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I rarely find myself looking back on old content, but I randomly got sucked into the rabbit hole and suddenly found myself reading post after post from almost 3 years ago.

OG Healthy Maven.

The pictures kind of made me cringe and I found myself rolling my eyes at the things I thought it was appropriate to say on the internet. But I was also struck by how deeply honest, carefree and real these posts felt.

I could feel the inspiration bubbling out from within the screen. And if I close my eyes and think back to that time I can relive these emotions so well. The newness, the excitement, the constant feeling of discovery.

It’s not easy to admit this, but in looking back at these posts I can see how a lot of this passion has been lost in the pursuit of running a business. The truth is, it isn’t easy doing both; maintaining the passion of your hobby and making money from it. I’ve tried to balance them both, but it’s a delicate process that I don’t always succeed at. Looking back on old posts makes this all the more apparent.

More-than-a-Food-Blog-1I remember before I quit my job to run THM full-time how badly I wanted to take the leap. What I never could have predicted was that in the process I would have to make some sacrifices. When you depend on others to make money, you can’t just wake up everyday and write what you want.

You can’t just whip up any recipe and hope it does well. You need to consider your analytics, your sponsors and staying on top of your content calendar.

and the numbers…they start to matter.

The page views, the likes, the money. You’re able to tangibly measure your success and can so easily be wrapped up in trying to maximize these to validate what you’re doing. And when your business is so intertwined with you, it oftentimes feels like you’re validating yourself.

More-than-a-Food-Blog-3When I started THM, I wanted it to be a place to explore health, in all its capacities. I truly believe that health goes so far beyond the kitchen. That mental health, exercise, relationships, travel and everything in between all add up to a healthy lifestyle.

But the food stuff stuck. It brought in the page views, the likes and the money. And while I do truly love food, I don’t think it is the be all and end all.

This past year I exceeded every expectation I could possibly have imagined for my business. I’m reaching half a million people a month, make more money than I could have ever conceived and a social following that people strive for daily. By all definitions, I’ve made it.

But here’s the truth: I’m unhappy.

I’m unhappy with how I’m spending my time, with the content that I’m putting out and the community I’m building.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the flexibility my schedule allows, every recipe I’ve posted, and those of you who engage with The Healthy Maven on a daily basis, but I want this place to be so much more.

I want to go back to spending my days feeling like I was in a constant state of discovery; to share recipes when I feel like it but explore all other areas of health beyond what I pulled out of the oven, and to build a community that shares in this passion. I want to truly and deeply connect with what I’m doing and with those of you who want to follow along on this journey.

I could have said “fuck it” and separated my business from me and continued along on this path of success, but that would mean accepting the conventional definition of success that I’ve never been able to fully embrace. I need to love what I’m doing every.single.day, even if it means less money, fewer likes and alienating some of my audience.

So what does all of this really mean? If you’ve been paying attention the last few weeks, you’ve noticed that this place has looked a little different. There’s been a lot less food and more personal posts. I’ve needed this space to get back to a place where I can share my thoughts, discover new passions and openly talk about my triumphs and tribulations.

I want to talk about my new journalling habit and apps that have changed the health game for me. I want to talk meditation and my struggles with exercise. I want to share more videos and green beauty tips.

And I want to talk about food.

I want to get back to the roots of THM, where every post felt like it could burst with inspiration and passion. And I want to wake up everyday and love what I do.

THM was never intended to be just a food blog, and it won’t return to being the way it was supposed to be unless I change it.

Does it scare me? Hell yeah. I know that moving in a new direction (or rather-returning to the old) means that traffic will fall, people will leave and money will decrease. But I’m confident that all will be right in the end when I follow my intuition instead of my ego.

So expect some food and a whole lot more. We’re going back to how this place started and as I shared in my very first post, “I hope you’ll join me for the ride”.

More-than-a-Food-Blog-2

Would love to hear from you! Share your thoughts below. Lots of love <3

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Meet the Maven

Hi! I'm Davida and welcome to my corner of the internet. I'm a wellness blogger, yoga teacher, certified herbalist, and green beauty lover.

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51 Comments

  1. I’m so glad you posted this. I love food blogs and follow a lot of them religiously, but honestly, recently I’ve been frustrated with the fact that so many people are just only talking about food. I want MORE. I want everything you said you want to write about. I want to get to know all of the food bloggers I’ve come to know and love, and to learn about what’s going on in their heads and minds besides recipes. I can’t WAIT for all of the new content you’ll be putting out there – recipes, yes, but EVERYTHING ELSE – even more so. Thank you for being so honest and open, and I’m so excited to see what you post next!

  2. The narratives are the only things that keep me coming back. I agree, blogs shouldn’t just be online recipe books, but stories of a journey 🙂

  3. It’s so easy to get caught up in the numbers – I can only imagine what it’s like when you depend on your blog for your income! But I’m glad you’ve realized what will make you happiest. I learned a similar lesson when I chose being a dietitian over a doctor – happiness really does trump money. Looking forward to your new direction! 🙂

  4. Davida,
    I. love. this.
    As a recent college grad, I’ve struggled with knowing what I “truly” want to do. I was a business major and for all of my life I’ve felt like I needed to do things a certain way. In the past year, I’ve realized that the way everyone else seemingly does things, is not right for me at all. Since I’ve always thought that things had to be done a certain way, I never really confronted myself about what I truly wanted. But in the past few months I’ve been forced to. It’s SO amazing that you are sticking up for what you truly want and believe in and being honest in the fact that despite your success, you’re unhappy where you are. So many people are afraid to admit that and continue on a path because it’s what they’re “supposed to do.”
    Thank you, for not only being a constant source of inspiration, but a true and honest leader. I hope that one day I’ll be as strong and as confident in my intuition as you are. I can’t wait to see where this new chapter takes you! Sending lots of love your way!

  5. Thank you for being so transparent! I am a new blogger and at times I believe that I am so overwhelmed with all the “new stuff” that I am not taking the time to enjoy the beginning. Thank you so much for this post!!

  6. I remember the first post I ever read on THM – it was your bircher muesli recipe. You talked about how it was such a staple recipe, but you didn’t want to post it because it wasn’t the type of recipe to go “viral.” But, you posted it anyway. From the beginning,you have always been honest, down-to-earth, funny as hell, and relatable. That’s why I keep reading – no matter what you’re writing. I hope you get to make this place something you are truly proud of again. <3

  7. Davida, it’s your blog, at the end of the day. Sure, your viewers influence what you provide for them but you are the one that is able to create the quality content that they love! I wish you the best in this change and I totally support whatever your heart desires to do!

  8. I think you may lose some readers, but you may also gain some! As a blogger though I can totally agree with you, changing something or trying to make something your own can be total scary, but I truly respect your decision and can’t wait to get to know you more!