"USA" COVER EDITION - JANUARY ISSUE
Photos: Paulo Campos - @paulocamppos
Filmmaker: Marcello Bianchini - @llbianchini
Makeup: @kara.muah
Model: Michelle Garcia - @miiigaarcia
Design Director Hooks: Matheus Lopes @mathlopes
Dive into the inspiring story of Michelle Garcia, the young entrepreneur gracing the cover of the "USA" edition of Hooks Magazine International this January. With a journey marked by determination and resilience, Michelle shares her path with us in an exclusive interview, unveiling secrets that led her to success in the United States.
Michelle, an international medical student, real estate entrepreneur in Brazil, and early-career model, surprises with her versatility. Since 2017, she has been dedicated to studying human behavior, writing inspirational texts on her Instagram, and soon, launching her first book.
The self-proclaimed dream girl not only thrives in real estate and investments but also stands out as a digital mentor. Her commitment to self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and success strategies is shared on her social media platforms.
In a revealing interview, Michelle emphasizes the importance of overcoming challenges, developing emotional intelligence, and constantly seeking knowledge. She highlights the positive influence of mentors, the pursuit of medical support when needed, and persistence as keys to facing difficult situations.
Addressing her experience of living alone since the age of 19 and her travels across the United States, Michelle emphasizes the ability to transform emotional imbalances into learning experiences. Her secret? Emotional intelligence, cultivated since the age of 17, has become the backbone of her achievements.
With two books set to be released, Michelle reveals that her first work will explore the relationship between fashion and female behavior, while the second will focus on success in romantic relationships. These projects reflect her mission to inspire and transform women, sharing the knowledge gained throughout her remarkable journey.
CHECK OUT THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BELOW:
1: Michelle, how do you feel being so young and already having gone through so many experiences in your life?
Today I feel strong and capable of achieving any dream I aspire to. I feel that nothing is impossible. I've experienced a lot of sadness in my life, felt things that I didn't even understand at the time. I've ignored and transformed situations into unreal creations because that was the best way my brain could cope with the suffering. I came from a very difficult situation, a humble family with various types of problems. I had the support of some friends who always uplifted me. I've been in therapy for 7 years, with the same psychologist for 4 years. I'll never stop emphasizing how taking care of my mental health was crucial for me to be where I am at 25 and how supportive friendships were crucial. Some people always gave me opportunities even when I was nobody and had nothing to offer besides my determination, charisma, and kindness. I was just a girl going through many difficulties at home and in school, and every job opportunity I had in my city since a young age, when I started working out of necessity, I went through horrible things. When I stop to think, I can't believe I managed to dream and overcome so much at such a young age. One day, I'll share more details. I could never count on anyone at home. I practically dictated everything I sought to learn from an early age, driven by my innate desire to succeed. I always felt alone and was alone for a long time until I found some good people in my life. Deep inside, I always believed that something very good would happen to me. And it did. Today, I've moved away from the story of the sad, depressed girl with all the reasons not to be anything in life to the happy, successful mentor, digital creator, and women's mentor. I became an entrepreneur who emerged from poverty, overcame depression, and now shines as an inspiring woman living in the most expensive city in the world. I feel so proud of myself; I look at my younger self, close my eyes and think, "We won, we achieved much more than you asked for." My younger self would surely be very happy and proud. Happy and proud is how I can describe how I feel.
2: Faced with the challenges you encountered, how did you manage to maintain emotional balance and continue seeking success?
Often, people like me who have gone through so many childhood traumas, when adults, will face some situations of imbalance and most of the time won't understand why. Maintaining balance doesn't mean never feeling anxious, sad, or angry again. It means that you will go through situations where you feel unbalanced, but you will be able to come back to yourself. The most important thing is not what they did to you but what you do with what they made of you. Today, I can go through any unbalanced situation and come back to myself. I can identify my patterns, comfort myself, feel whatever is necessary, and react in the best possible way to all challenging situations. But knowing that the next day we have to keep going. In the end, the most important thing is the only thing we can control: our reaction to people and challenging situations. I had the privilege of developing and learning how to deal with my emotions in my early 20s. We should learn this as children. I didn't have anyone to teach me when I was a child, so being very curious, I sought help, knowledge, and developed this crucial skill as an adult. And here I am today, inspiring others to do the same. Knowledge is power, and self-awareness liberates you and takes you to unimaginable places.
3: What advice would you give to young people who have faced difficult situations, felt unsupported, and dealt with emotional problems?
My advice would be to seek mentors and positive influences to inspire you. Be curious; read everything you can about emotional intelligence and personal development. Seeking medical help in some cases is also very important. But having mentors and people to walk alongside you, teaching you good things, is crucial. Always believe that something very good is coming to meet you on your way. Every morning before leaving home, think, "Today something very good is going to happen to me," and before sleeping, think, "Something very good is about to happen to me." Be persistent; you have to take action, and even when you receive rejection, you have to keep trying to achieve what you want so much. Be persistent. Try everything within your reach and a little more. And have a grateful and happy heart; even in the midst of difficulties, always believe that something very good is about to happen.
4: You mentioned the importance of emotional intelligence. How did you develop this skill, and how has it contributed to your achievements?
Emotional intelligence was the secret to my journey. I have been studying it since I was 17, as I mentioned, I have always been very curious. Curious and passionate. I love intelligent people; I love studying behavior and our emotions. Doing therapy for 4 years with a wonderful professional, I had a thirst for knowledge, and I still do. Studying human behavior and human relationships fascinates me. I believe I have never spent a day in my life without seeking knowledge. I've read many books, taken some courses, and had mentors along the way. I also learned from my own experiences; I have lived alone since I was 19, lived in two different countries, in Brazil lived in 5 different cities, and traveled to more than 27 states within the United States. I am an excellent observer; every place and person I have encountered has taught me something. So I can say that I have a lot to offer; my knowledge was gained through suffering, dealing with pain, and facing challenges. When you overcome something, you become capable of teaching others to do the same, and that's why I wanted to specialize in relationships. I developed a keen understanding of human relationships. I love taking care of people and helping women develop emotional intelligence and self-esteem so that they can live a happy and healthy relationship and a dream life.
5: About the book you are about to launch, could you give us a brief glimpse of what we can expect and how this project aligns with your inspiring journey?
I have two books to be released soon. The first one I started writing when I was still living in Brazil, where I noticed the difficulty women face in dressing for any and every occasion. In this book, I wanted to explore the relationship between fashion and female behavior. We will discuss topics such as dressing intelligently and improving our relationships. When we improve the way we see ourselves, everything changes, and a good image is crucial for that. The second book will be more focused on achieving success in romantic relationships, such as being treated like a princess in a relationship. I'll once again delve into human behavior, explaining to women of all ages how to live a relationship of self-value and have a high standard lifestyle. These books align completely with my entire journey. I developed these skills on my own, observing others. Good taste is also something innate that I take pride in, and I discovered that it can be taught and developed. That's what I want to do – transform all the women who go through my mentorship and read my books into someone's dream woman.
