If you decide to go vegan, you'll inevitably face challenges and sometimes get frustrated. That's okay and expected.
What I don't want is for you to give up when you hit the inevitable road bumps. So here are five reasons why you shouldn't quit.
Reason #1: You don’t really want to support factory farming
When you buy animal products, you support factory farming.
The Impact on the Animals
Factory farming is an industry that is known for its cruelty, violence, and murder of animals that are bred for food. The animals live unnaturally short lives in unsanitary and uncomfortable conditions you wouldn’t accept for your companion animal.
The Impact on Surrounding Communities
Factory farming is an industry that creates environmental (and, by extension, community) pollution.
Because factory farms don't have sewage processing plants, animal feces is stored in waste lagoons that emit toxic airborne chemicals or sprayed over fields, where winds carry it into nearby communities.
Runoff is one of the leading causes of pollution in our rivers and lakes. In certain areas, the pollution creates algae blooms that use all of the water’s oxygen and kill marine life.
The Impact on Employees
Factory farming is an industry that puts profits before its workers’ physical and mental health.
Suffering on factory farms is not limited to animals. The people who work in these facilities also suffer. Unlike the animals who aren't protected from the ammonia and bacteria-filled air, the people who work there wear protective masks, but still suffer from respiratory issues. Their work is dangerous, and many workers are injured on the job.
In addition, the constant killing takes a mental toll on the people whose job is to slaughter and mutilate animals.
“These employees are hired to kill animals, such as pigs and cows that are largely gentle creatures. Carrying out this action requires workers to disconnect from what they are doing and from the creature standing before them. This emotional dissonance can lead to consequences such as domestic violence, social withdrawal, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, and PTSD.”
(Source: PTSD Journal and Mercy for Animals)
Reason #2: There’s a community cheering you on
So many of us have lived this life for 10, 20, and 30 years. So while it might feel like you're alone, you're not.
Connect with a local or virtual community on Facebook, Reddit, or Meetup.
There are local Facebook groups for most cities:
This is the Subreddit that I’m in:
There are so many more:
There are also local Meetup groups for many cities. You might want to expand your search to include Vegetarian:
Ask questions, ask for support, ask for help. We’ve all been in your position and are here to encourage you.
Reason #3: It’s more than a diet
“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
By definition, veganism is grounded in compassion and non-violence toward animals.
If you share these values, you want to align your behavior with them. The alternative is cognitive dissonance, which can take a toll on you over time.
Cognitive Dissonance: The state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.
Reason #4: It's an opportunity for personal growth and development
Continuing your vegan journey, even when it gets hard, can be a challenging yet rewarding experience that provides an opportunity for self-awareness and personal growth.
You will develop discipline and resilience as you navigate through different scenarios, such as social gatherings and traveling.
You will learn to make conscious decisions and stand by your beliefs, even when faced with adversity. By reflecting on your values and choices, you can better understand yourself and your place in the world.
Ultimately, these skills and insights can benefit your life, extending beyond your dietary choices and into your relationships, career, and overall well-being.
Reason #5: It gets easier with time
While it might not be evident to you, going vegan requires learning new information and skills. It might seem like you’re just making new food choices. However, there’s more going on under the surface.
This revelation prompted me to write The Vegan Roadmap Digital Workbook, where I teach you the skills and knowledge necessary to have a successful vegan journey that you feel confident continuing for as long as you want.
As soon as the idea came to me, I realized that I had reached a state of Unconscious Competence.
My dearly departed dad taught me this framework of the four stages of competence or learning years ago, and it has always stuck with me.
It’s why I often tell people that one of the biggest challenges with going vegan is that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Because of this, you might not give yourself the necessary grace and patience when you're at the bottom of the triangle.
And you might attribute your challenges to a lack of will or ability. When, in fact, it’s just a lack of knowledge or skills. You can learn both of those. They aren’t insurmountable obstacles, but you must first identify them.
If you want to succeed, this journey requires you to approach it with a sense of curiosity and a growth mindset.