So I remembered a conversation I had with a veggie friend a while ago. In a nutshell: Them: I don't have the willpower for vegan. It's so hard. Me: Maybe its more about doing your best? And not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. It went something like this…
Them: Hey, are you vegan?
Me: In the process of the transition.
Them: How far along in the process?
Me: Tried the 30 day challenge and love it. I must admit I haven't been perfect. But, otherwise, am full force! I guess 2 months or so with a couple of cheats.
Them: I've been veggie for 4 years
Them: Don't have the willpower for vegan. My (significant other) has been veggie for like 15 years and (they’ve) tried vegan but it’s so hard.
Me: Well after reading and learning a lot lately, I've decided to make the change. Yea it is hard. But I'm managing. It takes a LOT of creativity. And it’s not convenient. But I can't seem to think of any other arguments that would change my mind to go back at this point.
Them: It's a great change. Do you notice a difference in how you feel?
Me: Oh gosh yes! The first week was amazing. Even after less than a week eating no animal products I had never had so much energy. And I had a strange "clean" feeling about myself. It was weird. Kinda the opposite of when you eat a huge meaty deep fried meal and feel like crap lol. I never thought I could (do it) either. I thought there was no way. But the more I read. The more I learned how. And that's all it took.
Them: I know it's the right thing to do but it's so hard for my lifestyle right now. I’m sure when I move out with my (significant other) we'll both go full vegan.
Me: Yea. But that's ok. No point in forcing yourself. You'll probably hate it if you do. If it's not the right thing now, that's ok. Like you said, maybe it will be in the future. But I say, screw the all or nothing crap! Maybe it’s a few vegan meals a week. Maybe it’s a vegan day a week. Some is better than none. And that way you could start preparing for when you do make the change, even if it’s a slow process. And it’s harder if we feel like we're depriving ourselves. Right now, I don't feel deprived of anything. And a couple of months ago I ate cheese on like everything. And I was eating meat.
Them: For me it's mostly about the availability of food. There's not many places around my work where I can get vegan food. And I have no time to grocery shop.
Me: Yea, for sure. I hear that! Vegan is sooo hard to do when eating away from home. I'm learning different choices - veggie burgers, falafel is a fave lately, veggie sushi rolls, veggie tempura, etc. I even went to the keg and ate vegan. And I don't freak out if someone puts mayo on when I didn't know it came with it. I just wipe it off.
Them: I love sushi and veggie burgers. But what do you do about the burger bun?
Me: Well apparently Harvey's is vegan
Them: The bun? I don't think it is. I think it contains egg.
Me: Well I've heard that there is an allergy alert, but there are no eggs listed in the ingredients list. So I know what you mean. And I guess that's where I'm not so picky. I'm still in the transition and I definitely haven''t been perfect. But I figure, I'm doing it for me. Not for anyone else or to impress anyone else. I know that sounds weird. But I'd rather do it as best as I can even if it’s not perfect. I could say it’s too hard and not do it at all. Or I can choose to do it the best I can considering how stupid hard it can be. I'm choosing not to eat meat/dairy/animal products when the ingredients are obvious. (I always read them now). But I also have to be realistic and still need to eat.
Them: Yeah and it's better an nothing
Me: It will take time for me to learn everything. And I guess I say vegan cause its easier than explaining that I don't eat animal products for the most part lol. I'm not so much into the vegan term. Cause technically some would say I should never wear leather shoes again, etc. But I will do my best to make conscious decisions from now on about what I buy and lessen my impact on the planet and on animal life.
Them: Yeah that's the hardest part too. Adapting your whole life to it. For example my car has leather seats which I'm not crazy about the idea, but what can I do?
Me: Yea. And that's where the term and the definition do the cause a disservice. Some things are unavoidable or reallly friggin' hard to avoid. And really, we live it a world that is not at all conducive to the lifestyle at the moment.
Them: I agree. But there’s also a positive movement towards consciousness. If only intelligence would follow.
Me: I guess with the whole vegan diet. I think it truly is the best way to eat for every reason I can think of other than that it is inconvenient. All I want to do it tell people "put down that steak!" lol. But, instead, I just encourage that ppl be informed eaters. And whatever way they want to eat is fine as long as they know what they are eating. I just find ppl are so convinced that eating meat, etc., is the right way to eat. But, at the same time, don't want to learn otherwise. Ignorance is bliss? Maybe. And yea, I also think there is a movement happening. But sometimes we are our own worst enemies. When it comes to doing what's right for ourselves. As a whole species I mean. And that's why I say some is better than none. Even vegans are so focused on all or none and don't realize that that, in itself, makes ppl not make any change at all sometimes.
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