I’ve met a handful of people who were vegan but just barely.
They were lacking the motivation to sustain this ethical lifestyle and it made me sad to see how they knew there was a chance they will go back to consuming animal products.
I want to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.
That is why I want to share with you a few ways to stay motivated on your vegan journey. I know a few tricks that help me and I am positive they will help you as well.
After all, we are all together on this path towards animal liberation and we must stick together. No big change was achieved by just one human – it was always an act of a community.
While we are all unique individuals with diverse opinions and beliefs, we have one thing in common. We all want to see empty cages, abandoned slaughterhouses, and farms that thrive on growing plants.
If you want to continue being plant-based, here are ways to stay motivated on your vegan journey:
- Regularly remind yourself why you are vegan.
Sometimes we can forget what happens behind closed doors where non-human animals are kept. You might not believe me when I say that even vegans can forget about animal cruelty, but if you are not paying attention, it can happen.
I’m not suggesting you watch graphic footage every night before going to bed, but do stay aware.
Follow vegan accounts on social media, subscribe to Earthling Ed’s YouTube channel, or simply watch one documentary a month when you are prepared to witness all the blood and screaming.
Do it on your own terms but make sure you do it. Keep reminding yourself of why you are plant-based because while you can stop watching, pigs and fish cannot stop being abused.
Grow your awareness, don’t look away.
- Surround yourself with vegans.
Are you following me on Instagram? You really should.
Being surrounded by vegans includes social media and the internet as well. Not everyone has the luxury of having real-life people who share their values.
A lot of us are alone in this. We are the only vegan in the room, the weird cousin who doesn’t eat the cake, that strange hippie who brings her own water bottle.
What helped me tremendously at the beginning was following animal rights activists on social platforms. Every day I would see what they were doing in their corner of the world and I felt less alone.
It’s not ideal but we do what we can with the cards we are dealt.
- Create a self-care routine.
In a world where being vegan is still something most people look at as radical, you need to become your own best friend.
Sometimes the stress of being the only vegan can take a toll on you. You may find that you are not taking care of yourself, you can’t remember the last time you laughed, and your diet is a mess.
Depression is a very serious illness and you can do your part in preventing it from destroying you. You can’t prevent it from affecting you, but you can try to minimize its effect if it happened.
I recommend you give meditation a try (here is an app I absolutely adore). Taking care of your mind is the first step to loving who you are. Your mindset is the most important thing in your life – master it.Â
Mindfulness makes life easier.
Now you have the tools to stay vegan forever.
With the right attitude and commitment to using what you now know, you are set to lead a sustainable vegan lifestyle.
Remember why you are doing this and who you are doing it for.
Having strong values is something that can help you move mountains. People often cease to do what is right because they are shallow and not committed to living according to what their heart says.
You are the opposite.
You do know what you want and value, and this is the light you follow. You balance listening to your heart and thinking with your brain about what is correct.
That’s why you are a part of this community of people who fight for the innocent.Â
You care. Because you care you are here, looking for ways to say motivated on your vegan journey so you never go back to the old ways.
You got this.
Tanja
