Think you can’t hack happiness? Think again!

Tags: conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, mindfulness, new years resolutions, vegan

A Refreshing Take on New Year’s Resolutions (EP 38: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Here we go again… The New Year is right around the corner and it’s time to consider resolutions… How will you go about deciding on one?

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

Are you fed up with making resolutions that you don’t keep? Maybe you see the tradition as pointless and you’ve given up on making one all together. You might even see resolutions as a great way to set yourself up to fail, yet again.

I get it! I haven’t made a New Year’s resolution in as long as I can remember. That doesn’t mean, however, that I don’t move into each new year with goals and dreams. In this episode Stephanie and I offer you an alternative to resolutions that will help you put a fresh spin on the yearly tradition right here, right now.

Alternative

Instead of one overwhelming resolution, let’s look at making simple, manageable commitments to yourself that will lead to replacing dis-empowering thought patterns and limiting beliefs with empowering ones. In order to do this, you’ll need to start by identifying the obstacles preventing you from stepping into your power.

Instead of weight loss as a resolution for example, I encourage you to first look at the reasons you want to lose the weight. Is your reasoning based on health and longevity because you love yourself and you want to be active into old age? Or is it because you hate your body, can’t stand to be in pictures, and avoid the mirror at all costs? If your reason is the latter, there are some deeper concerns to address.

The majority of our clients come into our Coaching Programs wanting to lose weight and change the shape of their bodies. What they must accept though, is the process for changing your body starts with your mindset. Loving, accepting, and respecting yourSELF AND your body as it is right now is the prerequisite for changing it.

We’re not talking about a quick fix here. We’re talking about doing the mental and emotional work it takes to get to a place where you make decisions out of pure love for yourself… Only then does will power no longer matter… Only then can you feel confident that you will continue to make the choices that will serve you best for the rest of your life (creating a sustainable lifestyle you love).

Using weight loss as the example, a commitment you may want to make to yourself in 2021 is to look in the mirror and say, “I am perfectly imperfect and I love, accept, and respect myself as I am right now,” every day (or whatever mantra hits home).

There you have it! If you find the perspective we’ve presented here intriguing, I encourage you to learn more about how you can transform your mindset, body, and life with the 6-Week Intuitive Food & Fitness Bootcamp, starting with our new QUIZ (free) HERE.

We’d also love to see you join our Empowered Vegan Life Facebook tribe for free support as you start this incredible new chapter in your life.

I’ll end with this… Kick the excuses to the curb right here, right now. You have the power to write a new story for your life in 2019! Let’s do this!!

– Ella

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE! (Plus an opportunity to book a Discovery Session with Ella!)

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22 Dec 2020

Tags: conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, mindfulness, moderation, vegan

Hogs & Kisses Facebook Page

Moderation… What’s That? (EP 37: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Both Stephanie and I agree that the old saying, “everything in moderation,” is overrated.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

The idea, “everything in moderation” has its place, but there are also parts of our lives where it can hold us back… Sometimes we need to be “all in!”

In episode 37 of The Vegan Life Coach Podcast we explore the intricacies of the idea that moderation is the ideal we should strive for. So many of our clients describe themselves as “all or nothing” type people, usually with a negative connotation. We discuss the ways in which you can harness such a quality to work to your benefit as well.

When it comes to aligning our actions with our values, for example, I have some “hard no’s” in my life. Consuming animal products and biproducts… A hard no! Why? Because I care deeply about the wellbeing of animals and do everything in my power to avoid contributing to their suffering and death.

In addition to eating exclusively plants, Stephanie mentions that she doesn’t let anything get in the way of spending quality time with her children, and getting in her “alone time” to recharge (we’re both introverts).

We also discussed trigger foods. Before healing my relationship with food, there were many foods that I was unable to eat in moderation. I couldn’t eat 1/4 cup (1 serving) of granola for example. One serving would turn into five (if you’ve ready my story, you know all about my granola addiction)!

For Stephanie, soda is a trigger food and she therefore chooses to avoid having so much as a sip.

