Today we’d like to introduce you to Anel Anaya.
Hi Anel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
It all started when my mother GRACIELA RODRIGUEZ passed to the next life. In my arms, I took her last 3 breaths in my mouth and saw her eyes roll all the way back, and hurt and saw that lifeline go straight as an arrow and that long beep of her Departure to heaven 12 years ago, when she put me in her last wishes to doll her up before her passing away and after. My mother was a very beautiful woman and very loving inside and out, she had always told me that I had a gift, that one day she will be needing my magical hands to her goodbye. I didn’t understand why at that time. She also said it was going to change my life, I felt sad when she’d say that and she was right.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was so difficult and has been the hardest thing ever in my life! After her passing, I dolled my mother for her last goodbye, for her to be remembered beautiful and not looking like the walking dead. As I’m writing this with tears, I made my mother look like sleeping beauty 💕 in her open casket during her viewing. She came to me in my sleep and looked at me and smiled then walked away and disappeared. I finally understand what she meant about my magical hands and my gift.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an artistic make-up artist from the bottom of my heart all in loving memory and honoring my mother and all who’ve moved on to the next life. I do make-up to the deceased bodies and I am known for the CATRINA’S. What set’s me apart from other artists is that I dream before I do my arts, I love to use a lot of rhinestones and go all out with my Walking Creations from head to toes, my CATRINA’S REALLY STAND OUT! I say this cause in October 2019,2020,2021 my CATRINA’S have been the talk and inspiration to Dallas Texas in front of thousands of people.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
I love this question. Before answering this question, I had to take a minute to check the definition of risk. Upon my research, here are some of the descriptions that are associated with the word risk. 1: possibility of loss or injury: peril. 2: someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard. 3a: the chance of loss or the perils to the subject matter of an insurance contract also: the degree of probability of such loss. b: a person or thing that is a specified hazard to an insurer. Those definitions above really confirm for me that life is all about perspective. There’s always going to be a possibility for loss in everything that we do, and that should not be the thing that holds us back from achieving our wildest dreams. Understanding the value of the lesson behind taking a risk makes it a little bit more worth it. When you’re taking a chance regardless of the outcome, a lesson is always learned that helps for the next risk you want to take.
Of course, I didn’t just have this perspective all the time; it took some self-work and therapy that helped me change my view of fear when it comes to achieving the things that I want. These are still things that I’m working on every day. Changing my perspective on taking risks has allowed me to start to live in my purpose and trust in myself. Throughout that process, learning to set intentions and working towards those things has made taking risks a little less fearful because it helps you focus on the goal.
One of the first risks that were scary for me was quitting my full-time job at a beauty salon and had been there for almost six years to start my freelance makeup career on a full-time basis. As a creator, you know it can be terrifying in the beginning part of knowing if the work will be consistent enough to sustain your life.
I had to trust everything that I have learned about the business up until that point while sharpening my craft, connecting with other creatives, and setting myself up in the best way. It has allowed me to have such a better quality of life by taking a chance on myself. I have met so many people that I would have never met had I still stayed there. Some of my best opportunities have come from taking risks.
Contact Info:
- Email: anelanaya@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ANELLECONA
Image Credits
Magnusdiv & Ivan Flores
