You may be wondering Why Vegans Love Talking About Veganism. November is “World Vegan Month.” Starting on November 1st (World Vegan Day), vegans all over the world spend the month celebrating their vegan diet and compassionate lifestyle. A number of festivities honor the month, including: film showings, festivals, restaurant parties, and a host of online community gatherings. There are even virtual vegan potlucks where vegans meet-up online to share their favorite vegan dishes.
November is an opportune time to form friendships with those who share your “veganistic” values and understand why vegans love talking about veganism. It’s also a great time to spread the word about the benefits of veganism and help others to transition into a plant-based diet. But are we limited to this 30-day window of opportunity?
I was recently asked – What do you plan to do for World Vegan Month? I casually explained that I would be doing what I always do, which is sharing my knowledge of veganism and helping others to grasp the concept of living free from animal-dependency. And that’s exactly what I plan to do. I will take this month and spread it evenly across the remaining 11 in an effort to raise awareness of key issues surrounding veganism.
When I first started my vegan journey I knew very little about the lifestyle, or where to find information regarding it. Luckily, I had a friend who pointed me in the right direction. He was eager to explain to me the benefits and answer my “newbie” questions. It seemed as if he had a personal agenda.
I wondered about his motives for sharing such valuable information. I suppose we’re somewhat conditioned to think in this manner. As it would turn out, my friend didn’t want anything from me; he simply wanted to do his part in protecting the earth and all of its creatures, while seeing me perform at my best.
Since making the leap (which was an overnight affair), I’ve gained a sense of purpose and responsibility, thinking about why vegans love talking about veganism. I feel responsible to share with others what has been freely shared with me. Hence, the blog your reading right now. Vegans (or vegetarians for that matter) don’t talk about their lifestyles to stroke their own egos.
We are simply trying to break the cycle of naivety which has encompassed the world over. We see the nutritional benefits working in our favor. We understand the impact we’re making on the planet by reducing our carbon footprint. We know that lives are being saved by the simple choices we make day in and day out. So why wouldn’t we share a few tips with others?
But as we go about our daily lives, gabbing at the first spark of nutritional conversation, we earn ourselves a social stigma. People become turned off by our “over-excitement” about the topic. Or they may find themselves feeling unarmed (so to speak) so they avoid the conversation altogether.
While carrying the message is important, we should be doing so with care. Perhaps the best way to make an impression is to lead by example. That’s right, you may never even have to say a word to impact someone’s life. If we can even pique a person’s interest, the magic of Google may do the rest. And to me, that’s a job well done!
What inspires you to share your lifestyle with others? Are you compassionate when you talk about nutrition with non-vegans? Please leave a comment below.
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I said that I was not going to comment as much because I may be going overboard and then I read this and can't help myself, lol. As far as sharing my lifestyle I wait to bring up how it has affected me and hope that draws them in. I was talking to a lady today and we were talking about peri-menopause (I'm experiencing it early, just now turned 41) and told her that since I went vegan I'm not having any of the issues I was having. This lady is also going through it so maybe she will remember me and give a plant based diet a try. It's opportunities like this that I try to watch for because I think a better lived life is the best example when trying to share this lifestyle. I'm also inspired to share because I feel so much better and me rockin my 40's is going to get their attention 🙂 I think I'm experiencing awesomeness with this lifestyle and awesomeness feels great, lol. I went on my longest run Sunday and about mile 3 I started laughing and I had a huge smile on my face. I felt like I was stoned, not that I know what that feels like 😉 I wish everyone could experience this.
I seriously hope you don't keep from commenting because you think you comment too often. Comments are great! I love yours anyway 🙂
I like how you handled the situation with your friend. And I have now learned a new benefit to plant-based nutrition. Don't think I'll ever need it, but I can pass that on to other readers. And I totally get the "awesomeness" feeling you speak of. I finally got out and ran today after a recovery hiatus. It felt amazing to be back out on the road doing what I enjoy most. Like you said, a vegan diet improves our lives in ways we never imagine. Keep spreading the vegan love. And PLEASE keep commenting 😉
I was thinking I was commenting too often but you talked me into keeping it going 🙂 I'm glad to hear you were able to run, I have been wondering how you've been doing with recovery. I had to take a breather this week and today I could only go 1 1/2 miles because of pain. I'm running a long ways now but I still can't go the whole time without walking and it is really throwing me off. I land on the balls of my feet when I run but on my heels when I walk and the walking causes my foot to go to sleep and some pain with it. I think going back and forth is not good in minimalist shoes, at least for me and I'm trying to fix it but I haven't found the solution yet. I hate that I'm having to back off but it's better than getting hurt and being down for a long time. Have a good night 🙂