Today we’d like to introduce you to Sugar Rose.
Hi Sugar, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
This is long, but my compressed version is the only way I can summarize it to show you all. I was adopted as a baby. I was in foster homes for the first 6 months of my life, where I was overfed. This led to my lifelong struggle with weight loss. Once given to my adopted parents, my father was in the military, and my mom was in nursing school. At three, my father decided that having a child was not for him and wanted a boy instead of a girl. My parents separated, and I saw my dad once a year, and although I was very young and didn’t remember much of my very young years, I remember feeling alone, not good enough, unloved, and unwanted by my dad thus started my lifelong struggle of abandonment, not feeling enough, fear of rejection, fear of never measuring up, and fear of needing approval for all I do. I became a follower. At 7 my mom remarried. My stepfather was a Psychologist having no children of their own I grew up an only child, and getting into my school years, I struggled immensely. I was never academically smart enough, pretty, thin, and cool enough. I was always the last one on the dodgeball line to be picked. I was overweight, dressed like a tomboy, and had buck teeth and a boy’s haircut. I was teased, bullied, and made fun of and had only one true friend growing up, still my soul sister.
Growing up, I did everything possible to be liked, loved, and wanted. I was a doormat for many. I made poor choices as a teenager because I wanted to be wanted. With my father being a psychologist when I was younger, it was tough to open up. I communicated and let my parents know what was happening because I felt analyzed. I felt everything was research on me, who I am, and who I am becoming. I was taught at a very young age communication, compromise, unconditional love, kindness, respect, morals, and values are the key to a wonderful life. Although I did not listen, they were instilled into me, and people do hurtful things to others because they are hurting. Even though some things are unexplainable and inexcusable, there is always something deeper to the person. Now granted, some things are never ok, no matter the justification, but many things people do are out of their struggles. Thus, I started my lifelong journey of empathy, healing others, showing unconditional love and understanding, and looking deeper into a person than just the surface. And this grew like fire as I grew up. As a parent of 4 boys, I now get it. I was angry, hurt, and lost for many years and could never understand why.
At 14, I was put into a residential treatment center to help me come back to reality. Teach me strength, respect, and self-worth, and help me center myself. I lived there for 2 years. I was then put into group homes when I was 16-18. Although my parents were very supportive and loving throughout my life, it took many years for me to let go of the anger in my eyes at the time of “being thrown away” Again, now that I’m older, I truly see and understand. As I got into my adult years, the feeling of needing someone to love me, not being enough, grew like a fire in my soul. Thus became my many years of bad relationships with men. Always trying to see the good in someone and overlooking the truth or the negativity was a lesson learned over many poor decisions, which tails back to being enough, wanting to feel loved wanting to be wanted no matter the cost. This became abusive relationships and verbal, mental, physical, and sexually abusive experiences. Whether I was screamed at, hit, threatened, belittled, or broken down, the person still said I love you, which meant I was loved and not alone. Thus started the many years of physical, mental, and emotional abuse which I learned the cycle of pain. I will never regret any moment or experience I have ever gone through because it has taught me who I was, showed me my strength, my value, who I was, and what I do and don’t deserve. This took many years to endure hurt, pain, loss, unfaithfulness, deception, use, and breakdowns. Through it all, I have always looked at the glass as half full, and no matter what, even the worst of the worst, no one can steal my light. I have been broken, beaten on my knees screaming why me, but I have always stood back up stronger. God chose me as one of his warriors of light. Why me? I don’t know, but I know my lifelong mission is to make a difference. Once I grew through my pain, lessons, experiences, and struggles, I moved to another level of myself. For my career the last 15 years, I have been in the medical field. I felt my calling was to help people, even if it was putting a smile on another’s face or letting someone know they matter. It became my passion to help others and be a light to show them there is still hope no matter what they are going through.
In 2015 I met a man that became my world and opened my eyes to my true calling. He was on active duty as an 82nd Airborne Army Veteran now in the National Guard when I met him. This is where I found my calling to help people in pain. I learned about our military, our Veterans, and PTSD on a deeper level than I had ever seen, witnessed, or experienced before. He encouraged me to become the family readiness leader for the National Guard for soldiers and their families. This is where the name Sugar was born. One of my soldiers gave me the nickname, and I have taken it with me. Before I found my husband, I had no self-worth. I was a follower.
