The Neuroscientist of Development: What Moving Away Reveals About Who We Are | Isabel Fuentes | 1/3
Circlo Podcast
The Path — Identity Under Motion
The Path: When Moving Cities Means Moving Within
I had the privilege of interviewing Isabel, a young neuroscience researcher whose journey from a small Spanish town to international research centers has shaped not only her science, but her understanding of herself.
We shared a thoughtful podcast-style conversation in which she educated me — and will hopefully educate you — on themes of change, growth, and self-discovery. The purpose of this interview was simple: to grow both personally and through her scientific perspective.
From the first moment, I felt I was speaking with someone who embodies what it means to navigate change with grace. There is something grounding about her approach to life — constantly moving, constantly discovering, yet always pausing to reflect.
Above is the full video for this section of the interview. The complete interview with all sections is available below.
Complete Interview: How We Are Formed: Brain Development, Change, and Identity | Isabel Fuentes
Finding Yourself in the Chaos of Change
From experience I have lived through geographical movement and lived in various countries, cities and towns. I am aware that not everyone has experienced these changes in their lives, especially at a young age and even more after living at a single town for their entire childhood and adolescence. So I wanted to seek out how this change from the town she was raised in to the city and to another region in Spain has led her to reflect on the positives of this movement and also the things she feels that she had to leave behind.
Isabel has experienced this firsthand and she commented about time, comfort zone, international community and emotional security. It is interesting how as we grow older we say that we have less time, how the most time we will ever have is during our childhood. It is different when we see it in the context of moving at a young age, where you need to care for yourself, meet new people to communicate with, emotionally support yourself. This is complex. Now you need to find time to really find your direction and status at this new place surrounded by new people. Also, this change for her from the town to a foreign city was even bigger, because in the town she lived her entire life, there were fewer people, fewer international students, and diversity of experience. And now she has developed skills to go out and socialize with more diverse backgrounds.
The Geography of Emotion
In her tone I could feel the emotion behind her explanation of her mental stability at home compared to when she first moved. So I deepened, I asked about what she feels is now missing from when she was at home with her family, how did she figure out or what did she figure to replace home or create a new method for her emotionality.
She mentioned some tools that she used such as writing, walking, doing sports. Previously, she could verbally expose her issue to the family at the dinner table, but now they were across the phone and just didn’t feel the same. (Perhaps this could be related to the neurochemistry of our human connection, of how geographical distance affects our emotions and connections with others.)
As a reflection it was fascinating to see how Isabel, in the middle of chaos and movement, stops to think, even with little time, but the exponential benefit it has. Isabel was discovering her surroundings at the same time she discovered herself.
The Alchemy of Movement: What Truly Transforms Us
Following this theme of moving homes, I have the curiosity to seek out what Isabel thought changed her the most from change. Was it the people, from the town to the city, the culture of how people live at different ages and places, the experiences of new opportunities?
Two keys I want to mention from her thoughts:
First is the mix from everything — new people lead to new decisions to new experiences. It is all connected, new experiences make you meet new people. And a cycle.
Next, growth and sponge. As she is now involved in a new center of research, from previous experience she has some techniques and methods used to research, and she mentioned the initiative to get to a new place and be open to not stick with old methods and observe and compare new methods at a new place.
Lesson
For this question, I think people have the biggest influence in our change and growth due to home movement. I think that sometimes you see people who stay at one location for their entire life have less growth and development because of the people around that had little change as them. And when you move, you have this exponential growth because everyone around you is different. People can make your growth quicken or slow down. And moving locations makes this change faster because the new people have different mentalities. And at the same place, you get used to the same mentality and become like them. And if that circle around you does not change, then you will change more slowly. At a new culture, there is a new way of living. It doesn’t have to be your 5 closest people at that place, it is the general thought of that culture, the average of the people you surround yourself with make you change. And even more those 5 closest people you meet from the new place.
This idea was inspired by this article Time to leave ? ( ¿ Hora de irse ? ) from Xavier Marcet. I highly recommend reading it; it offers great insight into knowing when it’s time to leave or embrace change. I personally connected this to the idea of growth — specifically, how changing the culture around you can change you exponentially.
LinkedIn Post : Time to leave?
Closing: Why This Story Matters
Isabel discovered herself in the middle of chaos and movement by stopping to think. Even with little time, the exponential benefit of pausing to reflect, to write, to know yourself better is immeasurable. She was discovering her surroundings at the same time she discovered herself.
In the next article, we explore Isabel’s research on cortical development and her purpose-driven pursuit to help children with chronic neurological conditions — a dream fueled by curiosity, empathy, and the belief that people who are different deserve the best possible life.
Thank you, Isabel — for showing that growth happens not when we stay comfortable, but when we embrace the unknown with curiosity and courage.
YouTube Interview Videos — All Sections & Full Conversation
Complete Interview: How We Are Formed: Brain Development, Change, and Identity | Isabel Fuentes
What Leaving Home Teaches About Identity | Isabel Fuentes (1/3)
Why I Study Early Brain Development to Help Children | Isabel Fuentes (2/3)
What Research Taught Me About Failure and Self-Worth| Isabel Fuentes (3/3)