The alternative to striving for moderation, is to live in the moment, be present, stay in our conscious mind, and make mindful choices, instead of allowing programming (aka habits and patterns) to dictate your actions.

The number one tool you can use to help you make a conscious choice, is the Power Pause. We’re talking about taking a step back to observe your thoughts… To approach yourself with curiosity and compassion, and ask yourself, “Why am I about to take this action?”

Let’s say you’re at a birthday party for example, and the cake has just been cut, and someone hands you a piece. Maybe, you would normally automatically accept the piece of cake and eat it without much thought.

The Power Pause strategy involves asking yourself, “Why am I choosing to eat this cake?” Maybe your answer is that you don’t want to be rude (aka succumbing to your people-pleasing programming). Well maybe now you realize that wanting to make everyone else comfortable at the expense of compromising your values of not eating animal products (cake is typically made with eggs and milk), is not a good reason to eat the cake, and so you make a different choice this time, and politely decline.

The power is in the conscious CHOICE. This is a strategy that will help you wrap up 2020 feeling in charge of your health and happiness, and better equipped to make a positive impact on other people, animals and the Planet in 2021 and beyond!

– Ella

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE! (Plus an opportunity to book a Discovery Session with Ella!)

Hogs & Kisses Website (Donations Page)

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Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

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03 Nov 2020

Tags: emotional health, empowerment, happiness, healthy vegan lifestyle, overwhelm

Q&A: Overeating (EP 30: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Episode #30 starts out with fun conversation and celebrations, and then we move into the topic of overeating.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

At Vegan Life Coach Academy, we have #ThirstyThursday Power Hour Q&A every week. Members grab their fresh juice, smoothie, or Clean Machine’s BCAAs (lemonade is my favorite), and join me for a Facebook Live event.

We have a blast sharing celebrations, playing plant food trivia, announce upcoming happenings, and I answer questions that members have submitted.

Recently, we had two questions come in about portion control and overeating… A common struggle for a ton of our podcast listeners as well, hence why we decided to also answer the questions on this episode!

Here they are:

Question #1: I really appreciate the mindfulness and intuitive eating. I think that’s how I was before becoming vegan and now I struggle with portions. Sometimes I’m hungry in 30 minutes and then I feel like I overeat too often. I feel uncomfortably stuffed. What’s going on?

Question #2: Why do you (referring to me) only eat half a can of chickpeas for a meal versus a whole can? Is it because half a can fills you up? How do we know we are not overeating?

Check out this week’s full episode to hear our answers!

We’d love to hear your feedback and questions in our Empowered Life Group on Facebook (free), and of course in Vegan Life Coach Academy for our Academy members.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Clean Machine and Other Recommended Products

Episode #3: Hogs & Kisses Farm Animal Sanctuary

Episode 7 (Self-Empowerment Coaching System)

CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

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27 Oct 2020

Tags: emotional health, empowerment, happiness, healthy vegan lifestyle, overwhelm

A New Approach to Goal-Setting (EP 29: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

When people set a goal, the reason they set that goal is usually because they are unhappy with where they currently are.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

People often believe that happiness is on the other side of reaching certain goals. “Once I reach that goal of losing 20 pounds, then I’ll be happy,” or, “When I get that promotion, then I’ll be happy.”

Setting goals in the traditional way comes from a place of scarcity and unfulfillment. In this episode we offer a different perspective on goals… The idea that goals are fantastic tools for progressing on our life’s journey in a positive and powerful way, but only when they come from a place of abundance and acceptance.

On last week’s episode we discussed how happiness is not created in the past or found in the future. Happiness is within all of us right now. It’s a matter of developing the tools that you need to unlock or unleash the joy that you’re capable of in this very moment. And that’s a powerful thing. So, what can goals set from a place of abundance do for us?

Goals set from a place of abundance can empower us, motivate us, and create self-confidence. They can help us align our actions with our values.

On the other hand, when we set goals from a place of scarcity, we may feel shameful, not good enough as we are right now.

