Well, first things first: happy 6th birthday to Hungry Haley ❤️
Six years ago. I feel like I was both a completely different person and yet still all the same as I am now. I don’t know how that works, or if it makes sense (it doesn’t), but there’s no other way to describe it.
When I launched this blog, I was heading off to college, right after my first heart-break, excited and terrified for all the change I saw coming, and knee-deep in an eating disorder. It was… a weird time. But I latched on for dear life to this little space I had just created for myself and found so much comfort, so much growth, so much of everything I didn’t know I needed at the time.
Peace. Acceptance. Discovery. Passion. Connection. It healed me.
As the years went on, I evolved and so did my little space. Not in a good way or a bad way, it just did. I loved that - that this is mine, no one else’s, and it can be whatever I want it to be because it’s part of me. It’s a big, big part of me…
… but it’s not who I am. It’s not my career. It’s not something I think about everyday, or want to do everyday. I’m passionate about what this page represents, about the relationships I’ve built through it, and about the person it has helped shape me into. I’m just not that passionate about developing content anymore.
A couple months ago, I was offered the job I’ve pictured myself in for years now. That’s 45-50 hours of my week and I love it! That just leaves very little time and energy for me to run Hungry Haley the same way I always have. Since the day I received the offer in June, I knew this change was coming. Actually, I’ve known for an even longer time, but haven’t given the thought much room to grow because it’s HARD to think about changing and - even though I don’t want to say “losing”, I know it’s a possibility so I need to say it - losing this space.
One night after work last week, I crashed on the couch and felt everything hit me. How can I possibly keep up with blogging and social media, a personal training “side business”, work a full-time job, and still do my own thing?
See, Hungry Haley no longer falls into the category of “my own thing”. My own things are different from what they were six years ago (not surprisingly). Now, I want to go outside and explore and interact with people. I still want to eat and take pictures, but I don’t want to feel pressured to write about the whole thing and my whole weekend and all these nutrition tips and workouts and recipes. If the website is there, I feel that pressure.
I know what everyone will say - “Haley, you don’t need to give it up completely! Just take a step back.” And then I’ll give them the you-know-me look that says “Yeah, right.”
So, this is the change I’m making, the one I’ve seen coming for a while now. I’m taking a break from the blog (even though I will most definitely be writing everyday behind the scenes, just for my own sanity) and changing the frequency, intention, and slightly the content of my social media posts. I need to give myself a break to rest, to think clearly. It’s hard to think about letting all of this go, and it’s just as hard to think about continuing to carry the load I am now. I’m putting too much pressure on myself and I’m e x h a u s t e d.
Most importantly, I want to reconnect with Haley, and give “Hungry Haley” some space. Anyone who is in the food-blogging, social media, “influencer” sphere knows that a lot of things can get to your head, and the cliche saying “stay true to who you are” is instrumental. Hungry Haley is a big, big part of me, but not the x amount of likes, comments, followers, or the frequency of my posts.
My desire to work is there. I love my job. My desire to get involved in the community is there. I love Minneapolis. My desire to meet new people is there. I’m making friends! My desire to grow my fitness and nutrition knowledge is there. I want to study personal training and nutrition coaching.
