“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Alice Walker
Veganism – or being ‘plant-based’ – isn’t fully mainstream (yet). So, you will be swimming against ‘the norm’.
You may feel comfortable about this, or uneasy. If you are not understood by your family, friends or community it’s important that you don’t feel alone.
Reach out and connect with real life vegans and positive online plant-based communities (pages 40-41 of the eBook) and your favourite inspiring role models via social media (pages 8-12 of the eBook).
Don’t feel guilty if you waiver from 100% vegan occasionally. Simply take steps towards your goal each day. If your motivation dips, don’t give yourself a hard time.
Just re-watch Earthlings, Forks Over Knives, Cowspiracy or UNITY to remind yourself why you made this compassionate choice, and get back on the vegan wagon!
As for dealing with people who give you a hard time with your new lifestyle?
Unethical, uninformed or uneducated people should not advise others about how to live their lives. You need to do what you know is right in your heart once you know the facts.
It can be really hard when the people you love the most and are closest to don’t understand or even criticise you.
However, it’s not your job to change anyone’s mind.
As French philosopher André Gide said, “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you’re not.”
All you can do is take care of your side of the street by using your life for good.
Similarly, don’t be disheartened if you are castigated by vegans or non-vegans for ‘not doing it right’.
Donald Watson founded The Vegan Society specifically for people who ate a plant-based DIET.
Going forward
You may choose to have:
- A vegan diet (no animal products as food);
- A vegan lifestyle (no animal products in any area of life);
- A plant-based diet (as it sounds);
- … or allow dairy only when no vegan options are available (a flexitarian, ambivegan or transvegan).
Ways to get connected:
- Find a gathering at your local health food shop. Start with Google.
- Check out Meetup.com or start your own group.
- Network locally on the Vegan Amino app for iPhones and Android.
- Volunteer at your local animal sanctuary, i.e. The Humane Society (USA) or find charities like my favourite Five Kick-ass Changemaking Charities in your own country to get involved with.
- Join Facebook groups, forums, and ‘like’ vegan FB pages.
Step #4 Actions:
In conclusion, this is the time to plant the seeds and watch them grow. So you don’t end up feeling isolated, it’s important to nurture your positive plant-based connections over time.
- This week, reach out and connect with real life vegans and positive online plant-based communities. (See links on pages 40-41 if you have purchased the eBook).
- Spend at least an hour browsing and saving you favourite websites in Bookmarks. Make a note in your calendar to revisit.
- Use the worksheet to go down the list and devise a connection plan you can stick to.
>> Download / print / fill PDF planner <<
Go to the final Step 5: Be The Change!
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