I realized that the name of our little newsletter may be confusing, but it is just such a good descriptor of our approach to life. Read on to learn all about it.

What does “Breaking Beta” mean?

In the sport of rock climbing, “beta” is a set of instructions on how to complete a climb. Climbers can ask others to give them beta on a particular route that will include specific instructions on holds, foot placement, and specific moves.

A climber might start out using beta and instead of using the holds, foot placement, or specific moves that they were given, they choose to do something different. This is called “breaking beta”.

Here is what is interesting: Just because a climber breaks beta, it does not mean that the original beta was wrong or shouldn’t be used in the future. It just means there are now more ways to climb to the top of the same route.

What does that have to do with our family?

Conventional wisdom and cultural norms in life are a lot like climbing beta. They have served people very well for a long time. People who follow the conventional wisdom and cultural norms in our society tend to make their way to the top of the route mostly unscathed.

We determined even before we got married that some of the conventional wisdom and cultural norms that we were given just didn’t fit who we felt called to be.

So, from the very start, we decided we were going to break beta and find a new way to approach our life together. That single decision was the best one we ever made. We have spent the last 14 years building a life that doesn’t follow the traditional path, but is exactly the life that we feel called to lead.

It’s been a great 14 years and we can’t wait for the next 14!

Until our next Adventure! - Austin

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