boundaries, speaking up in meetings, and mentoring other women to do the same. Six months later, she led a department-wide initiative and got promoted. She told me, “I stopped managing people’s moods and started managing my own power to tell the truth and say ‘No’ when necessary.”
Now that’s the mothering the workplace needs.
From Stress to Strength: A Mother’s Day Invitation
To every woman juggling roles, responsibilities, and the remnants of outdated expectations, this is your moment to lead GUTSY.
Get the book: GUTSY: How Women Leaders Make Change (Second Edition), because the world needs your voice now more than ever.
Join the program: GUTSY Women Lead—a 4-module transformational journey to help you break out of what no longer works for you.
Because when we grow, we teach. When we heal, we lead. And when we speak up, the next generation listens.
To all the GUTSY women out there—whether you’re raising kids, teams, or standards—Happy Mother’s Day. You are the change-makers. The pattern-breakers. The leaders we’ve been waiting for
Each of us teaches in our own way, with creativity, courage, and commitment. We’ve faced burnout, the weight of expectations, and the stress of trying to do it all. And somehow, we keep leading with grace when possible and grit when necessary.
Because leadership isn’t reserved for boardrooms, leadership lives in PTA meetings, Zoom calls, crisis negotiations at bedtime, and the relentless push for a better future. Today’s women make one courageous decision at a time.
That’s the spirit behind the Second Edition of my book, GUTSY: How Women Leaders Make Change — and the GUTSY WOMEN LEAD 4-Module Online Program that goes with it.
Why the Second Edition of GUTSY Matters Now More Than Ever
When the first edition of GUTSY came out, we were just beginning to crack the code on what makes women powerful, transformational leaders.
Now, the second edition dives even deeper into the patterns, beliefs, and pressures that keep women from stepping into their fullest power — and gives precise tools to rewrite the script.
This edition includes:
- New stories of women navigating real-world complexity
- Research-backed insights on systemic obstacles AND how to rise above them
- A sharper focus on the “hidden patterns” from childhood that quietly run the leadership show
- Updated exercises to help you recognize, reframe, and reclaim your voice
It’s not just a book. It’s a movement.
Also, consider the 4-module program that takes the work from page to power.
GUTSY WOMEN LEAD: The 4-Module Program to Transform Your Inner CEO
This isn’t your average “lean in and smile” workshop. GUTSY WOMEN LEAD is where leadership gets real.
In this 4-module online program, you’ll:
- Identify your leadership style and how it was shaped by your original organization — your family
- Spot the patterns that sabotage your growth (perfectionism, approval addiction, shrinking back…)
- Learn to speak up, show up, and level up — without selling your soul
- Build a personal action plan to lead with courage, compassion, and clear boundaries
The program is self-paced, packed with support, and designed to meet you where you are — whether you’re leading a team, a movement, or your family.
To your success,
Sylvia Lafair
PS. Ready to make the change? Visit CEOptions.com and take the GUTSY quiz to see which pattern you brought with you from childhood.
