Shayla Rivera

When we seek to reignite the leader within, the advice is often to chase something new—a new skill, a new strategy, a new recipe for success. We are told to set goals, look ahead, and leave the past behind. Our stories, we’re warned, are burdens that hold us back, reminders of mistakes, disappointments, or struggle. But the truth is the opposite: it is by turning toward our stories, exactly as they are, that we unlock our deepest source of wisdom and resilience. Within our lived experiences lie the very gifts that shaped us—evidence of courage, moments of triumph, and lessons that cannot be taught in any classroom. By revisiting our stories with fresh eyes—with acceptance, compassion, and even humor—we uncover the raw material of authentic leadership. Our stories remind us not only of what we have endured, but of what we are capable of creating. There is beauty, resilience, and power woven into every chapter, and it is from these truths that we can once again find inspiration to lead with clarity, presence, and purpose.

Shayla Rivera believes, indeed knows, that anyone can accomplish anything they would like to. “In fact, they already are” she says. Her knowledge springs from the evidence she has found through her own life experiences. There is only one wonderful requirement for living unlimited possibilities and that is, know what you believe. “The one thing I have learned is that it is the external sources in our lives, namely our upbringing and conditioning, that continues to determine and influence our lives and our achievements,” she says. The biggest impediment to positive change is our lack of clarity about what we truly believe. What we have to do is realize that we are on auto pilot about what we continually choose to do and believe. Indeed, our beliefs are not ours at all, they are simply a result of our conditioning. They stay around because we have decided to agree to keep them. Once we become aware that we are in control we can begin to change our direction. Then make choices that aim at the desired results for our lives.” Shayla uses her own life story to help her audiences laugh their way to inspiration.

“I was a typical youspeakerng girl, conflicted with insecurities and shyness. Yet in possession of a challenge driven determination that has not quit to this day,” she says. Shayla understands the importance of the voices that either encourage or discourage and has always chosen to be a source of belief and inspiration. “Truth is, if I could do anything, anyone else also can.”

Helping young women believe in themselves and their potential in STEM & STEAM fields is a driving force in Shayla’s purpose. She travels around the globe encouraging girls to see the truth of their potential. And speaks to women to help them remember the incredible strength of their nature. “I have never met a woman who was not fierce in some way, even though they could not see it. All I want to do is remind them of just how amazing we truly are.”

Nothing is as powerful nor important as the individual. Becoming clear about the obstacles in our way is paramount to Personal Improvement. When we explore our conditioning we begin to see how our seeming limitations are simply what we were conditioned to believe and now agree with. The work at hand is to begin to be honest in identifying the obstacles in our way, and seeing how they are kept in place by our own selves. Once we are able to stop denying this self-blocking, then we can begin to remove, go around, or jump over them to clear our paths and open up to new and exciting opportunities. This is the only way to a more ­­­­­fulfilling life.

The Value of Humor in our lives cannot be overstated. A person who cannot find fault within and then laugh at themselves is a very poor soul indeed. It is amazing to Shayla Rivera how we have made it somehow a fault when a person tends to be gregarious and laugh a lot. We deem those people as not capable to be ‘successful’ somehow. Shayla says take what you do seriously, but don’t take yourself so seriously. Finding where we all trip in life, then being able to laugh about it is the very genesis of all good things. Shayla can Laugh at herself…and yes, she can also laugh at you.