Hey everyone! My name is Ashley and I am 23 years old! I currently work in a salon in New Bern, NC called J’Jeune Hair Studio. I’ve been working in this industry since January, so for about 5 &½ months now.

Before I became a hairstylist, I was going to my local university online and working part time at a hair studio in town as a receptionist. I have been working there for about a year and a half. While being in that environment, I really got to see a better view of the industry. Before working there I had always wanted to work in this business but was too afraid of what others would say or say that I took the easy way out. So I stuck with going for my bachelors degree. As the months passed by, my love for the industry slowly grew bigger and bigger each day I went to work.

January of 2017, decided to rekindle another love I had; my love for Jesus Christ. I went through some dark times in high school and after I graduated. It seemed like things were just not going right for me. I was finding no joy in the little things in life anymore. Before I stopped going to church a few years ago, I was attending a non-denominational church in town. That church was a very small church with probably no more than 50 people on a big special day. Every Sunday it began to feel like the church was more concerned with getting money and who was in certain groups of people. Since stopping attending that church, I began to feel like I needed help and direction in life and thought what better way then to reenter the church. This time I decided to research different denominations and branches of Christianity. I decided to look into the faith my mother was born and raised into, Catholicism. After much research and attending a few masses, I decided this is where I belonged. On Easter 2017 I was welcomed into the Catholic Church. At that moment everything began to become easier and clearer for me. It was like the pieces of the puzzle were falling together where they needed to.

As soon as I started attending my local Catholic Church, I decided I wasn’t happy where I was at in life. I wasn’t excited about school like I used to be (and I LOVE school and learning). So I decided that I didn’t want to be a receptionist at a hair salon anymore, rather I wanted to be the stylist. So I quit my job and applied to a local hair school a town over and found out they had a class beginning the next week! That is when I knew I this was all happening the way it should be. A few days after I applied, I got accepted and started school the next week. Starting a new journey in life with Christ and cosmetology, I was on cloud 9.I graduated from school in December and a week after I got hired at the salon I am currently working at. I got my full license in January and have been working ever since.

I love this career so much. I knew growing up I always wanted to make a difference in this world and do good. I struggled trying to find the perfect job for me where I could do that. That is until I became a hairstylist. Everyday I get to give women the confidence they’ve been looking for to concur their everyday life. In those moments I realized that if I can change and make a difference in one person’s life, that could start a domino effect in the world. They could have the strength to finally apply for that job they always wanted or ask out that cute guy they’ve had a crush on since last year. That is when I noticed that I was changing someone’s own world and that to me is is just as important as changing the whole world. If I could make a difference in one person’s life, I would be happy.

So, moral of this long story, I feel like God has put me in this career to make a difference in other people’s lives. To know that I can change someone’s mood or how they view their self, makes me happy, so very happy. I know I’ve done my job when at the end of the service my client gives me the biggest hug and verbal “thank you” that I know I’ve found my place in this crazy world.

Thank you Blessed Behind The Chair for allowing me to share with other my passion for God and cosmetology!

Instagram: @hairbyashleyrouse