I never thought I had leadership abilities. Scared and nervous, I tried it and found my true gift of speaking to others. I found that people listen to me and consider me a motivation, a hope, and a light. Never in a million years would I consider myself that until I saw it firsthand, and what a humbling experience that is. It became such a passion and a calling for me that burned so strong in my heart and soul that it lit a fire so huge that it continues to grow. I became the call in the middle of the night for many. I have seen and experienced pain and hurt from others like never before. I have been to one too many funerals, as one is too many. It became my purpose to help others, to listen to show love, spread light, and learn about PTSD, depression, and mental health.
In 2017 I opened my coffee shop. Long story short, I felt led to open it, and I knew nothing about coffee. I knew how to make a good cup of Folgers. This became where people would come to be heard, healed, and feel light and love. At this point, I could reach people on a soul, light, and heart level. Nothing could be more amazing than touching one’s heart and soul. I was on top of the world. I had just bought my first home. My business was booming. I was making a difference in the lives of many. I was happier than I had ever been bringing in local bands to help them get noticed; my passion was singing a song or two with them when they came in. Then in 2019, my world crashed and turned upside down. I lost everything. I lost my husband, and I learned firsthand from the outside looking in what a mask was and how one wears a mask to hide their pain, war, and everything inside. This is where I found my passion for reaching someone beyond the mask to reach their heart and soul and let them know no matter what, you are never alone, it is ok to reach out, it is ok not to be ok, it is ok to ask for help. This is where my calling, purpose, and mission smacked me in the face and said this right here. This is why you are here. He hid his pain for so many years, and I didn’t know. So now I fight to teach and show others that as the wife on the outside, we need to peel back the layers. I began to motivational speak and make videos on TikTok to spread awareness. I made it my lifelong purpose never to let anyone feel alone again.
2020 I sold my shop as COVID did me in. I lost my home. I lost everything. I was lost, trying to find my way, and angry for a while because I had struggled my entire life. I stood back up, dusted off my knees, and turned to GOD. Why me? Why the pain? Why the loss? Why can’t I get it right? After my self-pity party, I stood stronger, and again everything we go through in life molds us and makes us stronger. There is always a reason, season, or blessing for everything we go through, and you can turn your pain into your beauty. Even in the worst traumas, hell, and horrible parts of your life, you can heal, rise above it all, and turn around and help others through it. I went from everything to nothing down to losing everything I owned, living on a couch with only a few suitcases, and being a struggling single mom. My two older boys lost their dad right around that time, and all I could do was see the hope, see the bigger picture, and see the reason and why for all my pain. I knew there was a bigger purpose here. I felt it in my soul, and even though I was stripped of everything, I could still love, eminent light, hope for healing, and positivity to others. I knew my calling was so much bigger than mine. Materials can be replaced; homes can be replaced, someone’s loss of self-brokenness, feeling alone demons they fight broken light and hope cannot, and helping someone else see their peace, their light self-worth, their hope meant more to me than anything else, in this world. I have learned I am a temporary person put in the lives of broken people who need light, love, and hope. God made me strong and able to endure the severe trauma, pain, hurt, and brokenness that I have gone through. I still get up daily and look at the glass as half full.
I find beauty in every little bit of pain I have ever endured. On New Year’s Eve 2020, my life changed overnight. I felt it in my heart and soul, and everything that was me, I knew my world, and everything I knew had changed. Now a brief recap of my childhood years. Singing has always been my passion. I sang in choirs’ talent shows and took lessons up to 14. When I was 14, I entered a talent show where I came in 3d place. I was told I just wasn’t it. I could have been better than others. I put my singing career down from that day until exactly 2 years ago.
Fast forward to 2020. I went to a show where I was encouraged to sing with a group I didn’t know hadn’t been on stage in 20-plus years. That night my life changed. Shortly after, I did a cover of HURT. and I felt led to do a PTSD awareness video with it. I flew to Texas and recorded it on an iPhone. Veterans, first responders, Fire and police officers, doctors, and nurses volunteered to join the movement. That video brought my mission to light. Why it made sense why everything I went through was preparing me for today. Through that video, a life was saved. two people that lived in the same state didn’t know each other till I flew to Texas to do this. two people connected through me, and it made a difference that will forever be impacted my heart. My drive and my purpose became a fire bigger for anyone to contain. I have always said that or million if I touch or change the life of just one person, then I am fulfilling my purpose of why I am here. To speed up a bit, I ended up in Nashville on an indie record label, recorded a few songs, and learned much about the truth, lies, and deceit in the music industry. Found a lot of letdowns, but everyone’s letdown led to something incredible. Again, I am humbled by every experience, good or bad. I now have been on many podcasts and even have my own to help make a difference in the life of others. I write music and have become a huge men’s mental health advocate and a general mental health advocate for all. I am a motivational speaker, and I travel and speak, which is growing amazingly.