Goals coming from a place of scarcity can cause us to compare ourselves to others, which can in turn, bring on anxiety. We can start judging ourselves and feel a sense of disappointment, thinking, “I’m not good enough,” and “What I have is not enough”.

No matter what, goal-setting brings up obstacles, fears, and limiting beliefs, right? We start to think about all the things that are standing in our way. The Self-Empowerment Coaching System we’re always talking about, is a tool that will allow you to deal with these feelings and thoughts and recognize the opportunity for growth in any given situation.

Without the self-coaching tools, goals can actually get you stuck… Stuck in your own head, stuck in your fears, and/or stuck in your limiting beliefs.

Stephanie told me about a realization she had after watching a post I did from Santa Marta, Columbia, in which I talked about doing a handstand on some rocks. She shared with me the thoughts and feelings that came up for her when she saw my post.

Stephanie’s immediate reaction was to start to compare herself to me. She was able, however, to take a step back, become the observer, and look at the situation in a different light. She realized that doing a handstand is not a goal of hers. It’s not something that she is wanting to work towards. Doing a handstand is not something that’s in her vision of what a successful, happy life looks like for her. And that’s okay.

We all have different goals. We have different visions of what success means to us. Stephanie knew that she had reached the place where she could see my post and appreciate the skill and strength it takes to do a handstand, without diminishing her own growth or feelings of success. She was able to start appreciating her own body and her own accomplishments.

To practice the goal-setting process from a place of abundance, I encourage you to do this exercise: Take out a piece of paper and make a list of 6 things that you want to accomplish, whether that’s in the next month, the next year, or in five years. Don’t worry about the timeframe, just make a list of six things that you want, big or small. They should be things that you want and believe you can, with the right steps, accomplish.

Now I want you to pick one of the things that you listed and fine tune it. Make it into a measurable goal with a timeframe.

Now, see what emotions come up. Do you have limiting beliefs that come up surrounding the goal? Are you feeling some doubt or fear that you could fail? These are all normal emotions that can come up when we set goals. That doesn’t mean you’re coming from a place of scarcity though. It means that it’s time to utilize the self-coaching tools so you can coach yourself through the fears and self-doubt.

Write down your limiting thoughts on your paper. Observe the emotions that come. Now take a moment to transport yourself mentally to the place where the goal has already been accomplished. Visualize that reality.

Now look back at the thoughts you wrote down and address them from a place of the goal having already been achieved. Again, transport yourself to the place where that goal is already achieved. You’ve achieved that goal, and now you’re looking back on yourself now and looking at those thoughts and how you addressed them. What would you tell yourself now that you’ve already completed and achieved that goal?

The next step is to create an action plan. Again, put yourself in that place where you’ve already achieved that goal. Tell yourself how you got there. How did you achieve that goal?

What were the big steps that you took? For each big step, break it down into actionable tasks. Take yourself through the process of reaching and achieving and completing that goal from the place of already having completed it.

You may be pretty blown away with the wisdom you have. Everything is “figure-outable.” We just have to believe in ourselves!

We’d love to hear your goals in our Empowered Life Group on Facebook (free), and of course in Vegan Life Coach Academy for our Academy members.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Episode 7 (Self-Empowerment Coaching System)

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Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

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20 Oct 2020

Tags: emotional health, empowerment, happiness, healthy vegan lifestyle, overwhelm

The Search for Happiness (EP 28: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

All to often we think, “I’ll be happy when…”

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

There is a misconception that we can find happiness outside of ourselves… That happiness is waiting for us in the future when we have accomplished certain things, or have met certain goals.

The truth of the matter is that that we have to be in charge of our own happiness. Happiness doesn’t happen to us or for us. Happiness is not a future state. If we tie our happiness to a certain weight, to a way that we want to look, or the goals we wish to accomplish, we give away the inherent power we all have to CHOOSE happiness NOW.

If you say to yourself, “I’ll be happy when I’ve lost 20 pounds, or when I’ve successfully ran a marathon, or found the man of my dreams,” you will always be chasing happiness.

