Episode 81: Smart Habits for Cultivating Creativity with Mireya Perez Today’s topic may seem unexpected, but we're sure it will spark some ideas for you, just as it did for us. If you ask a translator or an interpreter what they like the most about their work, many will say they love learning new things every day and enjoy the creative process that goes into conveying a message from one language to another. Our jobs require creativity and curiosity, so we're very excited to bring a special guest to join us in discussing how we can cultivate these qualities in our work. We are thrilled to welcome a colleague, friend, and fellow podcaster Mireya Perez to join us on the podcast. Mireya began her professional interpreting career after completing her interpreting studies and becoming a certified medical interpreter. She worked as a medical interpreter in both a general and children’s hospital before becoming a staff interpreter in a K-12 public education school district, where she spent nearly a decade helping to highlight the roles of trained interpreters in education. Currently, Mireya is the proud owner of Brand the Interpreter Incorporated, an up-and-coming multimedia learning platform that includes the Brand the Interpreter podcast, a show dedicated to sharing the stories of language professionals from around the world. She holds a master’s degree in communications and enjoys reading and sharing about creativity, personal branding, and strategic communication management. Tune in to hear our conversation on: What services Mireya offers, and how her career has evolved over time How she started her podcast Brand the Interpreter, and what she enjoys the most about being a podcast host What values led Mireya to become an interpreter, and how they show up in her business Smart habits that have been crucial in her career, and what habits she no longer practices and why How she transitioned from being a school district interpreter and translator to a freelancer, and what the transition was like What systems, processes, or habits help Mireya stay focused and organized while running her business What she does when she doesn’t feel motivated Mireya’s thoughts on future-proofing her career How she cultivates creativity and curiosity What challenges translators and interpreters run into when it comes to maintaining curiosity at various stages in their careers How interpreters and translators can boost their creative side and find time and opportunities to engage in creative activities The advice Mireya would give to her past self Resources we mentioned in this episode: Follow Mireya on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn Visit the Brand the Intepreter website Books that Mireya recommended: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/81