livin veg

Being an activist can sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Like everything we do or don’t do will not only impact the world, but will also tell us what kind of person we are. In my experience vegetarians and vegans tend to live their lives by their ethics. More than most people. Otherwise, in most cases, they never would have given up meat. But all of that weight on our shoulders can get awfully heavy.

In animal rights activism, there tends to be a lot of burnout. Being neck deep in the suffering we see every day can do one of two things. It can make our hearts heavy. Or it can empower us to step up our game. Either reaction is totally normal.

But the truth is activists tend to be pretty selfless people. I know when I do something just for me, I tend to feel guilty, like I’m being selfish. Like there are more important things I could be doing with my time. But, those selfish moments make me a better activist.

So my advice today is to be selfish sometimes. If you are asked to volunteer on your day off and you know you’re totally exhausted and have a million errands to run, it’s okay to say no. It’s okay to take some time for yourself. Taking that time will make sure you stay fresh and motivated when you are fighting for the rights of others.

The mental response to that might be, “But there are billions of animals suffering out there? How can I take any time off when they are dying?”

My answer, “You’ll be more useful to them over the long term than in an unsustainable rush of activism that only superheroes could keep up.”

Whether it’s getting a massage, going on vacation, or treating yourself to vegan boots, making sure that you make time for you while you’re saving lives and taking names is vital to avoid activist burnout. Yes, there are horrific things happening in the world to animals, to people and to the environment. It’s vital we help. Activists are the vehicle by which we get to a new and better world. We make change happen. But we’re also people too. And people need a little time just to hang out and go see a movie without the world on their shoulders.

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