It was sometime during November 2007 that I went from being a lacto-ovo vegetarian to becoming a vegan. Unlike my vegetarianism (which started October 2006), going vegan wasn’t an overnight thing. It was a fairly gradual transition. In hindsight, I could have, and really should have, made the change sooner. (How best to go about going vegan is something I plan to cover in another post in the near future.)
So, three years and two months of veganism. Has it changed me as a person?
No. But very much Yes.
Going vegan isn’t joining a cult. I’m still very much me. Yet it has changed me. It’s changed the way I perceive certain things, especially in regards to the rights of other sentient beings. I honestly feel it has made me more compassionate, more empathetic towards animals, people and planet.
On a practical level, it very much shapes the way I live. And that’s not just avoiding animal products in food, clothing and toiletries – it’s avoiding cruelty in as many areas of my life as I can. It’s not supporting animal circuses, for example. It’s getting involved in vegan and animal rights outreach and activism to try and create positive change.
So yes, being vegan has had a profound effect on my life.
I’m sure many will agree with me. And many will disagree. Your veganism, like pretty much everything, is personal to you.
Please feel free to share how veganism has affected you as a person, or your lifestyle.
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