Meet Alicia Johnson

We recently connected with Alicia Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Alicia, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

Truthfully, my optimism is innate. It comes naturally and I’ve always been this way. From a very young age, I’ve always seen the possibility of things working out in my favor. Now don’t get me wrong, there have been moments in my life where situations and circumstances made me question that very notion. But those were very crucial points in my life where the opportunity for growth was present. I was being taught not to question my optimism, and to look at the situation from a different perspective. “This particular situation didn’t work out because it wasn’t in alignment with my path.” Or, “You didn’t receive this/that because it would have stagnated your growth on your journey.” Learning that everything is always working out for me helped me to move through those questionable times. And with this wisdom, it not only helps me, but I’m able to share it with others as a way to encourage them to always look for the silver lining.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I say this all the time, but I am one creative that wears many hats. I am a Runway and Print Model. I love Fashion, Fitness, and Editorial style photography, but Nature and Fantasy portraits are my favorite. A lot of times, I am the one driving the creative direction in my photo shoots. Being out in nature near water or beautiful scenery is a part of my daily life simply because I love it. This is typically where I draw a lot of my inspiration from. As an extension of creating, I am also an artist. I got the idea several years ago to paint large pieces. With building being one of my hobbies, I figured that building the large canvases and painting them would be the most authentic to me. To date, I’ve created many abstract paintings and I’m currently learning how to draw with more detail in order to expand my range as an artist. Finally, I am also a licensed cosmetologist specializing in natural hair. Specifically Braids and Locs. I’m the owner and operator of Textured & Natural. I’ve had a passion for doing hair since I was 12, and I’ve been licensed for 6 years. The ability to have a vision and to turn it into something tangible is most certainly a gift. And for that, I give thanks.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I will give 1 quality, 1 skill, and 1 piece of knowledge.

1 quality that I’d recommend any professional to have is integrity and to never compromise it. Your integrity will most certainly help how others view you, but most importantly, it will help you to stay true to yourself. 1 skill that I’d recommend is tapping into your creative side. I feel that in order to make an impactful contribution, one’s creativity is necessary. The world needs to see you. What better way to show them than to express yourself in the most unique way that’s authentic to you? And lastly, 1 piece of knowledge that I will share is to remember that this is a journey. Whether you’re 3 days in or 3 years in, focus on the present. It isn’t likely that you’ll have it all figured out in the beginning, but if you give up, you’ll always question the possibility of the end. And try not to rush the process. The most valuable lessons are learned along the way.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I would say that if you’re anything like myself, being proficient in many areas is what makes me valuable. To be specific, this is by my own measure. I feel that when I want to do something, I’ll invest my time and effort into strengthening that particular skill set. But because I love learning, I may have several other things that I would like to invest my energy into strengthening as well. When I learn one thing, it becomes muscle memory. I can move on to learn something new, but I won’t lose what I’ve acquired. Sometimes, these would overlap and I’d find myself strengthening multiple skill sets simultaneously. Now this advice may be well suited for those like myself whose brains are constantly on the go. I remind myself daily that my ability to accumulate knowledge is limitless and therefore I’m able to be proficient in many areas.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://texturednatural.as.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iiam_alicia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15kY2bTdP5/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits

Maurice Chase
Brad Schelton
Charles Spence
Courtney Webb