Meet Frida Carrillo

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Frida Carrillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Frida, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
At the end of 2022 I was working as an illustration teacher at the university. At that time I also had freelance projects in graphic design and others in editorial illustration. In the last week of classes I started to have very strong pains in my wrist, at first I didn’t think anything of it, but the pains started to get stronger and stronger, especially after long hours working on an editorial project that had to be ready by the end of the year.

During the winter holidays the pain became unbearable and it was at that point that I decided to go to a physiotherapist, who confirmed that I had carpal tunnel syndrome.

I was always a perfectionist, since I was a child, I worked long hours without stopping, forgetting everything that I didn’t consider “productive”. In the end, this obsession with wanting to do more and more took its toll on me and my body was telling me so.

I had to go through many traumatologists and physiotherapists, some told me that I would never be able to design or draw again and others that the only solution was an operation; but they all agreed on the same thing: I had to stop, I had to learn to rest. I left work aside for the first time, I finished the projects I had already started with my left hand and I lived for a while thanks to my savings.

When my savings ran out I started working part-time in a coffee shop, it was a very fun time: I made a lot of friends, I also rollerskating and went swimming, I really enjoyed every day and my hand was slowly recovering.

Sometimes I think that coincidences don’t exist, because in that same coffee shop I met a very nice lady who recommended me a physiotherapist; she would change my life completely.
When I started my therapy with her, she not only focused on the physical therapy, but also on the emotional part that led me to get injured. I remember very well that she asked me:

-Do you know why you got injured?
-Yes, from working long hours every day.
-Yes, but there’s something else. Do you know what’s the difference between someone who works the same hours as you but doesn’t get injured? Your stress level, your body is always tense and you force it more than you should.

I understood that I had to not only take care of my body, if I wanted to heal in the long run I also had to take care of my mind. With the help of my parents and my friends I started a treatment with a psychologist and psychiatrist. I started to see life in a different way, I started to value myself not only for my work, but also for the loving, happy and valuable person I always was without realising it.

Without realising it, with a lot of discipline in my treatment and a lot of love from my loved ones, my hand recovered to a sufficient level to be able to illustrate again. I have been back to work for about 4 months now and I am very happy: I presented a book I co-authored a couple of years ago, I am finishing illustrating a manual for a foundation and I have just presented my art at a local artists’ bazaar.

I have learned to put my body and mind as a priority and, although I sometimes have relapses, I continue with my treatment and I know that every day I will do better but at a pace that allows me to enjoy my life and those around me.

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?
I graduated as a graphic designer and on the internet I am known as Frihana: I am an illustrator of children’s books and I specialise in education projects.

I have collaborated on issues of inclusion and mental health, with a special focus on childrens and pre-adolescents. This past year I collaborated with the Mexican Association of Psychology in the creation of the “Manual for Suicide Prevention” a book where family and friends can get resources to support loved ones with suicidal intentions.

I have also co-authored the book “Mi mundo feliz” a story written by Eunice Aguirre and Paulina Jiménez about Paulina, a little girl who explores different planets to discover the differences that make us all special.

It makes me very happy to help create spaces where children feel listened to, safe and can dream of fantasy worlds. What I love most about my job is using my imagination to tell a story that can make other people happy.

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?
Patience: It’s very necessary when you enter the artistic world, especially if you live in an area where there are not many opportunities for face-to-face work. Patience allows us to improve at a healthy pace and understand that every little effort improves our art and makes us learn other tasks that you don’t know about until you become a freelancer: invoices, marketing, organization, etc.

Hope: I feel that was what helped me the most in my process, knowing that there is a way out of problems even if we don’t see it yet. Thanks to certain people I didn’t lose faith and I regained my courage to keep fighting to go back to work.

Love: Being kind and surrounding yourself with good-hearted people totally changes the way you can see the world, I will always advise you to spend time with your loved ones and support them in their difficult moments, because that same love comes back to you and gives you strength to face obstacles.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I would definitely mention my designer and illustrator friends. When I entered the university I met many people who share their knowledge without any selfishness, among them a drawing group in Culiacan Sinaloa that I have been attending for 5 years called “Crayón en llamas”.

I’m very grateful to María Tuti and Gemma Román, mexican illustrators who are friends and my greatest inspiration. And to Miguel Felix and Issac Martinez, designers and illustrators who have always given me their help, friendship and lots of laughs.

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