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

Hi Felicia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

2020 was a weird time for us all, to put it gently. The positive side of it, for me personally, was that is inspired me to think outside of the box or the norm and get creative with what I wanted to do, and how I wanted to make money. At the very start of the pandemic I was a Patient Service Representative in a medical clinic working a 9-5. There were lots of good that came with this role such as great benefits, weekends off, consistency, the ability to expand and sharpen my skills, etc. However, it also came with some cons (as does everything.) The cons for me ended up outweighing the pros at that time in my life. I decided that I didn’t want the routine schedule, the heavy environment, the office drama, etc. Instead I wanted to listen to the voice inside telling me it was time to venture out on my own. A few years ago now, I attended school to obtain my Esthetics License. So I am a licensed Esthetician meaning I specialize in skin care. I wanted to make people feel good, I wanted to empower people to look at skin care with a different and fresh approach. For me, it’s all about glowing from the inside out, nourishing yourself from within, and being cautious of what you put on your skin topically. I decided that in a time of such uncertainty and devastation, a sense of self care and reflection was needed. I made it my duty to provide that for people, and I went into business for myself opening and operating my own spa room located in downtown round rock. It was a beautiful and exhilarating time for me as a first time business owner. I decided to take the leap and risk my stability. I quit my day job in order to pour all of me into my new business. With great risk comes great reward and I definitely found that to be true. Although, not everything went according to plan, and the timeline didn’t quite coincide with the one in my head, as it turns out 2020 was an odd and difficult time to start a skin care business. I eventually lost momentum and decided to change gears yet again. Another big risk. To this day I don’t regret the timing of my big decisions, I’m a firm believer in divine timing and I believe that everything happens for a reason. I don’t see the fact that I decided to walk away from my first business (Inner U Esthetics) as a failure. I saw it as a crucial and pivotal time in my life that pointed me towards the creative path I’m meant to be on. It lead me to the creation of my podcast From A Friend. It’s what lead me here to you guys, the ones reading this article. The pandemic, quitting my comfy day job, creating Inner U Esthetics, all of that formed these incredible and sometimes difficult life experiences that I am now able to share with all of you in my show. If I could leave you all with one piece of advice, it would be to never ignore the voice in your head that tells you that you deserve more. That you are capable of more. You do deserve more, and you are capable of more, ALWAYS. NO matter the risk. There is always great reward that comes with following your dreams at all costs, despite all opinions, or failed attempts. You deserve to live your life fearlessly and unapologetically. That I can promise you.

Felicia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the host of a podcast called From A Friend. The whole mission of my show is to make people feel less alone, and more understood. Life is hard and it can become very isolating sometimes. The goal is to remind people that they are strong, worthy, loved, and seen. I grew up as, technically speaking, the only child. I’ve always been somewhat of a lonely person. I don’t know if that comes from being physically alone too much growing up or just feeling unseen and misunderstood for most of my life. Regardless, it is my life mission to help people out of that place. I’ve been through a lot, and I have lots of valuable life lessons to share with the world. I’ve always taken pride in the kind of friend that I am, and the kind of unconditional love I am capable of giving, even when it hasn’t always been extended to me. That’s what makes From A Friend Podcast so powerful. It’s real, it’s authentic, and it covers the good the bad the messy and everything in between.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think that for people who aren’t driven by their creativity and upmost love for something, that it can be hard to relate to those who are. For example, I was surprised by the lack of support from certain family members of mine when I decided to go into business for myself and leave behind my stable career. I think it’s valid for one to question the sanity of someone who’s willing to walk away from certainty and stability in a time like today. However, there’s more to life than being comfortable. In fact, it’s in being uncomfortable that I’ve found myself capable of doing my best, and receiving the most. It’s a really bad ass and freeing thing to be able to jump and come up with a plan on your way down. The beauty is in the free fall. Granted that sort of risk isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. I think the most important thing for anyone, is to never condemn someone for having the audacity to think and live differently than you. Life is not about control. We don’t have control over other people, what happens to us, what tomorrow might bring, all we have control of is our mindset and our intentions. I believe that if your intentions are to live freely, move with passion, and to create for the good of others, then it is worth overlooking every skeptic, and it is worth having an open mind to.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I’ve had to unlearn was that changing your mind equals failure. I’m not sure why we’ve all been conditioned to believe that there is only one set path for us in this life. I’ve never found ease or comfort in trying to chalk my life up to one certain thing. Why can’t I be many things? Why can’t I try many things? I want people to become more comfortable and open to the idea of wearing multiple hats. Why can’t I be a writer, a podcaster, an actor, a licensed esthetician, and someone with a 9-5 just trying to make it? Less is not more. The more you know, the more you try, the more you learn, the more you fail, the more you experience, the better. That’s something that nobody else taught me, I wanted it for myself, and I’ve learned it to be true for myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @fromafriendpodcast
• Twitter: @fromurfriendfm