It’s 2021 and people are actually actively thinking about whether or not they should go vegan.
It’s wonderful.
Because I want to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, I’ve decided to take you through three questions that will help you decide what to do next.
No worries, nothing scary, just the basics to help you get very clear and to finally know if veganism is right for you. We wouldn’t want to make any crazy decisions impulsively, right?
When I started transitioning seven years ago, I knew this was something I truly was committed to doing. I knew it in my bones, or however you say it.
This. Was. It.Â
I like to compare it to learning about my mother’s death. Before the phone call, she was alive, after the phone rang and I answered she wasn’t.
I could have pretended that I was suddenly deaf, but reality shifted and I was not able to travel back in time. Things were forever different now.
It was the same with veganism. No matter how much I wanted to deny the information I received, I knew too much and my brain absorbed enough to permanently change how I saw the world.
Maybe you won’t experience anything like that, but perhaps there are similar feelings already brewing inside of your heart and I want to explore them. I want to see if you are ready to change your lifestyle.
Here are 3 ways to know if veganism is right for you:
- Do you feel guilty every time you eat animal products?
That means you know how that steak or cheesecake came on your table and how many lives had to be taken for one simple meal. It means you are aware of the fact that you buying animal products contributed to the demand for more exploitation and slaughter of non-human animals.
Feeling guilt is a sign you are capable of knowing that sometimes your actions are harmful.
- Do you find yourself crying at the footage of rescued farm animals?
That means you can feel their suffering and the pain in their hearts. It means you know where they came from and what they had to endure.Â
If you were unaware of the existence of slaughterhouses, and dairy and egg farms, you wouldn’t be touched by them finally experiencing freedom.
- Do you find plant-based alternatives delicious?
That means you are open to new foods and are not tied to the old way of eating. It means that you know that what makes meat meat is not flesh but texture and taste.
Food unites us, it is a part of our culture and it makes us feel cosy, but it can also evolve. We can still eat grandma’s goulash, our country’s traditional dessert and ice cream we loved so much as children.
Brands are constantly creating alternatives that are healthier, tastier and vegan. And with thousands and thousands of recipes out there (find them here), you can learn how to veganize every meal you’ve ever loved.
Your answers to these questions will help you get clear on how ready you are to start making more ethical choices.
It will also push you to consider other questions that will play a big part in your transition.
Are you ready to go vegan right away, or will you start slowly? Can you do it on your own or do you need support and a community? Are you motivated by your health, the environment or animal rights?
Knowing where you stand is crucial in helping you succeed in whatever you decide to do. That is why you need to know where you are, where you want to be and how you will get there.
Going vegan changed my life. It changed me and everyone around me. I am living according to my values and people in my life know that. Some left and others were inspired to make positive changes themselves.
Whatever you decide to do, know that you hold many strings in your hands. Your choices affect your health, your wealth, your environment and your mind.
But your choices affect other beings as well. They change what happens to pigs in crates, cows on farms, elephants at the zoos, people in developing countries, and what future generations will have to face due to our poor decision making.Â
Yes, that is a lot of pressure to carry but it doesn’t make it any less true.
Being human and living on planet Earth is hard and we have to be courageous and responsible enough to willingly take care of everyone that is surrounding us.
Our lives are not just ours; not when the way we live affects other lives as well.
We are interconnected and we need each other. We always have.
If you want to create a sustainable eco-vegan lifestyle please make sure you are following me on Pinterest and Instagram.
Tanja
