Be the change you wish to see in the world.
~ Mahatma Ghandi
If we truly care about our world, the people, animals, and the environment, we would take action to increase awareness and personal accountability for our thoughts, words, and deeds. Our ultimate goal would be to end our participation in the violence and abuse that has become the norm in many societies. Please understand that taking action does not have to be an all or nothing endeavour, many small choices can result in amazingly big shifts.
In 1999, my body and mind hit a wall. I was diagnosed with serious illness and not-diagnosed with depression (it was the ’90s and mental health was a relatively new discussion in mainstream medical offices). I was sent home with a couple of prescriptions that had some pretty serious side effects (yes, I read the inserts) and appointments with medical specialists but there was no discussion or information as to why this was happening to me.
After the initial shock of the diagnosis wore off, I began educating myself. Drawing on research and studies within the volumes and volumes of information available on health and wellness. I discovered that we are systematically destroying our health and our planet through over consumption. At that time, I also adhered to the teachings of yoga and meditation which advocate non-violence and a vegetarian way of eating. I learned how to be less destructive to myself and my world. Most importantly, I came to realize that the only way to implement lasting change is to change ourselves … one conscious action at a time.
Many of the studies that I looked at agreed that anything we subject ourselves to on a daily basis has a huge impact on whether or not our bodies and minds are functioning optimally. This includes everything we consume whether it be what we eat, what we watch, read, or listen to, as well as our own thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. I needed to make changes in order to heal. Hatha yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices became my life’s work. I also took a long hard look at food. It is something we indulge in daily, and I have always believed that what we put into our body matters. I thought it would be the easiest thing to control and the simplest place to start. My body was in a state of serious dis-ease.
There are many long-term evidentiary scientific studies proving that a diet heavy in animal meat and bovine dairy is making us sicker and sicker. My journey began with simply removing “red” meat from my diet. I continued to eat poultry, fish and dairy products for a number of years. As I evolved into a plant-based way of eating, I chose to stop supporting the forced breeding, slaughter, and abuse of animals for their flesh. I live in a part of the world that has no need to consume animal products in order to survive, so why would I continue to do so?
It seems to me that the biggest obstacle or challenge is that change takes work. Most people I know, would love to see our world change, yet refuse to take any steps to create that change. There seems to be an attitude of, ‘why bother, no one around me will do this with me’, and so they give up before they even begin. I have also found that many people are curious about a plant-based way of eating, but not at all interested in giving it a chance because, ‘I could never give up cheese and without meat I would die, right?’ Well, no. You won’t die, and most likely you will become healthier than you have been in a long while – at least, that has been my experience. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, who is a renowned author and advocate of a vegan lifestyle often says, “Don’t do nothing because you can’t do everything, do something, anything.”
This is not an all or nothing journey. Mine has been a long, slow, winding, occasionally fall in the ditch adventure. We can’t expect change to happen overnight. It is a process of continually having to question our habits and beliefs while dealing with the pushback of others. Change happens one conscious step at a time. It’s about doing the best we can on any given day, and reminding ourselves that doing something, anything, is better than pretending we cannot do anything at all.
My greatest struggle tends to be around celebratory occasions and family traditions. I am the only one in my family and have just a couple of friends in my life who embrace this plant-based way of eating. I make a point of bringing food to events and gatherings. That way I can share the deliciousness of what I make AND have a choice as to what I eat! When it comes to our traditional holiday meals, just because it’s what we’ve always done doesn’t mean it’s good for us. When we gather with friends and family to celebrate and break bread, it is the camaraderie and fellowship that is most important. When we choose to live a life filled with compassion and kindness, we need to look at why we believe one life is more valuable than another (consider family pets versus the animals slaughtered for food) … We always have a choice of whether or not to be compassionate. I know we can do better at creating a kinder, more compassionate world, and for me that means one plant-based meal and snack at a time.
Be kind, eat your veggies, and smile at strangers.
Wendy
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