A few years ago I wrote a similar post in which I shared A to Z reasons why you should go vegan.
It did pretty well and many people seem to really like it. That is why today I am focusing on giving you 25 tips if you want to go vegan and really, really need them.
I’m going with the English alphabet as this is the language I write in on this website. I did try to find a word that starts with the letter X but none of them was even remotely good enough to be used here.
So, let’s get one thing straight.
You don’t need twenty-five tips. You really don’t. All one needs to go vegan is the determination to figure out what works for them and how to transition without being too overwhelmed from all the information you suddenly acquire.
I wrote about this in one of my previous posts that you can check out here.
But since I know you are eager to learn everything you need to know, I will search my memory and find all the best advice I wish I knew that I can now give to you. Hopefully, just one is enough to help you on this journey.
Here are A to Z tips for people who want to go vegan:
- ANIMALS.
First and foremost, remember that veganism is about other animals, not you.
What we are doing is lessening the cruelty and abuse towards other individuals by not supporting facilities where non-human animals are enslaved, exploited and killed.
You can fight for human rights, women’s rights, gay rights, but animal rights is about other animals, no one else. This movement is one thing pigs and fish have for themselves, let’s not stain it with our problems.
- BEING.
Focus on being a good person who seeks justice, equality and compassion wherever they go.
Going vegan is less about becoming and more about just being good to other beings.
Loving them, fighting for them, helping them, listening to them… because everyone can have a goal that they want to reach – to become someone – but few actually start being the person they envision.
- COMMUNITY.
Although I am not of the opinion that having vegans around you is super important, I do believe that many require support.
If you feel that being surrounded by individuals who will support you on your journey is crucial for your progress, get proactive in finding those who attract you.
Not every vegan will be your cup of tea – we are all unique individuals after all – so talk to those you vibe with, connect with them, reach out and eventually you are bound to find a few that will be in your inner circle.
- DEDICATION.
If veganism is something you want to incorporate into your life, then you will have to be dedicated to making progress and taking the necessary steps.
You can flirt with it for decades or you can listen to your inner teenager and jump in with both feet immediately.Â
That doesn’t mean you have to go vegan overnight, it just means you become dedicated to going vegan eventually, in the near future.
- EDUCATION.
Just because we might not be going to school anymore, it doesn’t mean we have to stop being students.
Find books, courses, documentaries, movies, events, seminars, coaches or any other resource that can teach you the basics of living vegan. I have a bunch in this post here but you are free to surf the internet to find your own sources of information.
- FAMILY.
Family members can be our biggest cheerleaders or our most ferocious enemies.Â
Since we cannot change others, we have to change ourselves to become capable of addressing what’s not working and how to improve relationships.
As I mentioned, I do not believe you must be surrounded by people who are vegan but it is important that your obstacles do not appear in the form of bullies and abusers.
It’s one thing to have people disagree with your choices and another to be verbally abused for not wanting to eat corpses of murdered non-human animals.
Set boundaries and be very clear about what you will and will not tolerate.Â
- GROWTH.
Decide to look at veganism as a chance to grow as a person.
Take it as an opportunity to expand your compassion and empathy, learn about those who look nothing like you, and help individuals who cannot help themselves.
- HOMO SAPIENS.
Learning about animal rights can be a great way to explore your animalness as well.
Because you are an animal. A primate. You were born to rely on your animal instincts and experience the raw emotions all beings feel.
We all share the same ancestor. A cell. Millions and millions of years of evolution and not one animal is on top of the hierarchy because it does not exist.Â
The biggest mistake people make when talking about evolution is the myth that humans are on top, the most evolved of them all. The best part? There is no top.
It is a tree and each species is a branch that evolved from the same root, so it is impossible to have one animal be more evolved than the rest.
Enjoy sharing DNA with wolves, lizards, elephants and ants – and even bananas and weed. Never, ever use the word animal as an insult because it is who you are.Â
You were born an animal and you will die an animal.
