Growing up…
I grew up in a small town in the heart of Missouri near the Mark Twain National Forest, a multitude of trailheads, and endless rivers/creeks for me to explore. My childhood is filled with memories of family and siblings going to parks, playing outside, and little league baseball. As I became a teen I continued to stay active outdoors and took up an interest in kayaking, hiking/running, and swimming. During this time I also picked up a new interest in photography, graphic design, and music. That natural interest in exploration made me want to see more as I became a young adult. To fulfill that desire I had to leave the comfort of my small hometown and the local honey-holes and take a risk and try something new – so I moved out West.
Finding myself…
As I traveled west, all the different changes in scenery confirmed I had made the right decision to fulfill my dreams of exploration. I stopped in Nevada and set up home for seven years. In those seven years I started my venture into the cannabis industry where I used my love for nature and the plants natural healing properties to grow myself into a successful industry expert. As I grew my business knowledge, I felt disconnected from my original goal… exploring and being connected to nature. I began spending my weekends going to the middle of the desert and exploring miles and miles of marked and unmarked trails in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. This sparked my love for exploration yet again and I began sharing my adventure photography via social media, joined a bunch of local groups with similar interests, and developed a following of like-minded adventurers.
Today I am…
Today I find myself back in the Midwest in the same Mark Twain National Forest that I grew up in, the ones that contain my childhood memories. I continue to work in the cannabis industry professionally, but I’ve found a healthy work-life balance that allows me to create content across multiple media formats without feeling overwhelmed. I’m grateful for my venture out West, the connections made, and all the great memories had. I will make it back out West one day, however, right now I am happy to be home in Missouri with my family, making more great memories with loved ones.
I continue to explore and post across multiple social media platforms. If you have an interest in keeping up with me, be sure to follow me on your preferred platform!