Why I Chose a Vegan Lifestyle

How a Vegan Lifestyle Changed my Life

I was not raised vegan. Like many people growing up in the 1970s, I was raised on a standard American diet. My mother regularly prepared meals such as lasagna, meatloaf, spaghetti, and so on...
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But she also maintained a garden, loved herbs, and was interested in healthy living. However, like most families of the time, we were influenced by microwaves, convenience foods, canned goods, and the cultural belief that animal products were a normal and necessary part of daily life.

Looking back, I can see that something in me always questioned it, even from an early age. I remember being about six years old and seeing raw chicken breasts on the kitchen counter and feeling nauseated, though I did not understand why. I remember having a similar reaction to butter. At the time, I had no understanding or language for those feelings.

My first conscious step toward veganism came in my early twenties after watching a documentary about the treatment of cats being consumed for food in another part of the world.

Witnessing that violence disturbed me deeply. What struck me most was the realization that we tend to draw arbitrary lines between the animals we love and the animals we eat. That experience planted a seed that would continue to grow throughout my life.

Like many people, my journey was not perfectly linear. There were periods when I returned to more conventional diets while pursuing fitness goals and trying to improve my health.

Later, a romantic relationship reintroduced me to veganism, and together we embraced a raw vegan lifestyle for several years. During that time, we volunteered on organic farms in Hawaii and New Zealand, explored natural health practices, and spent time learning from leaders in the plant-based and wellness communities, like Gabriel Cousens and David Wolfe.

But as the years passed, I continued searching for answers to various health challenges, food allergies, and sensitivities. At different points, I experimented with approaches that again included animal products. Influenced by a paleo health coach, I started consuming things that burdened my spirit, believing it was "for my health."

Then, like many people, during the COVID years, I experienced more awakening in a variety of ways. My health journey led me toward Anthony William's work and, to my relief, a much more plant-based approach. Celery juice and large amounts of grapes began enlivening and waking up my body in a way I had never experienced before. And yet, even so, I still dabbled...

Until one day, sitting in my car in a Whole Foods parking lot, eating a salad with chicken, thank Goodness... I had a moment of clarity. It was just a moment... but in that moment, I was deeply and emotionally overcome with pain, sorrow, shame, and guilt—not the kind Brené Brown talks about that needs healing, but rather the kind where your moral compass is telling you, yelling at you, "Hey! Wake up! You are making a mistake here!"

After 25 years of back-and-forth with veganism, that was it. And I knew it was it. I made a commitment to myself that I would do my best to never again participate in the suffering of any be-ing for the false idea that it was for my own health or benefit. I felt this Knowing to the depth of my soul—that there is no benefit for anyone. And even if there were, I was willing to release it...

It was not really a decision... it was simply an experience of pain. As The Big Book says, "Pain is the cornerstone of all spiritual growth." I believe this was a Divine Pain, rooted in a lesson for growth. It was a pain I do not want to experience again.

Today, my reasons for being vegan are simple:

• Compassion for animals... and all be-ings
• Respect for Mother Earth
• Raising my own vibration
• Healing my body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit

While each person's path is unique, my own journey has taught me that meaningful change often happens gradually. We grow, learn, awaken, and make choices that increasingly reflect who we truly are.
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For me, veganism is no longer a diet. It is an attempt at the living expression of my values, my spirituality, and my commitment to living with greater tenderness and compassion toward all Be-ings.

Thank you for reading. May you be blessed greatly, beyond your wildest imagination.

Love,
Jennifer

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Jennifer Michaels, M.A.
The Art of Love Counseling
Holistic Counselor, Spiritual Life Coach, Energy Healer, Artist & Author of What is Love? My Question... God's Answer
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