“It Isn’t Easy”: 16th Annual National Animal Rights Day

Colloquially known as “the NARD”, National Animal Rights Day is an annual event organized by a network of animal rights activists in dozens of countries around the world. This year, I was invited to speak here in Calgary. The gathering of fellow animal activists is incredibly inspiring! Read “It Isn’t Easy” after the jump!

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Its Isn’t Easy

When people find out I run a vegan blog, they often assume that being vegan is easy for me. Maybe because I’ve been doing it for years. Maybe because I spend a lot of time talking about vegan food and where to get the best vegan stuff.

But veganism ISN’T easy!

It would be WAY easier to eat whatever everyone else is eating. It’s easier not to ask questions. It’s easier not to think too deeply about where our food comes from or what happened before it arrived on our plate.

My first attempt at veganism was at 17 years old.

I cared about animals. I wanted to make a difference. But I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t know how to navigate social situations, I didn’t know how to plan meals, and eventually I gave up.

For a while, I went back to living the way most people do.

But that seed had been planted.

Even though I wasn’t vegan, I couldn’t completely forget what I had learned. Every time I saw information about animals, every time I heard someone talking about veganism, every time I was confronted with the reality of where animal products come from, it stayed with me.

Years later, I found myself being drawn back to the question that had started everything:

If I care about animals, what does that actually require of me?

Not what’s convenient. Not what’s comfortable.

But what does my compassion require of me? And the more honestly I examined that question, the harder it became to justify participating in a system that causes so much suffering to animals. So, 12 years later, when I went vegan again, this time it stuck.Not because it suddenly became easy. But because I finally understood why it mattered. And now, I’ve been vegan for over 10 years.

I am so proud to be a part of this vegan community. I’ve met people whose compassion extends far beyond words.People who volunteer at sanctuaries. People who use their incredible gifts to educate others. People who advocate for change even when it’s unpopular. People who show up again and again because they believe a kinder world is possible.

And what is most inspiring is that none of us are doing this because it’s easy.

We’re doing it because we believe animals are worth the effort. We’re doing it because compassion is worth the effort. We’re doing it because our choices matter.

Every social movement needs people who are willing to keep going even when change feels slow. And sometimes the change can feel PAINFULLY slow. Sometimes it feels like we’re taking one step forward and two steps back.

But it’s important to remember: most of us weren’t born vegan. Including me. The person who cares deeply about animal rights today is the same person who once tried and failed at 17 years old. But people can change. I changed. Many of you changed. And countless others will change too.

That’s why I remain hopeful. Not because progress is guaranteed. But because I’ve seen what happens when people are given information, compassion, and the opportunity to align their actions with their values.

We don’t judge the value of something by whether it’s easy. We judge it by whether it’s worth doing. And for me, veganism has been one of the most worthwhile decisions I’ve ever made.

Not because I’m perfect. Not because I never miss convenience. But because each day I get a new opportunity to live a little more closely to my values.

Animal rights matter because animals matter. Animals are not objects. They are not ingredients or production units. They are individuals.

So I’d like to leave you with a challenge.

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, vegan-curious, or simply someone who has never really thought deeply about these issues before, I invite you to ask yourself:

What kind of person do I want to be when I have a choice?

When compassion and convenience are in conflict, which one wins?

When I have the opportunity to reduce suffering, do I take it?

When my values are tested, do my actions reflect them?

I can’t answer those questions for anyone else. But I know that answering them will absolutely change your life.

My journey to veganism wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t immediate. It wasn’t easy.

But it was worth it.

And every day, I am proud to stand alongside people who believe that animals deserve kindness, that compassion matters, and that a better world is possible.

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Thank you to the organizers and everyone who made this year’s NARD a success! For more information about National Animal Rights Day, visit www.thenard.org

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