A little advice... Let's see what I can come up with... Who doesn't like being asked for advice!
One thing that helped me is that very early on I bought a book called Healing with Whole Foods, by Paul Prichford (spl?). It's a wonderful book with lots of fantastic information on nutrition, alternative recipes and ingredients (with a vegan outlook through the whole book). He also has a nice focus on Chinese medicine and Ayurveda in the book. It's been my go to for a long time.
If you can, I would look for a vegan groups around you. A lot of people do monthly potluck send that kind of thing which could be really supportive, a source for new vegan friends!, and new recipes too.
I also think it's important to not be too hard on yourself if you eat something that is not a vegan, or feel like you need to make some exceptions. I incorporated some animal products back into my diet a few different times with the idea of it being a short-term thing for health reasons, but I always made sure that they were products that caused the least harm possible. Ultimately, I don't think that they ever made any difference but I think a willingness to be flexible is better for staying a happy vegan in the long run. Some folks will probably disagree but I think it's all a very personal thing and you really just have to make it your own. I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on all this!