- INTENTION.
What do you want to feel on this journey? How do you want to help other animals? What is your intention?
This is not about goals, per se, but about knowing where you want to go and how you want to experience this path.Â
If you are walking around blindfolded you will eventually stumble upon a cliff and if falling wasn’t your intention, you won’t be happy with your ending.
You don’t have to want to be vegan, you just have to want to be intentional about how your decisions affect the most innocent in our society.Â
- JOURNEY.
I like to look at my life as a journey that has a beginning and an ending.Â
Living a vegan lifestyle is a journey within a journey. It had a beginning and it will have an end – same as everything in life.
There are two options when it comes to how we treat it. We either think of it as torture or an adventure.
So, will veganism be a sacrifice of sorts, something that you feel like you need to do to please others, or will it be a journey that you are excited to explore?
Your outlook will determine your experience.
- KNOWLEDGE.
To open the eyes and hearts of those who are still (pretending to be) asleep, you will need to have the necessary knowledge.
As I said earlier, being a lifelong student is a task we must take seriously. There is absolutely nothing that can replace your basic understanding of what vegans fight for when defending animal rights.
You can have the charm and personality of the best salesman, but if you don’t know where vegans get their iron from, you won’t convince many people to give a plant-based lifestyle a try.
- LOVE.
I don’t believe that love is all we need because the truth is we are too complex to solve all our problems with an emotion that can be manipulated.
What I do think is that love is something we must seek when faced with life’s challenges. Even if it only comes in the form of one hug from a stranger, love can have a tremendously positive effect on our wellbeing.
That’s obvious, but since not every person is capable of feeling this emotion in its purest form (or feel it at all), it should not be seen as a weapon to transform the world.Â
It’s just something that it’s nice to feel, but be careful how you talk about it and with whom.
- MINDFULNESS.
Waking up to the moment you are in is what true freedom feels like.
Even if you can only reach this state for a few seconds every now and then, it is worth dedicating some of your time to the practice of meditation every day.
If you can stop and observe the thought that is currently in your mind, you can avoid feeling negative emotions that usually come with it. It can quite literally save your life if you tend to be lost in thought when driving, climbing or doing anything else that requires you to be alert.
I share some of my favorite meditation resources in this post here. But in short, my favorite tool is the Waking Up meditation app created by a neuroscientist, philosopher and author Sam Harris.
- NUTRITION.
Although veganism is not about achieving perfect health, it is important that we learn why eating a whole food plant-based diet is the best for our wellbeing.
Veganism is more than just not eating our fellow animals but at the same time, that is how most of us started.
You want to wake up in the morning feeling energized, mentally capable and physically prepared for whatever life may throw at you. Not only for yourself but for the sake of those you are trying to help as well.
- OBSTACLES.
I don’t think I need to point out that you will encounter many obstacles as you transition to a vegan lifestyle.
Being prepared and knowing what to expect is half the battle as you will want to handle challenges mindfully and with grace.
Arm yourself with the necessary tools that will provide you with all the knowledge you will need on this exciting journey. My whole website is dedicated to doing just that for you.
- PROGRESS.
Focus on the progress you are making and not on the big goal you want to achieve. At least in the beginning.
Many will go vegan overnight, but some won’t. Maybe you’re one of these people, that’s okay, I was too.
What helps when your mind starts throwing negative thoughts of failure at you, is focusing on how far you’ve already come. It may not seem like you made any significant progress but that’s only because you are not paying attention.
Be proud of every step you make because it’s taking you to a very beautiful place.
- QUALITY.
This one goes for everything, from consuming quality information to buying quality products.
Be strict when allowing anything to enter your life because the impact it will have on you can be fatal. You don’t want low energy and false information to have a place in your home – physical and mental.
You also don’t want to feed your body with fast food that is so heavily produced you can’t even recognize 50% of the ingredients.
- REST.
There is time to play, there is time to work and there is time to rest.
