These past few weeks, I have been doing a lot of self reflection. I feel like the election alone is forcing me to confront my values head on. Can anyone else relate? I feel ashamed when I don't speak up LOUD ENOUGH about police brutality, racial injustices, and the fact that I have lost 3 family members to COVID related deaths.
Lately, my heart has been set on going vegan. Most of you know, I have been vegetarian since I was 4. One of the most impactful decisions I have made in my life was made at the age of 4. My dad and I were reading E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” before bedtime every night. It is one of the first and strongest memories I have.
Originally, my decision to go vegetarian was out of empathy that I have for ALL animals. Empathy for ALL human AND nonhuman animals, as my dad would say. My story is not at all unique. It has always been about the animals for me.
But now there is SO MUCH more at stake: the environmental crisis and our population’s health.
I have been struggling with eating dairy/ some animal products lately. My dad is vegan. I talk to him about how I feel guilty when I know that I am contributing to animal suffering and exploitation. I know I am a good person. I know how much I love animals, and yet it brings tears to my eyes knowing that my values don't always reflect my actions. I STILL LOVE CHEESE. I can't stand it when people try to force their beliefs on to me. I want to make educated decisions for me that align with what I hold true.
When I am in my comfort zone I don't think about the pain and suffering of animals, or where the eggs in my breakfast burrito came from. When you pick up your food at a grocery store we have become numb to the millions of animals that we raise in less than ideal environments to slaughter for meat and their products.
There is a multitude of problems mass farming causes for the environment. It is a waste of resources and is a leading contributor to climate change.
Greta Thunberg lays this out in her short film #ForNature, made with Mercy For Animals: 83 percent of the world’s agricultural land is used to feed livestock, yet livestock provide only 18 percent of our calories, and agriculture and land use together make up about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions (figures from a 2018 study in Science, as reported by Green Matters). She also says that if we shift toward a plant-based diet, we could save up to 8 billion tons of CO2 every year. As she puts it, “Those with the most power have the most responsibility. And most of us can do something.” Factory farming is for profit and gluttony. We have a million excuses why we do not confront the tougher questions.
One of the tough questions I have been asking myself this year has been, "what is my purpose"? What am I here to do?
These past 6 months without SoulCycle have felt bleak. I haven't been able to give back in the same way. My life is honestly less fulfilled without going to work everyday. I was crying out for a way to make my life feel meaningful. Yes building my brand is my passion and so important to future of my business. As someone who knows how privileged and self actualized I am... I KNOW that I could be doing more. I know that I would feel better doing more. I have to be willing to make the changes for the right reasons. I have to be willing to MAKE my life have meaning.
Life gets so comfortable when there is no resistance in our lives. It is easy to be the best version of yourself when everything is in alignment. The harsh reality is that some things have been out of whack for a long time. Some topics are BEGGING for your attention and for your action.
This week I encourage you to think about who you are when you are up against a wall and it is just you and your values?
