Meet Trailblazer Liz Tillery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Tillery.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Liz. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was originally born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and visited Creede, Colorado ever since I was a baby. I currently attend Kansas State University dual majoring in Park Management and Conservation and Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. I first fell in love with nature traveling between New Mexico and Colorado hiking in the mountains and exploring every chance I got. My passion started to grow so much that I decided to road trip from Kansas to the western coast of Canada while camping along the way. I visited so many National Parks and knew I wanted to live a life of adventure. I created my blog Among the Pines (www.among-thepines.com) and started sharing my stories to my Instagram (@liztills) to encourage others to see this beautiful world we get to live in. As of today, I have visited 32 states and 5 countries and I hope to hit all 50 by the time I graduate college. When I graduate, I want to travel the world working in different parks while blogging about my experiences and helping others see how they can afford to see their dream destinations. Currently, I have almost 10,000 followers that I get to engage with every day and help others live the life they’ve always wanted. I get to work with amazing sustainable companies and help really make a difference in this world. A few days ago, I was actually crowned Miss Kansas Earth and get to share my platform of protecting our parks and natural resources. This is a huge step for me, and I can’t wait to see where I go from here.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My road has definitely not been smooth, but it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. I am grateful for the obstacles I have had to overcome that got me to where I am today. Growing up, my parents got divorced at a young age so I spent a lot of time in planes and cars road tripping. Although it was a struggle for me at first, it was a huge reason I became so passionate about traveling and seeing the world. Also, when I first created my blog, I had no idea what I was doing. I had many nights where I cried or felt so overwhelmed I didn’t want to do it anymore, but I kept going. I had struggles of not feeling like people cared about what I was doing or that I wouldn’t make an actual difference in the world, but I do. My advice for other women is to always believe in yourself and never give up on what you love. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. If you have to take a chance, whether it be big or small, do it. You won’t regret it. Also, don’t wait for others to travel with you, I took a crazy solo trip to work in Olympic National Park where I knew literally no one, and it was the best experience of my life.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a travel blogger and I focus on National Parks and our natural resources. I am also an Instagram Influencer and help promote brands through my channels. I am known for encouraging others to help protect our earth from the effects of climate change and what we can do to help our planet. I am most proud of creating a side income from doing what I love, and I can’t wait to see where that takes me from here.

Which women have inspired you in your life?
I have a few people who have inspired me in my life. My great grandmother was one of the people who had the biggest impact on me. She always traveled and chased after what she wanted, which inspired me to do the same. Regardless of her age, she was always traveling to see her family and friends and lived the most incredible life. I even got a small heart tattoo on my shoulder so I would always remember the impact she had on me while she was here with us. Another person that inspired me was my mom. My mom has been my rock since day one and she always supported me in any decision I made, whether it was realistic or not because she knew how much it meant to me. I always learned so much on my journeys, and my mom was always there to help me through my good and bad days. I can’t imagine what I would do without her.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.among-thepines.com
• Email: amongthepinesliz@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/liztills
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/amongthepinetrees

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