Staying Vegan

What I've always wanted people around me to understand is that initially yes, choosing to be vegan/plant-based takes willpower at first. That dedication transitions to lifestyle, and there's more where that comes from too. That source of devotion once practiced over time, is so easily transferred to other ways of life. If you can commit to a plant-based diet, you can probably commit to anything...

It's easy to "cheat" or relapse and get off track when it comes to giving something up. My personal experience included waiting to put a label on this decision until after 3 months. It's like a potential relationship. You don't know exactly "what this is". Is it permanent? Will this be the diet I have for the rest of my life? Do I even want to tell people yet? I didn't know the answers so I didn't define myself as a vegan, yet. :)

The reason my Veganniversary is March 15th is because after eating plant-based for 3 months with no label, I went on my freshman year of college spring break. I ate whatever was convenient in Gulf Shores, Alabama with much regret, and little to no vegan grocery shopping experience while living in a dorm. Like wtf do I do??? I ate shrimp, deli meat (eeeyucckkk), and I'll never forget how sick I felt. The day I returned to Denton, Texas it was a done deal. I never looked back. Never had meat again amen!!!

My advice to anyone wanting to "go vegan" is to start by educating yourself (see my other blog post that includes resources), let yourself use up any non-vegan items in the house, and simply don't rebuy. Replace every item with a vegan alternative.