A year ago I gave veganuary a bash. It was a new campaign at the time and I actually started it a few days late but as I hadn't eaten much cheese yet that year I decided to that I could pretend I started it on the first. In fact, cheese was the only non-dairy food still in my diet, aside from by-products or non-obvious non-vegan products.
I wasn't strict, and even though I completed it (and wrote a long blog post I've consider retracting as it's oddly emotional) it was likely various packet of crisps I was eating were letting some kind of non-vegan ingredient into my life. And I didn't consider myself a vegan for some time yet.
I can't remember when my 'veganversary' would have been - but I'm looking at April. For me the switch came from being held accountable. And this came from friends who despite being meat-eaters 'got it' and encouraged it and also from joining a local vegan food meet-up. I joined the meet-up for reasons more linked to having an excuse to eat out but also to meet new people. But for me it was the clicking point as I was in amongst other vegans - I wasn't even given 'tips' per se but being part of a vegan community was what helped push me over to full time veganism and not someone who gave it a bash in January.
(Though finding Violife Cheese was definitely a help as my cheese addiction got kicked to the kerb).
Veganuary is running again this year and even though there's only half of January left I'd still encourage anyone who is considering veganism to give it a wee bash. VeganLife magazine* (which I've blogged about before as an excellent resource) has ran a feature on Veganuary reminding us if we have friends who have considered veganism (or for readers who are in the transition period) that the Veganuary website has went from strength to strength, and is great resource.
Amongst Issue 3 of VeganLife magazine there are - as always - lots of helpful articles on making the full switch to veganism. One article that caught my eye was aimed at vegans on helping friends and acquaintances who are considering making the switch. It reminded us that the transition is different for everyone and what worked for you might not work for them. It also reminded us that vegans get a rep for being 'pushy' and it does nothing to encourage veganism and is counter-productive (I agree!). It took me two years to transition which to some vegans sounds barmy, but these are vegans who probably didn't discover they had soya intolerance when they started experimenting with tofu...
And they have an article about weaning yourself off dairy cheese, which continues on the advice of one step at a time and not to expect this lifestyle change to happen overnight.
Are you trying Veganuary? Or have you tried it in the past? Are you given veganism a bash this year?
P.S. I am receiving a VeganLife Magazine subscription for free. All words and views my own.