Saying No to Should

Go to school, and earn good grades. Land a job, work hard and don’t rest until retirement.

Kristen Webb subscribed to that societal prescription until one day, she asked herself, “Why sacrifice something as fleeting and precious as life doing what you think you should do, and not what you desire?”

Good question.

Kristen Webb. Photo by Nathan Saczynski

By way of answering it, Webb and her husband, Travis, departed their lives as restaurateurs in Tennessee and fled to Destin, where they began “rewriting their story,” she said.

Originally from Boston, Webb considered Destin to be a paradise, a place where her family could play baseball and go to the beach for sunset picnics year-round.

“My dad passed away from cancer a few months before he turned 65,” said Webb, a work-at-home mother of four. “He had a traditional corporate job, worked 7 to 7 and died a few months before he was going to retire. That has always been at the back of my mind, and one day we realized we didn’t have to have a traditional life.”

For Webb, priorities include spending quality time with her children and creating enriching experiences and great memories for them. She said her husband now works from home as a business broker, while she works from her phone promoting products and collaborating via social media partnerships. Together, they are present for every pancake breakfast, trip to the bus stop and walk home.

Webb and husband Travis enjoy working from home so they can prioritize their children, Brayden (17), Braxten (8), Kali (5) and Brantley (7), and make time for an active lifestyle. Photo by Micha Everett

It’s a wholesome family life that Webb wasn’t sure she would be able to have. Multiple doctors told her she was infertile. But Webb became pregnant with her eldest son six months into her relationship with Travis, and two years later, the couple was ready to try for another.

Webb began blogging about her fertility journey, something she said “wasn’t talked about enough” 15 years ago. It was cathartic, and Webb began connecting with other women who were struggling to become pregnant. She discusses options other than in vitro fertilization, sharing with her audience her success with yoga and fertility massages — a deep tissue shiatsu for the abdomen intended to enhance the chances of conception.

“I think my following really took off after I got into yoga and became an instructor,” Webb said. “I made an Instagram page when the app first kicked off, and over time, my page sort of morphed into a sort of lifestyle blog.”

Posting on MyBeachyTribe.com and @mybeachytribe on Instagram, Webb shares with nearly 69,000 followers glimpses of her home life, travel experiences and style tips.

Her style reflects her surroundings, what Webb calls “casual, beachy and bohemian.” She keeps it simple, loving a classic white tee, trendy jeans and high-top sneakers. “Minimalistic, dainty gold pieces are my jam,” she said.

At work on her blog, Webb dons beaded quartz bracelets from Canyon Leaf and minimalistic gold jewelry from James Michelle. She keeps it simple with a breezy linen top from Free People and American Eagle jeans while her Triple Pink Nike sneakers create a pop of color. Photo by Nathan Saczynski

Webb’s big thing is her bleach-blonde locks. Postpartum hair loss and COVID-19 left her tresses stagnant and frail, and she resorted to trying to hide her thinning hair with extensions. Wanting a more natural remedy, Webb began experimenting with new shampoos, scalp oil and hair masks, which she promotes on her pages.

“I never want to be a blogger where every post is an ad,” Webb said. “I wanted to stay genuine and tell people what I like. I’ve been picky and choosy. It seems like everything is promoted for a paycheck nowadays, and it’s like, are you really taking those vitamins? Didn’t you just swear by another brand three days ago?”

Webb said while social media can be a happy place, it can get dark very quickly.

A longtime yogi, Webb gravitates toward a casual, bohemian style. Here, she sports a yoga tank paired with Moon Dance leggings from Teeki Boutique. Photo by Nathan Saczynski

“People go online for entertainment, education or to make themselves laugh,” she said. “I think I wanted to be a place people can go to smile and be especially relatable to other moms. I’m happy to show the places we go and the things we do but also the reality of motherhood — like paint just spilled and toys are everywhere, and it’s not always perfect.”

Webb knows she could be making more money but does not regret dropping out of the “rat race.”

“When I think about my life now, I hope my dad is proud of me,” she said. “I’m getting to spend so much more time with my family, and I know my kids are going to grow up so fast. In a blink, they’ll be off to start their own lives.

“I want to be an example for them. You never have to feel stuck. There are options and so much to explore that you’ll never know about if you don’t just do it. Even if you fail, in my opinion, you’d have rather taken the chance because there’s nothing worse than regret.”