photo courtesy of Courtney Pool
Your resolution for the New Year might be to go vegan, or it might be to reach some goals towards eventually going vegan - say, by going vegetarian first. Or your resolution may be to have a cleaner and more balanced diet as a vegan already. The concept of resolutions in our society is almost cliché because the majority of people do not keep them. Of the people who actually make resolutions and start following them, only a percentage keep them for more than a couple weeks, or even a couple months if determined.
Most diet stories are crash-and-burn ones. Something about how we’re viewing or implementing our intention causes us to bite the dust – hard. We have to ask ourselves, “How can I follow through with this resolution so I can succeed with it?” or, “What changes can I make towards my goal that won’t cause me to crash-and-burn?”
One of the best approaches is to simply go slow. “What new action can I take every day, that would cause me to stretch a little; to be out of my comfort zone a little, but which I know I could do consistently?” Here are some examples of changes people make:
- I will try one new vegan recipe every week.
- I will eat vegan every breakfast (or lunch, or dinner).
- I will eat one salad every single day.
- I will make one 16-oz glass of green juice every day.
- I will carry only vegan food with me as snacks (such as trail mix and fruit).
When one habit sticks, you can take on a new one. Slowly, the changes turn into lifestyle habits that you barely notice, and over time, you will reach your goal. The only way to succeed with any dietary change is to make it sustainable.
Making small, consistent changes and going slowly depends on your ability to be honest and non-judgemental with yourself. You are meeting yourself where you are at. Most of us would like to ignore the reality that dietary changes involve emotional and mental readiness, and we expect and demand of ourselves an incredibly rapid pace in ‘getting there’. If you’re not emotionally ready to let go of certain choices, you won’t. So, being gentle with yourself, while simultaneously working to let go of your emotional attachment to certain foods, is what will create lasting change.
There are a minority of people who can and do make change overnight, and stick with it. Sometimes we just have enthusiasm that won’t be thwarted no matter what comes our way. That’s fine! For some people at certain phases of their lives, with certain changes, it’s just time. But usually slow, consistent changes are what works. It’s not a race, nor do we need to get down on ourselves for needing to go slow.
This year, make small, consistent changes at whatever pace suits you to ensure long-term success in your healthy, compassionate vegan diet!
