My New Website MaryannJacobsen.com (and Why I’m No Longer Hiding)

“You look so pretty in dresses mom. Why are you always hiding?”

This is what Big A said to me when I was trying on dresses for her cousin’s wedding. It really stuck with me. Not so much about the dresses, but the hiding part. I realize I tend to hide behind my writing, and to a certain extent, I hide in life, too. Although I’ve done a lot of cool stuff ― and make a point not to let fear hold me back ― I feel a little too comfortable when the light isn’t shined directly on me. Some light is fine, but too much makes me squeamish.

This can lead to a tendency to play it safe, especially professionally. For the past year or two, I’ve had the nagging suspicion that I have outgrown Raise Healthy Eaters. I still enjoy writing about feeding and kids but I’d like to expand and do some different stuff. But that spot is so comfortable and safe, like a favorite stuffed animal.

When I started Raise Healthy Eaters in 2009, I randomly came up with the name and was just glad the URL wasn’t taken. I was hyper-focused on feeding my new baby and toddler, and it seemed like the perfect fit. But now my kids are older and my focus has changed. Since I’ve started blogging I’ve learned that I crave independence and thrive best when I’m learning new things. Growing and changing just kind of go with those two important aspects of myself.

I considered changing my blog to yet another name, but what happens if I outgrow that one? The one thing that I know won’t change is me. I will always be Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen. So that is why I have moved Raise Healthy Eaters to my name: MaryannJacobsen.com. For someone who’s used to hiding, this was not an easy decision to make.

The Indie Author RD

My commitment to indie publishing partly fueled this decision. I have many more books to write and who knows where that will take me. When I’m up against a challenge, for instance, I do a lot of research and naturally want to share what I learn. So far I’ve mainly written about feeding kids but I’m drawn to other family-related health topics.

So here’s the plan: I am keeping the URL of Raise Healthy Eaters (RHE), meaning that if you type in Raise Healthy Eaters it will bring up MaryannJacobsen.com. Child nutrition will still be an important part of my writing and all my original content is on my new site. A good way to think of it is you will get RHE plus so much more. Here’s what I have in store:

• Website: Now I have a website that can direct readers to the different areas of my site. It also highlights me and provides an overview of the site’s contents.
• Blog: I will still blog about the latest in nutrition and health and my dinner rotation/recipes, but I will also share more about what’s going on with me while honoring the privacy of my family. I’m going to be reading a lot so plan to write about books and all the cool stuff I’m learning and applying to my life.
• Books: I have a section dedicated to my books, and this list will continue to grow. I now refer to myself as The Indie Author RD. I have five books included my first children’s book What Does Your Tummy Say?
• Podcast: Now that I’m writing more books, I’ll be interviewing more experts. So why not record these interviews to share with you? I’ve named my podcast The Healthy Family Podcast and each episode helps you uncover (and conquer) hidden barriers that get in the way of your family’s health and happiness.

So take a look around and let me know what you think. Also, as time goes by feel free to offer feedback. Your opinion matters a lot to me.

As a start to putting myself out there, I chose a bright dress to wear at my niece’s wedding over the summer. I usually go dark with black or purple, but this time I chose a white dress with pink flowers. And you know what, it felt good to be seen.

Welcome to MaryannJacobsen.com!