Going vegan is a big deal at first! But after a while, you settle into it and it becomes easier. Habitual. There is a learning curve, however. So today I wanted to talk to you about all those lessons from veganism that I’ve gained over the years.
1) Food is creation; there isn’t just one way
Before going vegan, I had a very fixed idea of food. I considered cheese something that you took from the milk of a cow. (Which you then curdled and added salt and preservatives of whatever necessary sorts, and then there it was.) Then, once you had cheese, you could make pizza, or lasagna. But I’ve since learned that cheese doesn’t have to be just from cow’s milk. And furthermore, that pizza and lasagna don’t have to have cheese.
Within vegan cooking, there are a lot of little choices to make. Do you go for something that is more “realistic”, or do you focus on whole food solutions? And if you ask me, it’s all these little decisions that make vegan cooking so creative and interesting! It certainly gets easier with time, but I’ve found it to be an incredibly nuanced and beautiful form of expression.
I love making a familiar dish vegan. It is nourishing and so much fun to share with others — especially when you are able to broaden people’s perceptions about what vegan food “must” be. And the more tools I learn about making favorite foods vegan, the more clever my food becomes!
2) Just because it’s popular doesn’t make it right
The main shock of going vegan (for me) had to do with the fact that it is so uncommon. In some ways, all we have to measure our actions against are our own thoughts and understandings, and that which others tell us. While I had heard “what’s popular isn’t always right, and what’s right isn’t always popular” before as a young person, I don’t think I had concretely seen it until I began delving into the philosophy of veganism.
My parents weren’t telling me this was right. Neither did any holy book I knew of, and I had never met a vegan in real life. And while that was confusing and a bit daunting, I’m so glad that I went through with it anyway.
As the years went by, I found that I had more respect for myself, because I was sticking to what I believed was right, even if it made others think that I was silly or weird or too sensitive. And it’s a wonderful feeling that I’ve earned by staying true to my values and holding myself accountable instead of expecting others to do so for me.
3) Good people support bad things when they’re normalized
Upon realizing “what’s popular isn’t always right”, the first thing many feel the urge to do after going vegan is to tell everybody about veganism. And I was no different. I thought that if those around me would just see what I saw, heard what I heard and knew what I now knew, they would certainly make the switch. I was wrong. (Very wrong.)
The truth is, I wasn’t hanging around with “bad people”. I wouldn’t call them uncaring or lacking compassion. I know they were the kind of people who wanted to make the world a better place, too. But their glasses were colored with normalcy. And when something becomes normal, due to cognitive dissonance, we defend it.
I wish simply hearing facts was enough to change a person’s mind, but there really is a lot more to the art of persuasion. It didn’t matter if they hypothetically agreed with the ideas that I was presenting (ie., going vegan due to the practices of animal agriculture), they could not get past this vague idea of “this is what I’ve always done, so it must be fine”. Some people are just in that space.
4) Coping with big differences
It hurts to see good people react so coldly to an important cause, but it is a good lesson ultimately. It’s good to know that facts aren’t enough. You have to hear where a person is at, and address the feelings that make up the basis of their decision. But more than anything, it’s good to realize that being a “good person” isn’t so black and white.
We’re all beholden to our own flawed conscience. It’s a mix of what we’ve seen and been told ever since we were little. And as we grow older, we have a chance of putting our own little sprinkle of logic and growth on top of it. And other people, even the good ones, are no different. Most of us don’t want to cause harm. Most of us want to consider ourselves good people. And it’s easy to feel like we are, until something comes along to make us uncomfortable.
The philosophy of veganism is that little irritant for many. It makes them see things differently, and see themselves differently. For some, the idea makes them reject an identity that they used to hold. And for others, due to their identity, they reject the idea. It’s important to learn sooner or later that even good people support some bad things. Especially when they’re normalized. But also, how to navigate that, both outwardly, and also within yourself. If you’re looking for more advice about how to handle the feelings that come with these differences, check out this post about “What to do with the vegan anger“.
5) You could be really wrong about something you take for granted
When I first went vegan, it felt as if the whole world had been lying to me ever since I could remember. But I think the second most difficult feeling to come to terms with was the fact that I had been so wrong.
I grew up like any middle-American child, and I ate cheese and ice cream. I loved meat, and it didn’t occur to me that there might be something wrong with any of that. When I found out about veganism, well, it was difficult. I had to accept the fact that I had been participating in something that was against my values for a long time, and frequently!
And the truth is, it’s not just veganism. Any time you don’t know how something works and take it for granted, you might be unwittingly causing some things that you would not support. You, right now, vegan or not, might be a huge hypocrite.
But there’s something so wonderful that comes with that. Because once you become teachable, you’re free. Both to embrace your humanity (which involves imperfection), but also to change, to evolve, to improve! You can make a big difference in the world around you, once you’re finally willing to address the ways in which you might be lacking right now.
6) You can say no (even if it’s hard, even if it’s inconvenient, and even if you look weird)
And I think the biggest thing that going vegan taught me was how to unapologetically say no. Being the kind of person who likes to be accommodating and make people comfortable, I’ve always had a hard time putting my foot down. But a lifestyle decision as firm as veganism has forced me to learn about boundaries.
The truth is, your boundaries don’t reflect an opinion on the lives of others, and the reverse is also true. Just because someone has a boundary that makes you uncomfortable doesn’t mean they’re making a judgment on you either.
When you’re vegan (and your social circles aren’t), you’re going to start saying no to things that it may have never occurred to someone else that a person could have a problem with. Accepting this difference of perspective gives you an edge in life. “I can stand up for myself and how I want to spend my life, but we can still coexist if you’re willing to accept me in your life as well.” While I may not say yes to your chocolate cake, that doesn’t mean we can’t see each other on your birthday. I could even bring a vegan cake next time.
I really treasure these years of living a vegan lifestyle, even with all their challenges. It’s such a blessing to learn to live outside of the norm with grace and respect. It will make so many things that much easier in life, once you get it down.
What have you learned from being vegan or making a change to a lifestyle outside of the norm? Let us know in the comments! And have a great day!