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Thriving Together: The Power of a Plant-Based Community

Thriving Together: The Power of a Plant-Based Community

Why you should surround yourself with like-minded people

Adopting a plant-centric diet (vegan, plant-based, whole-food, plant-based, or vegetarian) can be a lonely place. Often, we are met with criticism, interrogation, and general concern about our dietary choices from the people in our everyday lives. Joining a plant-based community or social networking group can ease some of that loneliness and provide support and inspiration for our choices. 

Here are some benefits of joining a plant-based community (and some of my reservations & thoughts).

Benefits: 

  1. You realize you are not alone. There are other people out there with similar stories. Some may be further along on their journey and provide guidance and mentorship, while others might be at the same stage as you. It is incredible how realizing and fostering these connections can help make your journey fun and provide that “me too” validation. When you know that your inner power and thoughts that support this lifestyle change for yourself are also thoughts by others and that there are people out there who believe in you and this way of living, you can move forward more confidently. 
  2. Guidance and Inspiration. You can learn from the people who have gone before you; their stories and experiences can help guide your journey and progress. Stories of inspiration can help connect you to your goals and help you make your desire to eat more plants a natural part of your lifestyle.  
  3. Friendships. The joke “all my vegan/plant-based friends are online” has some reality, at least in the beginning. Your connections and friendships with people as part of the community will develop. You can bounce into the community with your questions – everything from recipe substitutions to which household cleaners are vegan – and your circle “gets it!” 

Reservations:

  1. Perfectionism. I’ve seen this far too many times. A brand new plant-based eater confesses that they ate a veggie burger at a restaurant only to find out later it had an egg in it. The responses and comments range from “It’s okay, we’ve all had that happen” to ” WTF were you thinking?” “didn’t you do your research?” “the poor hens,” and countless other heartless responses. I’ve also seen posts from innocent veg-curious folks wondering why “eggs are bad” get criticized to the point they leave the communities. Do not let perfect be the enemy of good! Overcoming this in groups is done by scrolling past, not engaging with angry people, and by effective moderation by the group’s admins (which all of our groups have).
  2. Fear to Contribute. This happens on both sides – in those asking questions and for those scrolling by questions. This fear is listed as a reservation because I think joining a group and not contributing or using it to its full capabilities makes me sad. I know many folks who fear asking questions in groups for fear of sounding “stupid.” Don’t! We’ve all been newbies, and often, the moderators or admins monitor your questions and are the first ones to chime in with a positive response or comment. 
  3. Misinformation. This happens a lot, unfortunately. There is no rule in many communities to include the source of information. This creates bias; often, people misquote or share information (with bold confidence) that is taken to heart or sets the “standard.” All information provided in groups should be taken as opinions unless substantial resources are provided. In our communities, we provide the sources and teach you to become plant-based from a place of freedom and discernment rather than a rule-following and strict regimen. 

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So, now what?

You might be wondering why I am writing about and focusing on communities; it’s because I want to invite you to look into some of the VegInspired communities and community events available to you. I know these communities can and will help you wherever you are on your VegInspired Journey! 

VegInspired Community Offerings

 

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