Why I’m Vegan

In case you're about to look away, this blog post is not a campaign to convert you, and it really isn't about veganism. Nor is it triggering. So if you're worried, I promise- read on!

This is a story worth telling because it has everything to do with me starting this journey of living authentically, and understanding what that means for me. And living a life of authenticity looks different for everyone. What triggered my journey of self reflection and path towards authenticity was a traumatic work related situation that forced me to really open my eyes, and look around me. Look at all the things I was ignoring, making excuses for, or not wanting to believe to be true. It was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. I found that once my eyes were open, I couldn't shut them. Frankly, it was a really draining period of time in my life. It sort of opened pandora's box. It was like once I opened my eyes to one area of my life, I couldn't shut them in other areas.

I was in between jobs and trying to figure out my next move and my new path forward. Netflix had lots of suggestions about how I could spend my time. And as Netflix does, it recommended things I "might" like. I've always been a foodie, so I'm always into watching shows like Top Chef, etc. So Netflix tended to recommend a lot of food related shows. I also watch a fair amount of documentaries. So I didn't think twice when there was a foodie documentary suggested to me. The exact name of it was pretty generic. It certainly wasn't "watch this and you'll become vegan." So I watched the documentary, which was about the food we eat… where it comes from… how it happens… you get the point. My interest in this point isn't to go into detail on exactly what I witnessed. You can do that if you'd like on your own. What I can tell you is this- the things I saw, I could not unsee. It was like…. I knew these things intellectually, but I didn't make the connection until I saw it right in front of me. And when I did in that moment all I could think was that consuming animals in any way, including any products that come from animals, are tested on animals, etc- is inauthentic to who I am. I am someone who loves animals deeply. Why would I allow any harm to come their way? It's that simple. After being introduced through this one documentary, I decided to do my research. I continued watching multiple documentaries, reading, listening to podcasts etc. on the subject. I basically binged vegan content over 12 hours, and I became vegan that day.

It wasn't an easy decision to make. Food is so complicated. It's part of our culture, it's part of family traditions, it's how we bond. Consuming animal products is considered the norm in our society. So it was a pretty fully loaded call to ignore all those elements in favor of veganism. But while it was hard, it was also simple. Let me explain. What I've learned from becoming vegan and from that chain of events is that when a decision you make comes from your morales and values, in some ways it's the simplest decision to make. I'm not vegan sometimes, or when it's convenient. I'm vegan all the time, because that's who I am. That's what I value, and I want to be someone who lives with integrity and authenticity.

Is your life a reflection of your values? So often we say things are important to us, but our life isn't a reflection of those values. And believe me- I'm not saying I'm perfect, or that I live in perfect authenticity all the time. There are other areas of my life that are still a work in progress. There are things I'd like to do better. But when you feel strongly enough about something that is important to you, you'll make the commitment to prioritize it. It just so happened that animal welfare became top of my list of values after opening my eyes to the situation.

We're all going to have different morals and values, and we're all going to have different priorities. And frankly, that's what makes the world go round. We all have different things we're contributing to, to make the world a better place. Some values and priorities are higher on the list than others for each one of us. Sometimes we overcomplicate things, overthink them. I am a habitual over thinker. But are we taking action on the things that are most important to us? Or are we just feeling shame about them? Are we putting our money where we value it? I constantly feel guilty about some of the places I shop (Amazon) and some of the products I buy (fast fashion). I know that isn't a reflection of my values. But my current situation dictates that my budget at this time doesn't allow me to choose differently.  So instead of shaming myself about it, I recognize that this is where I'm at at this particular point- and I do the best I can. I minimize my consumption as much as possible, and I have a goal of where I'd like to get to when I'm in a different financial position.  I also recognize that of the many things I care about, this isn't my #1 cause at this particular stage in my life. And that can change. I'm bringing this up as a way to encourage us all to look at our lives and how they reflect our values. To take a look at how we spend our time, where we spend our money, etc. and to ask ourselves if it's a reflection of who we are and what we value. Maybe your priority is your family. Maybe it's your purpose. Maybe it's your religion. Maybe it's the environment. It's different for each one of us. There are endless things to care about on this planet, and we're all different. We all came here with different missions. I truly believe that if every one of us does our small part to focus on just one thing we care deeply about, we're all better off.

P.s. if you do happen to want to pick my brain about veganism, you can always reach out. I'm happy to answer any questions or share anything that could be helpful to you, and in a very judgement free way <3

Xo