There’s a quote, and I’m not sure who to credit it to, but it goes something like, “Beware of destination addiction or preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.”

Here’s the deal though: You really have to be willing to dig in. Even when you get to the place where you think, “I should be seeing some results by now,”

By digging in, and practicing the Self-Empowerment Coaching System (episodes 4 and 7) we teach at Vegan Life Coach Academy, you will be shocked to discover things you didn’t know you didn’t know.

If you embrace the idea that happiness is NOW, and that you are worth learning to love yourself before you lose a pound, then you’ve really earned the golden ticket.

We’re not saying that loving yourself now means you have to stay the way that you are physically. We’re saying that learning to shift your mindset away from a place of depravity and restriction, which is ultimately a place of punishment, is key. The diet culture has taught us to punish ourselves, despite the fact that restriction leads us to sabotage our results over and over again.

When you come from a place of love however, the outcome is completely different. From a place of love you choose to go for that run because you care about strengthening your body and want to be healthy and fit. You reach for the fruits and veggies because you love yourself enough to provide your body with the best nutrition. You buy the highest quality supplement that you know makes your body sing because you value your healthy, and it may be a little pricier than you’d like, but you know that that is sourced from a place that’s pure, and you make the decision out of love for yourself and your body.

Developing unconditional love for yourself is a game changer. It takes work to get to the place where you love yourself so much you’re dangerous, as Brene Brown says. And the work is well worth the outcome, which is that your body trusts you enough to get to the place where it’s supposed to be…

It is from a place of self-love that the excess weight, excess fat that you’re carrying is going to melt off, just like the excess weight that you’re carrying emotionally is going to disappear. You’re going to be learning to deal with your inner critic head on, and then you will be making healthy choices out of love for your body, not as punishment.

You are worth this fight. You are worth being, “all in,” committed to this process because ultimately, where this process is going to take you, is a place of complete and total freedom. It’s going to give you the opportunity to choose happiness in the moment, because you know it’s available to you right here, right now. .

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Episode 4

Episode 7

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13 Oct 2020

Tags: emotional health, empowerment, healthy vegan lifestyle, overwhelm

Overcoming Overwhelm (EP 27: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

When we get to a state of overwhelm, it goes beyond being busy. It’s when you get to the point where you are being controlled by your thoughts and it feels like life is happening TO you. It can be debilitating!

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

In this episode we look at some actual steps you can take to prevent or reverse becoming overwhelmed…

1- Start giving yourself permission to say “NO” (Stop saying yes to shit you don’t want to do)!

Remember our training on people-pleasing? When saying, “yes” will take you into a state of overwhelm, you must learn to say no. Consequences are worse than if you say, “it’s easier if I just do it then if I say no”… Leads to resentment, overwhelm, being pissy to people you care about (“taking it out” on family). And when you’ve said yes to more things than you can handle, the quality of what you’re doing declines… a lot of things get accomplished half-assed.

And remember where people-pleasing is rooted… In a lack of self-worth (feel guilty when put yourself first).

2- Eliminate unhelpful, self-imposed rules for yourself.

“Rules” which are different than commitments. Rules are inflexible. They do not take into consideration changes in circumstances. Part of the “all or nothing” mindset. Rules like, I have to attend every one of my daughter’s swim meets. Well that’s an awesome thing to want to do, and you certainly can make the commitment to attend your daughter’s swim meets, but maybe you’re studying for an important exam and you have to choose between studying and giving yourself a shot at an A, or going to your daughter’s 3rd swim meet of the week. Well maybe you ask her dad to be there this time so you can stay out of overwhelm.

3- Prioritize Self-Care

How do you recharge (this looks different for everyone)? Down time, being alone, being around positive people (extrovert), reading, working out, sexy, meditation, going out on dates, bubble bath, etc.) Pick 1 thing you can do this week to take better care of yourself (addition to your morning or nighttime routine) that will make the biggest difference and make the commitment!

