How to deal with these conflicting thoughts

[Sproutskies]

In my living space two other roomates are not fond of veganism and the last roomate in the house claims he is vegetarian but would say that he is more of a flexitarian. No one is super mean or rude to me out loud.

All of the conversations with these people have really planted questioning thoughts of my commitment. I have been following this lifestyle for 1 year but it's hard to manage being around others cooking meat, glorifying "vegetarian" diets that include eating fish/eggs...., just a general amount of support from the one guy and the other two are just negative influences.

Also the fact that I get along with everyone and socialize makes it harder for me to just ignore and write them off.

Help!

 

[feather]

That has to be tough. My husband wasn't onboard with wfpb'ed food, for 5 months, until his heart attack. Now he is all for it because of the health benefits.

Eggs and fish--you can look up nutritional hazards and benefits on nutritionfacts.org, (search the videos, they aren't very long) where you find out eggs are not healthy and cannot be marketed as healthy, and fish comes with baggage of fats and contaminants in dangerous levels both are risky health wise.

My son is an adult and lives with us and eats cheese and meats, but he is very respectful and curious as to why we eat or don't eat certain foods. He does try our food quite often and enjoys it.

Ideally, you would have to become informed about the health and nutrition of the offending foods, to have something to talk about with them, if they are interested. It is also important for your health that you understand your food choices and you may not waver in your resolve as much knowing those things.

 

[Emma JC]

I agree completely with @feather - just because I am already vegan it doesn't stop me from watching docs like Seaspiracy, and youtubers like Earthling Ed and reading and listening to other information that reinforces why I live this way. It doesn't mean that you have to argue with them about it, it just helps you to stay focused.

It took a number of years of getting on and off the wagon before it finally "took" for good, for me. I hope that doesn't happen for you but if it does then remember this is a journey and all the ups and down along the way make us stronger as we go.

I salute you for the ability to live in that kind of situation, it is not easy, and I send you strength and peace of mind.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[CountessKerouac]

I wish I had some good advice, as I have been vegan for many years and have pretty much always lived with meat eaters (though my partner now eats mostly vegan with me). I suppose I always just remind myself that this is my choice, that I feel good about what I am doing, and have a very 'to each their own' mentality. I am in my 30s and have noticed that all of the partners/roommates I have lived with over the years have always ended up eating more vegetarian/vegan food from my silent influence (without me actually asking them to or saying they should, because that's not my thing) and them seeing how much I enjoy it. Positivity rubs off on people. I had several roommates who, when I first met them, turned their nose up at what I was eating, then by the end were making me handmade vegan cookbooks for my birthday and really celebrating it and eating the food I eat. I have always enjoyed showing people how much we can eat, the variety of it, and how good it tastes, by example. Also explaining the health benefits; I always talk about how good I feel on a vegan diet, because it's the truth. I know it can be hard watching others cook foods that you are abstaining from, but I have always tried to reverse it: show them what they are missing out on by cooking a variety of yummy tasting veg food.

I wish you so much luck with your situation!! And I guess, try to remember that roommate situations are usually temporary, though your friendships may last a lifetime for sure.

 

[Second Summer]

I lived with a lot of different room mates while in university 20+ years ago. I was lacto-vegetarian first and then vegan. Only a couple of the room mates were sympathetic to my diet/lifestyle. There was gross meat stuff being prepared in that kitchen on a regular basis. I think the worst was the smell when my Vietnamese-origin room mate was cooking squid, or that steak that was left to defrost directly on the counter so carcass liquid leaked all over ...

Anyway, I don't think I managed to change anyone's mind, and neither did I really try.

I've since learnt that people's actions/decisions are not really based on rational thinking. They make decisions first, then find a justification for it later.

I think if you want to convert someone to veganism, you have to appeal to their senses more than to the rational parts of their brains. Therefore I think the best approach is to make it seem tasty and easy, and to be a healthy-looking, positive, kind, successful, polite, fun-loving individual, who gently communicates the virtues of veganism while avoiding any angry exchanges. (Not saying I manage to do any of that myself, of course!)