“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” ~ Socrates
Adopting a vegan lifestyle has its challenges and you may be the biggest challenge you will face. In fact, most of us set expectations that are so unreasonable we are destined to fail. To succeed we need to start by being honest with ourselves. It is imperative that we know thyself when it comes to change.
Change does not come easy. Change is incredibly difficult, and it gets worse as we age.
We have developed habits and patterns that are ingrained into our daily thoughts and actions. These habits and patterns have been developed for years. They are a part of who we are, or more accurately stated, we are the collection of our habits and patterns.
Adopting a vegan lifestyle is a huge change for most people. We have both a mental and physical connection with our eating habits. To change those habits can be extraordinarily difficult for some, while others can do it overnight.
If we know how we personally process and adopt change, we can effectively develop a strategy for the successful transition to the vegan lifestyle.
The Switch Flipper
There are people who are able to seemingly flip a switch and adopt a change in their life. They make a decision and then BOOM, behavior altered!
However, there is a risk of failure in the sustained transition for the switch flipper. As easy as it was for the switch to be flipped, it can be flipped back. It takes discipline for the switch flipper to not switch back. Impulsiveness is the enemy.
The Meanderer
Other people need to test alternatives to see what works best for them. They go car dealership to car dealership, test driving one car after another. They think a sedan suits their needs until they test drive an SUV. After reading a negative review about the manufacturer of the SUV, they look elsewhere, not wanting to make a wrong decision.
The meanderer wants to eat better. With so many diets being touted, the meanderer tries the Keto diet until they read about someone whose blood pressure went up while on the diet. They turn next to the Mediterranean diet. After watching a YouTube video discussing the oil and carbs consumed on the Mediterranean diet, they try Paleo. Can you relate?
The failure risk for the meanderer in adopting the vegan lifestyle is that they do not stick with the plan long enough to enjoy the lifestyle benefits. Too soon, they will abandon veganism and try something else.
The Resister
The non-adopter, or slow adopter, resists change at all cost. Though advised that they need to change, they will fight tooth and nail against it. The resister is happy with the status quo…or are they?
The resister is fearful of change. Comfortable with what they know and what they are doing, they believe that change will take extraordinary effort. They tend to look at what they are giving up rather than what they are gaining.
The resister may try to change but will quickly abandon all efforts. They lie to themselves and others, claiming they tried but it did not work for them.
In the adoption of a vegan lifestyle, the resister may take the form of your spouse, your parents, or your children. The risk is that the resister may rub off on someone trying to change, wearing them down into submission.
The Strategy
Once you have figured out who you are when it come to adopting change, you are now able to develop your strategy for transitioning to veganism.
If you are a Switch Flipper, develop routines to eliminate impulsive decisions and reinforce the discipline you have maintained. This may require a constant review of why you are adopting veganism (see my blog post on Finding Your Why). The continual review will help internally reinforce why you chose this lifestyle.
If you are The Meanderer, your strategy should be to give the transition sufficient time. Start with one day of eating vegan. Eliminate meat, eggs, and dairy for one day. Then try to do so every other day for a month. Next remove anything that has legs from your diet. Little by little, these actions towards going vegan will make a difference. This journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and you should treat it as such.
Last, if you are The Resister, please try to have an open mind. Enjoy trying new foods. Experiment with different cuisines. Find ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet while reducing the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy. If your loved one is trying to adopt veganism, be supportive. Don’t make mealtime difficult on them. Try what they are serving and if you don’t like it, eat some leftovers or make an egg. I am sure your loved one will appreciate you trying. And if you are the person trying to become vegan, don’t give in to what is easy to appease The Resister. You are doing this for you, not for them.
Conclusion
Do you see yourself fitting into one of these groups?
Be honest with yourself in how you are going to transition to veganism. Everyone is different. If you know thyself and approach this journey with that understanding, you will have a greater chance of success!