4- Prevent unimportant things that feel urgent distract you from what’s actually important.

Often times things are presented in such a way that they feel urgent. And when something feels urgent, we tend to automatically bump it to the top of our priority lists. Boss, friends, family/kids, can bring the drama and that’s when we let their drama override our other commitments (usually the ones we make to ourselves).

How to prevent: Run it through the test – Eliminate, Delegate, Postpone

Can you eliminate the task all together?
Can you delegate the task to someone else?
Can you postpone the task to revisit later (different from procrastinating)?
Create solid systems to help you stay out of overwhelm through organization. Personally Trello has been the tool that is saving me (before that it way sticky notes and to-do lists that did not give me a system and made it so things often had to get to the place of urgency in order for them to take priority. Set up systems for even the simplest tasks like taking out the garbage, walking the dog, laundry… figure out what you can delegate.
First thing to schedule into your week is planning time to organize your upcoming week, figure out what might overwhelm you, and creating a plan.

5- Ask for help! Or at least accept people’s offers!

An unwillingness to do this has to do with a lack of self-worth or inflated ego. When you choose to stay in overwhelm, you’re choosing to play the victim (I said this to myself on Sunday!) Accept and be grateful. Think about it as giving others an opportunity to give… and when people give, they get back. And you know you’ll pass the favor along when you’re in a position to do so.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

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06 Oct 2020

Empowerment, Podcast, Vegan Lifestyle

Tags: boundaries, empowerment, healthy vegan lifestyle, vegan fitness, vegan protein, weight loss

Practical Tips for Busy People to Eat More Whole Foods (EP 26: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Christin McKamey is the owner of VeggieChick.com, a site dedicated to whole food, plant-based recipes with a strong focus on the world of produce.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

Christin creates delicious veggie-focused plant-based recipes (with many oil-free and gluten-free options), as well as offering tips and tools to help others live and maintain a plant-powered lifestyle.

She has a Plant-Based Nutrition certification from e-Cornell, a certification from the Forks Over Knives Rouxbe Cooking School, and has also attended Vegan Fusion plant-based cooking classes. Christin lives in Royal Oak, Michigan with her husband and cat, Chloe.

Here is a summary of what was discussed in this podcast episode:

Batch Cooking Tips– things I do to ensure success for the week. Note: I don’t always do this, but when I do, I do find I make healthier choices.
- Grocery shopping on Saturday, prepping a couple hours on Sunday
- Things I do during prepping:
  - Wash, dry and chop vegetables; place in airtight, sealed containers.
  - Chop veggies that are versatile in many dishes, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.
  - Soak nuts and seeds if required.
  - Marinate tempeh or tofu.
  - Make a couple of versatile dips or dressings that will last in the refrigerator for a few days.
  - Freeze grains- portion into 1 or 2 cup portions and freeze in freezer bags or containers.
- Decide a few ways you can make multiple dishes with the same ingredients. I love making what I call multi-way bowls (see more info below), soups, salads, tacos, chili, etc. You can also do a stir-fry or a salad bar.

Time Saving Techniques
- Always read recipes once or twice to make sure you have everything before going to the grocery store. Some recipes might be missing an ingredient in the ingredients list that is listed in the directions instead.
- Plan your route at the grocery store. Once you create your shopping list, put things in order of where they are located in the store.
- Stock your kitchen with simple bulk ingredients to use in a pinch, such as all types of grains, dried beans, pasta, spaghetti sauce, frozen and canned vegetables. Think of a few meals you can make for dinner throughout the week and how you can use some of those same ingredients in other recipes.
- Add veggies to everything! I try to make sure every meal I have, has at least 2 (and most of the time many more) veggies. Onions, peppers, and mushrooms are very versatile.
- Don’t like veggies? Try a new vegetable every week (or month).
- Batch cooking can save a ton of time! Chop veggies or prepare grains in advance. Make variations of salads with different toppings, etc. Freeze scraps of veggies and make homemade veggie broth. Pick one day for grocery shopping, another for prepping. Setting aside 90 minutes-2 hours per week is all you need to save yourself tons of time during the week.
- Make double or triple the amount the recipe calls for. You can enjoy it for at least a couple meals, or have a healthy lunch the next day. Pack away your lunch immediately after dinner and you’ll be all set.
- Experiment with one-pot meal recipes. It makes life a lot easier when you only have one pan to wash. These types of dishes also tend to freeze and reheat well. You can even label with cooking instructions to make it easier for you or your family to reheat.
- Easy smoothie prep: add fruit, veggies, etc. to a blender and put in the fridge the night before. In the morning, all you have to do is take out the blender, add liquid, and blend.
- Serve your dinner in large glass containers (instead of serving bowls) so you can go straight from the table to the fridge. Less dishes.