I have developed a large platform on TikTok and Facebook, where I spread my messages of love, light, and positivity. My singing and writing are related to who I am, who I have been who I am becoming. My music has not always been at the forefront of my mission, but it is growing incredibly. People are starting to see who I am and why I am here. I’m humbled that many people see me as a hopeful love light in our world. I can’t explain it, but it is all that is me, and I’m grateful I have been chosen to spread light and hope into our crazy world. I now use my message, music, and story testimony to help as many as possible. Show everyone you are never alone; you matter and are amazing. That you can grow and heal through your trauma and life experiences. I teach tools to the ones that need them. I spread hope and love to the ones that don’t know how to find it. I try so hard to help others to see your diagnosis does not define you. You don’t have to lift with pain, guilt, suffering, struggling, and your demons to find peace. You can heal and start fresh, which is what you go through in life. Every single little part has a beauty. Sometimes that beauty is just being there for someone else and helping someone not struggle alone, helping someone not go through it the same way you did. Helping someone see their worth. Helping others now, we all have a beautiful purpose here and a reason bigger than we know. We are all created from infinite love, and love we shall return in the end. We can live a life of harmony, peace, light, and happiness. That pain strengthens you and shows you who you are, and you choose whether to let it break or build you.
We manifest our reality and destiny. My path and mission have led me to take a leap of faith, leave everything behind and move to South Carolina for a big purpose. I came here with my two boys, and the road keeps getting paved incredibly. God keeps giving me a bigger microphone to be even louder and reach millions more. So many incredibly exciting things are happening here, from being involved with some incredible movements with a like mind to make a difference to finding the right music connection to sing, write and play and use my voice and message while I do it. I’m just one person with a story; we all have one. I use my story and experiences for good, infinite love, hope, and healing for another. We are the author of our own stories, and we chose our ending, So I end with this. You are amazing, you are enough, you are loved, and you truly are never alone. Your voice matters, your story matters, you matter, and no matter what you have gone through in life, you can heal, you can find your light again, you have a purpose, and you are someone’s someone that needs you someday. You are the author of your story. You are your best or worst enemy in life.
We get one life to live. Let’s make it full of love, light, peace, and positivity. What will the ending of your story be? My mission is to travel the world, sing, write, speak, and yell from the rooftops. You are not alone, and you can heal and find your purpose. Never give up hope because I will never give up on you. 1 family, we are all in this together 1 Mission save each other 1 Fight war is fought alone. Mental health and PTSD are a war; we make a difference together. If we all have the mentality that it takes just one person to make a movement and change a life, our world would be beautiful.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
My life has been anything but a smooth road. Trials and tribulations along the way. Lessons, loss, fear, pain, anger, hurt, Every moment of every experience has helped me to grow and mold into who I am today. It has also helped me to help others. It has helped others and prevented, at times, them from going through the same pain that I have gone through. It has helped others know they are not alone and there is always a way to find yourself.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in helping others find themselves, their light, hope, purpose, and self-worth. I do this through my message story and testimony—through my music, speaking, and writing. I travel and speak, and my songs convey learning, healing, hope, and positivity. What sets me aside from others is this I have been made to be a strength in the broken, a hope in the lost, and a light in the dark. God brought my music back into my life for a reason. Put me through my experiences to show my true calling and purpose to help others. I never thought I would be anyone special. I still, to this day, say I’m just me and do the best I can to help others. I never expected to be anyone famous or be the next famous star. My music, in some big form, is a part of my mission and ties into everything that I do and who I am now. I am proud that I have been able to help so many people find themselves, a new sense of hope, their light, and purpose.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Never give up your hopes, dreams, and mission purpose. Remember, our plan isn’t always ours, but we have one, and when the time is right, it will be revealed to you. If it is on your heart to tell your story, tell it. You never know who relates to you and whose life you could change or save. Remember, everything you go through has a bigger reason and purpose. Always reach for the stars. There are a million out there your bound to catch one. You are loved, and you are never alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sugarrosemusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarrosemusic1279/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sugarrose1279/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmHzWjZPBXphUIwWym90soA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sugarrosemusic
