If your hairdresser hasn’t made an impact on your life, you have the wrong hairdresser!  Jaycee Ruiz has been magically transforming my hair, providing me with introspective therapy and teaming up with me to solve the world’s problems for about six years and I hope it lasts forever!!!

This year I’m paying tribute to 50 women or groups of women who have shaped me into the woman I am today throughout my 50 years of life on this planet.  These tributes are in no particular order and today I want you to meet Jaycee!!!   Jaycee is so much more than the Wizardess of my hair.  She is also my therapist, my partner in solving all the problems in the world, my confidant for struggles I face and my trusted advisor on all things health related.   

First and foremost, of course she is the magic behind my hair.  I trust her implicitly.  I often will get a crazy idea of what I would like to do with my hair and I’ll send Jaycee a picture.  I know that she knows my hair intimately and what it can and cannot do.  She also is very honest with me about what the results will be.  If what I’m asking for is a mighty miracle but will take a little time so that I don’t go bald with one treatment, I trust her to guide me through what that looks like as far as a time table for my desired look, then she lets me decide if I’m up for the ride.  I love that she’s up for the challenge of doing wild things to my hair but will also be honest about what the outcome will be.  To me, that’s a great hairdresser.  She doesn’t tell me what I want to hear, she talks me through the process and I trust her as the expert to know what can and can’t be done with my hair.  I also really like that she cares about my hair…. Not only does she want me to look fabulous but she wants to keep my hair healthy and I trust her feedback on how to do that between our appointments.

Second, she is what some might call a “hairapist”.  AND she’s fabulous at it!  She is the reason and inspiration I went back to college and received my degree in Psychology as well as a Certificate of Positive Psychology.  Jaycee would tell me about these amazing classes she was taking at the University of Utah and it spoke to my soul.  We have similar paths as far as our love for Psychology so I trust her to listen to anything I might be struggling with and to honestly give me feedback that will grow me personally.  She took all those college classes and uses them with her hair clients as well as herself…. She truly walks her talk when it comes to positive psychology.  We have come to a place in our relationship where she will share things she is going through as well so we can bounce it around the Psychology tennis court a bit.  We love coming up with positive solutions and I think we know each other well enough now to know how to challenge each other to level up.  She’s an amazing “hairapist”. 

Third we both love and loathe this world we live in at any given moment…. But mostly we love it.  One example of this is the subject of immigration in our country.  Her husband is one of her favorite people on the planet and he is from Mexico.  I feel so honored to know their story and the obstacles they have had to overcome for immigration.  Most of us just think you can marry an American and all your immigration troubles are done, that’s not true. In fact many of the things you hear about how easy it is to become a citizen are not true. It is a long and very difficult journey. I have heard about the hoops they have had to jump through, the money they have had to pay out for the next step and the uncertainty of what could happen to her husband until he is able to become a full citizen.  Because I know their story first hand, I feel better informed on making political choices because I know and love someone it affects directly.  For me, that is a blessing as I really do want what is best for all of humanity and my choices as an American make a difference in their life.  I know that this has been a stressful journey for Jaycee and her husband and I feel so blessed to be able to walk this path with her, if only as a loving, supportive friend. 

Another example is Jaycee’s health.  She has struggled with health issues, mainly due to breast implants she had removed a little while ago.  This process has sent her on a major exploration of optimum health in holistic ways.  I love hearing her passion as she learns more and more about vitamins, minerals, health and other fabulous holistic healing processes for health.  I trust her implicitly because of the amazing amount of research she does.  She is definitely a go to person for me when I’m feeling a little out of whack.  She relates her story honestly, beautifully and what has worked for her on her journey to health.  She will then gently invite me to give it a try if it aligns for me.  I love this about her!!  She offers but has no attachment or agenda to the lovely guidance she offers.  At the end of the day I feel we can share our opinions with each other on so many “HOT” topics and also allow and accept each other’s stance on it.  What a fabulous relationship to have!

One last thing…. I have had many tools that kept me mostly sane, centered and balanced throughout the wild ride of 2020…. Among them I had a constant re-centering about every 6-8 weeks with Jaycee AND that my friends has been GOLD!!!  To check in with a similar minded and hearted individual that is going through the same crazy pandemic ride has been priceless and I feel so lucky to have her on my soul team.

I am so blessed to have been led to Jaycee six years ago and plan to continue playing with her as long as she will have me!!  My hair is better because of her, my life is always better after our visits and I truly feel the world is better after we have spent the day together because our hair sessions always include so much love, offerings and blessings to the world we live in.  Thank you so much for the magic that you add to my life in so many ways Jaycee, because of you…. I have been changed…. For good!!!