And lastly, she has included 2 PDF’s to share…

Time-Saving Techniques- tips for saving time and making healthy choices in your kitchen.
Multi-Way Bowl– an easy option for meal ideas, and so versatile! Start with a grain. Add a protein if you want (lentils, tofu, seitan, beans, etc.). Add vegetables. And then top with a sauce. Add some toppings (nuts, seeds, etc.) Enjoy!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

acebook.com/veggiechickrecipes/

twitter.com/VeggieChick7

instagram.com/veggie__chick/

pinterest.com/veggiechick7

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29 Sep 2020

Empowerment, Podcast, Vegan Lifestyle

Tags: boundaries, empowerment, healthy vegan lifestyle, vegan fitness, vegan protein, weight loss

10 Tips for Transitioning That Will Save Your Relationships (EP 25: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

If going vegan has put a strain on your current relationships or you want to avoid ruining your relationships as you transition to a vegan lifestyle these ten power tips are sure to help.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

Going vegan and obtaining the support of friends and family is a common struggle for many who make the choice to live a vegan lifestyle. On last week’s episode Stephanie shared her story of going vegan and broke down the 5 stages that family and friends go through.

Today Stephanie is giving 10 tips for transitioning that will save your relationships. If going vegan has put a strain on your current relationships or you want to avoid ruining your relationships as you transition to a vegan lifestyle these ten power tips are sure to help.

Stephanie discuss these tips in depth in this episode:

Define your boundaries. Once Stephanie committed to veganism, she decided she was no longer going to or cook meat.
Talk about going vegan and answer questions. Stephanie decided to use a lot of I-statements to demonstrate that she was taking responsibility for her own choices. Often times talking about veganism can challenge the way people see themselves as ethical, whole, compassionate human beings. So she plans ahead for these moments when she will be asked questions.
Have a sense of humor. Because Stephanie is able to laugh at herself she believes that really rebunks that stereotype of the angry, raging vegan. And thus laughing about these things becomes easier for my family and for my relationships. Most vegans will be the victims of malicious jokes, Stepahnie says, but generally the people in our lives are really just poking fun.
Get educated about nutrition for yourself and your kids. And this is the right spot for you. This program was the foundation for Stepahnie’s nutritional metamorphosis for my family. There are tons of great cookbooks and resources out there. Getting educated about nutrition is not only good for you. It’s good for your kids. And it’s good for that mom guilt too. When Stephanie knows that what she’s putting in front of her kids is nutritionally sound, then she knows that without a shadow of a doubt that mom guilt can not creep in. And if it does, she can challenge it at every level.
Keep it simple. Especially if you’re cooking for a family. When Stephanie’s family got curious, she started with breakfast smoothies. Now everyone gets a smoothie for breakfast.
Stop preparing two completely different meals. You are not a restaurant. When Stephanie went vegan she started preparing one dish and it was always a vegan main dish. She was okay with them adding animal protein to the side themselves. but she stopped saying she was going to prepare what everybody’s dish was. She wasn’t a short order cook.
Veganize your favorite dishes. Stephanie suggests exploring new dishes with familiar flavors. One of her families favorites? Stir-frys, and mexican food.
Honor other people’s gestures and be flexible without compromising your values. Stephanie says to be appreciative of the steps that people take that might help you feel included and comfortable. Make a really big deal out of it. The one gesture Stephanie does that has never failed her? Telling her friends and family how much she loves to cook and offering to bring whatever they’d like her too.
Connect with other vegan families. Stephanie has a a great Facebook community in her local area that has meetups and suggest finding on in your local area to connect with others who are like-minded and whose beliefs are similar.
Promote vegan role models, especially if you have kids. Stephanie sees the importance to introduce her children to people that they can look up to in all aspects of their lives.

