This year, I am celebrating 8 years of the plant-based lifestyle. But how did it all started?
One year before, I already decided from one day to another that I won't be eating meat or fish anymore. My mind just opened up to the thought that this is a living being that was killed just for my taste preferences - I simply didn't want to play a role in that scenario anymore.
So I made up my mind and went for vegetarian meals from that moment onward.
A few months later, my partner was researching a lot about the vegan lifestyle including the health benefits, environmental impact as well as ethical reasoning behind this way of living. I got curious and although at that time I thought I could never live without cheese - I was eager enough to try it myself for just one month.
I jump into the Veganuary Challenge in the beginning of 2014, tried lots of new recipes and really enjoyed this way of eating.
Actually, this wasn't too difficult after all and I wasn't missing cheese as much as I expected. Trying so many new vegan recipes simply showed me all that's out there in terms of flavour combinations and exciting dishes - this vegan thing is not about missing out or restriction oneself, it can be all about abundance, excitement and taste pleasure.
A few weeks afterwards, I was still going a bit back and forth until I made up my mind and decided that the challenge was worth it - I'm gonna be eating only vegan foods from now on. And I've never ever regretted that decision. It changed my life in so many ways - for the better.
Diving deeper into documentaries, articles, books and videos helped me tremendously to boost my willpower in the beginning when my mind was still wandering to animal products from time to time. I also stayed playful with new recipes and regularly surprised my family and friends with amazing plant-based creations which eased the social pressure and got other people curious about vegan foods as well. But at the end, the most important step was to set a firm intention and to actually start right away.
No overthinking. No procrastination. No excuses. Simply start!
The animals are worth it. Your body is worth it. The plant is worth it. - You can do it.
Have a peaceful day,
Anais
