Going vegan? Here’s how to start a new habit – and keep it

Human beings are creatures of habit. It’s in our nature. But when it comes to starting (and keeping) new habits, it gets a little trickier. At this time of year - Veganuary especially - it’s tempting to go cold-turkey (vegan turkey of course) in a bid to become your ‘new year new you’. While we love the intention, we know that sustainable change takes a sustainable pace. Thinking of joining the plant side this Veganuary? Here are some realistic ways to start a habit and keep it for good.

A quick word on habits. They’re made up of three parts – the cue, the action, the reward. Because our habits are so, well, habitual, it’s easy to overlook these mechanics. But the first stop on the road to a new habit is working out a) why you do something, b) the reward - or good feeling - it gives you, and c) how you can replace or adapt these to work in favour of future you.

So where to start? ‘Habit stacking’ is like psychological lego; building your new habit onto an existing habit will make for a solid foundation. Morning routines are often our strongest, so just making your morning coffee with oat milk could be a simple first step.

Switching your milk might feel like a drop in the ocean. Isn’t veganism a whole lifestyle? Yes, that’s true, but research shows that starting small is the best way to go. We’ve always felt that even the smallest change for the better is better than no change at all. Same goes for your new habit.

If going vegan is your long term goal, that’s a biggie. Be kind to yourself and break it down into smaller, more manageable goals. Whether it’s skipping the cheese, finding meat-substitutes that work for you or switching to a vegan shampoo, ticking each one off your list will only spur you on to the next.

Nobody’s perfect, so don’t go beating yourself up when you fall off the vegan train. Learning to get right back on track after a mistake is a valuable skill to have. It’s ok to mess up, but try not to do it two times in a row. If you caved today, tomorrow is a whole new one.

Think you might mess up more often than not? Take a friend along for the ride. Buddying up for Veganuary means more support, more accountability and more ideas for those new vegan meals of yours.

As a company, we’ve been vegan our whole life. And the more people who want to join us, the merrier. So if it’s just a Veganuary thing, or you’re in it for the long term, we’re so pleased you’re here.

Keep up the plant habit with our vegan and cruelty-free range of hair, body and household products, made with 100% natural fragrance and essential oils.

Image courtesy of our local favourite The Allotment.