If you feel tired and overwhelmed, slow down and give your body and mind space to breathe. If you overwork them, they will shut down.
You are a priority. You are the most important thing in your life. If you’re not feeling it yet, or believing it, now is the time to start.
One of the things I always, always, always say is that you can’t help anyone if you are dead. It’s true.
- SLOW.
I am repeating some lessons here because they are truly that important to be remembered.
One of them is to take things slowly if needed.
I took 11 months to transition mindfully to a vegan lifestyle and, honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing if I could go back. It helped me get to where I am today.
Mindfully move towards living a fully plant-based life and take one step at a time. It will be good for you. That way you can serve those who need you from a place of knowing you chose this lifestyle consciously, you weren’t pushed or shamed into it.
- TALK.
There is a difference between being pushy and simply having a conversation.
In the beginning, you may feel called to make statements that trigger people and your inner fighter may want to come out. That’s normal.
But you have to have conversations with them and be open to hearing their arguments. It’s how we become better people and more compassionate activists. No one grows in silence.
Who knows, maybe you inspire someone to join you but you will never know if you don’t start talking to people, not fighting.
- URGENCY.
I will be really honest with you, right now. Like, brutally honest.
Every second you take away from transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, you are supporting the death industries that enslave, abuse and murder your fellow animals.
I know this is very hard to hear. It hurts to be reminded that we contribute to the mass murder of innocent individuals who have done nothing to deserve it, but the truth hurts.
If you are still unsure if you are capable of doing this, may this be your sign – a reminder of what you can stop supporting, one day at a time.
- VULNERABILITY.
When you dare to look at what happens in slaughterhouses and other death facilities, there will be parts of you that will fight.
It is never easy being shown the darkness that surrounds us. We will feel uncomfortable, sad, angry, depressed and vulnerable.
You must feel vulnerable to be truly open to hearing about the facts that were hidden from you. Your heart has to be open and your mind clear.Â
Be willing to have your heart cracked wide open, tears falling to the ground, feeling anger and disgust, but deep within knowing that you are now empowered with the truth.
Remember, the truly brave and courageous individuals are the most vulnerable.
- WORK.
You will have to do the work, there is no way around it.
From reading about nutrition and ethics to talking to people who have done it before you, actions need to be taken to move forward.
You have lived a certain way for years (sometimes decades), so of course, things will be hard and changes won’t come that easily.
There are millions of people in this world who are doing the same thing as you are, so find strength in knowing you are not alone.
- YOU.
Another advice that I want to repeat.
YOU are a priority! You should be the most important thing in this universe… to you. Because if you put yourself second, you will sooner or later have to take a looooong break from doing what you love, because you will get sick.
Remember, if you are not capable of taking care of yourself, you are not capable of taking care of another being.Â
To save other animals you need to first save yourself.
- ZEST.
Do you have a zest for what you are about to do? Do you feel energized at the thought of finally becoming vegan?
If the answer is not a loud yes, why is that? Why are you not excited about this new lifestyle? Think about it.
I already gave you enough material to go through for you to build a solid foundation, but still… it is crucial you are willing to go vegan, not do it because of fear or shame or because you were bullied into it.
Let me know down in the comment section area which one of these tips is your favorite, okay?
These next few months can be pretty transforming if you decide to embark upon this vegan journey.
It won’t be without its challenges but what matters is that it will make your heart expand and grow even bigger than it already is.
If you take anything from this post may it be this: You have to know why you want it.Â
Shit will happen, people will mock you, your body might fight against the changes, but above all of that, your foundation (your why) has to stay intact. It’s the only thing that will keep you moving forward.
You got this. You are capable of any change and any progress. Going vegan is one of the best and most ethical choices you will ever make. Remember this when you feel like you are not good enough.Â
You want to lessen the number of individuals suffering, that makes you a hero.
If you want to learn how to create a sustainable eco-friendly vegan lifestyle please make sure you are following me on Pinterest and Instagram.
Tanja
