We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Felicia Bell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Felicia, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Good work ethic has always been a value in my family. I remember growing up and admiring my parents for how hard they worked. I always knew that all of their hard work was for the betterment of the family and so that I could have the opportunities to pursue whatever I dreamed. Part of what I am grateful for, is their constant support in my endeavors, including starting an at-home bakery business! I have always done multiple tasks, hobbies, or jobs at once. Currently, I am balancing being intentional with completing graduate school, a part-time job, two internships, a small business, and investing in my important relationships! While this can of course be overwhelming, I love that I can use my cookie business to express my creativity and take a break from the other obligations life brings. I believe that juggling all of these is lighter when I remember that the work put in will not only benefit my future, but also bring joy to those around me in the present.
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 began decorating sugar cookies when the pandemic began and I was isolating. Over the past 4 years, I have learned so much about how to turn foods into art pieces and the value in intentionally being creative. This is especially true as I pursue my master’s degree and licensure in clinical mental health counseling. Professionally, I am fully focused on pursuing my licensure and eventually opening my own private counseling practice for teens and young adults. Having this cookie decorating outlet to step outside the mental health world is a form of self-care that prevents me from burnout. Clients will come up with the most interesting cookie themes and bringing them to fruition is such a joy and pleasant challenge. I am looking forward to having more time to create cookie art in the near future as school settles down. With that being said, I am only taking custom orders at this time with at least a month’s notice. Orders can range from birthday parties and weddings to your wildest thoughts or themes!
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 believe that persistence, boldness, and patience are the most influential qualities that impacted my journey. Persistence has been an important quality for me as there are always a million reasons to not do something. I had to be persistent in trying to learn cookie art, making time for it, and willing to try again when I am not liking the product. A degree of boldness is necessary when taking on new challenges. Part of this boldness is having the confidence that you are able to learn something new, possibly out of your comfort zone, and become as skilled in that as you wish to be. This is where patience comes in to play, as everything takes time to develop. Consider something that you do well now and think about the first time you tried that thing. It took practice, repetition, and patience to get where you are now! I truly believe that with these qualities and the humility to admit you cannot get everything right the first time, anyone can pursue their passions as far as they wish!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
It is so easy to feel overwhelmed when so much is happening all at once! I have to be super intentional with my self-care and health when I notice myself becoming overwhelmed. For me, this looks like going to therapy, taking longer showers, spending time with someone I love, praying, and singing. I encourage everyone to find what it is that allows them to relax, be mindful, and take a step back from their situation. This will look different for everyone, so taking the time to learn this about yourself is crucial, no matter your journey!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.colorblindcookies.com
- Instagram: Colorblindcookies
- Facebook: Color Blind Cookies
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicia-bell-ba278229a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
