We were lucky to catch up with Isabella Fortich recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Isabella, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
I discovered that self-care was essential to my well-being not long after starting my career. As a young child, I did not understand what self-care meant. I certainly did not understand the impact it could have in both my personal and professional life. After going through several situations, I realized that if I could not take care of myself, I definitely couldn’t take care of anyone else. With this realization, I developed several techniques that allowed me to reconnect with my true self. At first I thought that self-care only meant meditation, taking time to relax, and doing things that I was not accustomed to. Therefore, I always avoided “self-care.” It took me a while to understand that self-care meant something different for each individual. In my case, self-care meant taking time to do things that gave me pleasure such as spending time with my loved ones, traveling, learning to meditate, trying out new sports, nurturing my friendships, and enjoying the little things in life. By doing these activities, I have enhanced my performance as a professional and have developed relationships that have impacted me in extremely positive ways. I encourage everyone around me to practice self-care and to understand that it does not mean what society has made it out to be Self-care does not mean you need to check boxes, it means finding yourself and nurturing your body in ways that make you happy so you can be better for you and for those around you. Whether this means meditating, doing yoga or something as simple as going to the grocery store and trying out new recipes, everyone needs to practice-self care in this whirlwind of a world we live in.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Quintero Fortich Legal is a law firm founded by immigrant women that experienced the immigration journey themselves. We are dedicated to our clients and thrive to obtain legal status for them to achieve their dream in this amazing country. Our team will help clients with all aspects of immigration including but not limited to family based petitions, deportation defense & business visas. We have served the community and we are committed to educate and inform our clients of ever changing immigration laws while providing exceptional and one-on-one customer service. We are most proud of being able to offer one on one customer service all while answering in less than 24 hours. Recently, we launched a series called “La Vida de un Inmigrante” or “The Life of an Immigrant” where we leave our desks and go out into the field of jobs/activities that many of our clients do when they arrive to the United States. Through this series, we are attempting to provide knowledge to our followers of what is like to be an immigrant in this country. We invite all of you to watch our episodes every Friday at 7:00 P.M. EST on our Instagram.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Without a doubt, empathy, kindness and professionalism were the most impactful in my journey. As an Immigration Attorney, empathy is key to our practice. Empathy allows us to connect with our clients on a deeper level which in turn lets us step into their shoes. By doing so, we are able to understand what they have been through and zealously represent them before federal agencies. Kindness is another quality that has brought me a long way. I can truly say that “Kill them with kindness” has allowed me to defend myself and my clients in unimaginable ways. There are several times during my career we have simply stumbled upon unpleasant and ill-mannered individuals. However, by responding with kindness, we have been able to obtain benefits and wins for our clients that we simply did not think were possible. You would be surprised with how far you can get with something as simple as kindness. Last but not least, professionalism has been a key skill. In order to navigate the bureaucracy and complexities of Immigration Law, there is nothing more helpful that having colleagues to help. Through professionalism, we have been able to connect with individuals who have been invaluable to our clients’ journey. My advice for those early in their journey is to jump at every opportunity you get to connect with others in your field. By connecting with those who have similar goals in life, you will be able to develop and improve on the skills you need to succeed in your specific area.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho has played an extremely important role in my development. My most valuable and impactful nuggets of wisdom for me were the following:
1. “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.” This is particularly impactful regarding my clients. When you truly love what you do, you always strive to become better than we already are.
2. “Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”
3. “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”
4. “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
5. “When you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”
6. “Maktub.” Some things are meant to be.
Source: Bold Journey
