The one decision I made that continues to have the greatest impact on my life
**I don’t usually do this, but this article is from my monthly newsletter. If you enjoy reading it, and want more content like it, you can sign up to receive the newsletter at the end of this article.
December is a month when most people look forward to a new year, and think and plan for what they’d like to accomplish over the next 365 days.
This year, with the end of the decade just a few days away, I find myself more tempted to look back rather than forward as I think about ‘what’s next’ for my life.
It’s when you look back that you start to understand nuances, learn lessons, figure out what you should avoid or replicate, and so on.
In doing this, I realized that I’ve done a lot over the last decade - even if it didn’t feel like much at the time. I met the love of my life, moved to a new country, started new ventures, gave birth to my son, and created a blog to pursue and explore the things I love and have a space to call my own.
But what I’m most proud of is something that a lot of people might think is no big deal at all: adopting a plant-based whole foods diet.
I know how funny that sounds, but hear me out. Because while it may seem small or insignificant, this one choice has had a very profound impact on not just my own life but so many other lives.
On a personal level, a plant-based diet has completely changed my relationship with food, which is something that I struggled to do for decades. It was only once I began to eat this way that I stopped worrying about food, how many calories I was eating, carbohydrates I was consuming, etc.
Creating plant-based recipes and preparing nutrient dense meals has become one of my greatest pleasures. It fills me with energy, wonder and joy. And I am so grateful to have discovered this after spending so many (too many) years struggling to find a healthy relationship with food and my body.
My love for plant-based eating also led me to create my own blog.
Watching this community grow, and seeing people embrace my recipes and thrive in their efforts to incorporate more plant-based foods into their lives continues to fill me with so much pride and joy, and for that I am endlessly grateful.
What’s even better is the positive impact a plant-based diet has on the world around us.
Over the years we have become so much more aware of how poorly animals are treated on factory farms. The food industry, like so many others, responds to supply and demand – so when fewer people choose to purchase and eat animal-derived foods, fewer animals are bred and killed to produce those items.
While it might not be why I decided to eat a plant-based diet initially, I’m proud to throw my weight behind the fight for animal rights in this way. According to PETA, it’s estimated that by becoming vegan, you can save 100 lives per year. 100 lives!!!
Then there’s this beautiful earth. You can’t talk about the benefits of a plant-based diet without mentioning the profound impact it has on our climate crisis.
Animal agriculture puts a lot of stress on the environment, and a plant-based diet is one of the most, maybe the most, significant way to reduce greenhouse gases from the agriculture sector.
I will be the first to admit that I need to make more sustainable choices as a consumer. But a plant-based diet is a great place to start.
When you look at it all this way, it’s sort of fascinating. This tiny little shift in the way you eat can do so much. It’s wild.
None of this is meant to sound boastful or to persuade anyone to eat a certain way. If you’re considering a plant-based diet and lifestyle for yourself, it’s up to you to decide why it’s going to matter or make a difference in your life. Whether it’s related to your health, animal rights, or concerns about our planet - the truer you stay to your own motivation, the better you will feel and the easier it will be to make a real, lasting change.
As for me, I just love to share the things in my life that bring me joy and a sense of wellness. And as I reflect on the last decade, there is no choice that I’ve made that has had a more positive impact on so many aspects of my life or the lives of others than choosing plant-based foods.
It’s a great reminder that the smallest things have the ability to enhance your life in infinite ways.
That’s all for this year. I hope your holidays are wonderful and wishing every one of you the very best for the year ahead. You deserve it.
With love and gratitude,
Jen
If you liked this article, be sure to sign up for the newsletter by clicking here.
