Written by Phyllis Guasp, Real Property Management Regions
Honoring legacy, mindset, and the power of becoming
A Women’s History Month Reflection on Legacy and Mindset
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about how to end it, and for me, it’s simple. This Women’s History Month, I keep coming back to one thing: legacy.
My mother, Yvette, she’s my hero.
She was one of twelve children and grew up without her mother. And while she loved her family deeply, she always had a desire to experience more, to see more of the world and expand what was possible for her life.
And when she had me, she carried me into that vision with her.
We moved to California together, where she became one of very few African American executive secretaries working in corporate spaces. She was stepping into something bigger, not leaving anything behind, but growing beyond what she had seen.
And then life shifted again.
When we came back to Nashville, her niece was supposed to go into the Navy, but didn’t want to go. And the only way out was for someone to take her place.
So my mother did.
She stepped in, and she went.
And that decision didn’t just change her life, it changed ours.
We got to travel the world together, experience different cultures, and see life in a completely different way. And even later, when I was living in Germany, she came to visit me, and we kept exploring.
We didn’t just travel, we experienced Europe.
We went to the Swiss Alps, Monaco, France, Amsterdam, Italy. We stood in places filled with history, seeing it right in front of us.
And what she loved most, was the Swiss Alps.
She loved the mountains, the beauty, the stillness, the creativity of the world. You could see how much she appreciated it, how present she was in those moments.
And through all of that, I saw who she really was.
One of my favorite memories of her is from our vow renewal. In this moment, you can hear her heart—how she loved, how she saw me, and who she truly was.
A woman who believed she could grow, and did. A woman who didn’t stay in one place.
This is what Women’s History Month represents to me, not just history, but legacy in motion.
Because her mindset… that’s what made her different.
She believed in positivity, deeply.
She used to say:
“You are what you think you are all day long, so think the best of yourself at all times.”
And she lived that.
Negative thoughts didn’t stay with her. She believed your words had power, that how you think and how you speak shapes your life.
She didn’t accept defeat.
If something got hard, she looked for the positive in it. She believed there was always a way through.
And she carried that into everything.
After the Navy, she came back to Nashville, because family was everything to her.
And she built again.
She became an entrepreneur. She owned multiple properties and managed those properties. She was doing it before most people were even thinking about it.
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She created beauty in her homes. She transformed spaces. She created opportunity.
But more than anything…
she carried a light.
And people felt it.
They were drawn to her because she was different. She was positive. She was strong. She believed.
And she taught me something I carry with me every day—
You don’t stay still.
You grow.
You learn.
You become.
Always… level up.
That’s why she’s my hero, and why she’s the perfect woman for me to end Women’s History Month with.
And maybe that’s what Women’s History Month is really about, recognizing the women whose mindset and decisions shape generations.
Yvette knew, your mindset shapes your life.
About the Author: Phyllis Guasp shares personal reflections on leadership, mindset, and legacy through the Yvette Knows series at Real Property Management Regions.
Yvette Knows.
Breathe in. Step forward. Real change. You’ve got this.
Protect your asset. Build your legacy. Level up.
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