Celebrating Small Victories

It has been four years since I adopted a vegan lifestyle, but it wasn't until last week that I felt a shift in awareness from my family.  And it was self motivated: My eldest daughter made a comment to a friend that she wasn't eating marshmallows any more unless they were vegan (for the horses).  I would like to think my post on Dandies had something to do with that!  Then, my husband mentioned in a conversation that he had replaced dairy milk in his morning cereal with almond milk.  I was giddy with delight.  

These may not seem like major dietary changes towards veganism, but for me, they are huge victories.  As the grocery shopper and cook for the family, my kids and hubby eat primarily vegan and mostly vegetarian at home.  They some times grumble or tease me as they anticipate their evening meal, asking, "Is it vegan?"  My cooking is met with skepticism often, but luckily, usually surprises and pleases.  So, when I learned about the marshmallow and dairy milk changes to their diets, I did an internal jump for joy.

Maybe I am making a difference.  Maybe my example is making my family think about their choices and consider things anew.  If you are also following a vegan lifestyle that can feel ostracizing at times, I urge you to remember that change is felt over time.  As are all things in life, it is a journey, not a sprint.  As vegans, I believe we are change agents, helping to make the world a better place.  If we can influence someone else to make similar changes, how great is that? 

As I celebrate my family's wins, I encourage you to make one small change towards a plant-based diet.  Whether you switch out your dairy milk, go meatless on Mondays, give up cheese, or try vegan for a week, it all makes a difference - to the animals and our planet.