Our next lovely lady in the Badass Women series... meet Rose, an incredible writer / wellness blogger, marketing genius, classically-trained opera singer, purple-haired badass based in Chicago. Rose and I attended poetry class together during our Northwestern days and it was during writing workshops that I discovered her artistic talents and unique thoughtful, playful attitude toward life.

Rose's genius wordsmithing and eye-catching social media posts always draw me in, and it's really a joy watching her story unfold. Without further ado:

What makes you a badass?

I’m honored and humbled to be considered a badass, so thank you for including me! My purported badassery is driven by a lifelong desire to uncover and live out my purpose, and inspire others to do the same. Conveniently enough, I’ve determined that figuring out how to live my best life and sharing my findings is my purpose, which makes my day to day feel all the more meaningful.

Other accessories on my road to total badassery:

I’ve never been afraid to be different – I said I would never again work some place that didn’t appreciate my blue hair and unabashedly Millennial voice, and I was right.
I’m a hustler to an extreme degree. It takes time and energy to build a life around the things you love (the public pursuit of health and happiness, in my case) and I’ve definitely put in the work.
I’m an open book, and everyone knows it. When you’re in the business of creating communities and connecting like-minded people, vulnerability is your biggest asset.

How did you get where you are today?

Woah. My career trajectory has been long and wind-y and littered with sparkly (and distracting!) curbside miscellany. For most of my life, I thought I wanted to be an opera singer… and a poet on the side. No joke. So that’s what I studied, but when push came to shove, I was unwilling to hustle in that particular arena. I didn’t love classical music enough to focus my whole life on it, although I think my performance studies greatly impacted my professional persona and my keen ability to market myself and the rad business I work for.

But I could focus my whole life on life, itself. I’ve long been obsessed with wellness (to me, wellness equates to living one’s most fun, most fulfilling, most joyful existence), and that obsession grew and grew as I became more honest with myself and those around me. First, I admitted that I didn’t really want to be an opera singer – I just liked that it was a weird, niche-y job and I was good at it – which was scary, but such a relief. Then, to fill my new-found creative void, I began writing. I started a little blog. I connected with one of my blogging idols and wrote about the eating disorder I suffered from for almost half my life. People started to reach out because my experiences mirrored their own, and after having performed for so long, I had finally begun to practice authenticity.

So that all planted a seed, and I started to nurture some legitimate professional skills at Lyric Opera of Chicago while I was at it. I worked in education, development and marketing for 5 years there, and though the Lyric Opera voice and aesthetic didn’t match my own, I learned a sh*t ton about all facets of business development, and I’m incredibly grateful for that… because now I run Business Development for Owen + Alchemy! We’re a chef-driven, plant-based luxury brand, and I’m in charge of partnerships, both corporate and creative; as well as marketing and events. It rules.

What do you do for yourself to rejuvenate?

My job keeps me pretty busy. It’s also incredibly social: I work and/or attend an event almost every night. As such, consistently finding time to do my own quiet, creative thing is incredibly important to me. I blog at rosetruesdale.com (formerly rosieglowwellness.com… more posts, comments, etc. live over there) and I recently started an interview series called Infrequently Asked Questions wherein I ask people I admire how they’ve gone about becoming themselves. Plus, I recently started a band with some fellow badasses! Getting philosophical and/or makin’ sh*t with soul sisters is my everything.

Routine is also big for me. Every day, I write, run, get my yoga on, and stuff my face with green things. Taking care of myself in this way has become second nature, and I’m grateful for the space that leaves me to tackle whatever else comes my way.

What advice do you have for others who are looking to find happiness and become fully empowered?

Be brutally honest with yourself about what you want out of life, and spend some time thinking about potential steps to get there. I write out lists almost every day: stuff I want, accomplishments I’d like to have under my belt… the line items serve as gentle reminders to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to get what’s mine. And cut out the habits (and people) that aren’t serving you… do it little by little, if that helps, but you need to make room for love and success in your life before you can accommodate said love and success.

And then… identify what you love to do, and do that. Even if it doesn’t make you money. Even if someone else does it better. Make it your own, keep at it, and you can’t go wrong.

Photo by Carolina Mariana Rodriguez.

How do you plan to continue your badass-ery?

I plan to follow my own advice :) I’m looking forward to continued growth with Owen + Alchemy, I want to keep writing, and more than anything, I'd like to foster a community of creatives who want to become their best selves by sharing and learning from one another's experiences.