We hope these 10 tips are useful for you and your family. We encourage you to take an honest account of where you are in your own journey and where your loved ones might be in theirs. Accept where you’re powerless and challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening because that’s really where your power is in your own response to what’s going on around you. Use these tips as you transition to navigate the tough terrain of relationships with family and friends.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

CONNECT WITH US!

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Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

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22 Sep 2020

Empowerment, Podcast, Vegan Lifestyle

Tags: boundaries, empowerment, healthy vegan lifestyle, vegan fitness, vegan protein, weight loss

Going Vegan: When Your Family or Friends Aren’t on Board (EP 24: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Based on a recent survey we did with our listeners, going vegan without the support of your family or friends is a struggle that a lot of people share.

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Based on a recent survey we did with our listeners, going vegan without the support of your family or friends is a struggle that a lot of people share.

My story is exceptional in that I knew when I was just 7 years old that eating animals was a hard “No.” It didn’t matter to me one bit that nobody I knew was vegetarian. At 15 I fully understood the suffering of all farm animals and went fully vegan and knew my purpose in life was to save animals. My compassion for animals ran so deep that ridicule was not a deterrence. (My family followed in my footsteps and went vegetarian and then vegan as well!)

Stephanie however, represents our listeners to a much higher level. In this episode, Stephanie shares her personal story, discussing what went down each of the 4 times she attempted to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle. It took 4 attempts before it stuck, and she has dissected the reasons why, all of which are likely to resonate with others in similar positions.

In short, here are the reasons:

Attempt #1: Stephanie’s family was quick to remind her that she was raised by farmers, and that her family’s background in farming was how she was afforded a comfortable upbringing. Family guilt!

Attempt #2: Stephanie’s Insecurity as a new mom, being told by others that her children would not thrive on a plant-based diet, led her to succumb to “mom-guilt!”

Attempt #3: Stephanie’s overall lack of self-confidence caused her to give into what was comfortable and safe. She wasn’t confident in her choices, and wasn’t able to counter the criticism and ridicule from others from a place of compassion and education.

Attempt #4 (Success!): Here are the self-realizations as to WHY Stephanie was successful…

Stephanie realized that her relationships are equally important as her life choices. She concluded that other’s thoughts and feelings about her choices are not important, BUT her relationships ARE important. This is a distinction that takes a lot of self-awareness and self-confidence!
Stephanie realized that she was the one changing the rules, so she was required to fuel her own progress with empathy toward the people in her life, giving up the idea of perfection in relationships. There were going to be tough conversations, and she was able to be assertive instead of aggressive.
She was able to embrace a vegan lifestyle with the consideration of being the caretaker of her three kiddos. She was able to set boundaries and not succumb to handle her “mom guilt.” She had to step back and explore her conflicting feelings with, as we say in VLCA, approach her thoughts with curiosity and compassion. From that place she has been able to navigate the changing dynamics within her family.
Stephanie made the transition solely about herself. She went vegan in “stealth mode,” didn’t make a big announcement until she had established her vegan lifestyle with confidence.

Once she felt good about her own journey, Stephanie started sharing her new lifestyle with her family and friends.

In doing so, she noticed that most of the time, people she told went through 5 stages. The stages, which she describes in depth in the episode are:

Defiance
Resistance
Curiosity
Acceptance
Embracing

On our next episode, we’ll be sharing 10 powerful tips for going vegan without ruining your relationships in the process.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE