How to Fill Your Vessel So You Can Serve

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The Activist for Activists. Author of Make a Difference with Mental Health Activism and The Happy Activist: Journey the 5-Step Activism Path to Focus Your Passion and Change the World. Teacher, Psychologist, Environmental Activist, Animal Lover.

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Recharge With Nutrition

Many think they cannot survive on a plant-based diet. After all, the world has conditioned us to eat meat, eggs, and dairy. The government told us these products were vital for our health. But research shows we can be much healthier by eating plants.

Transitioning from a traditional diet to a plant-based diet requires retraining your palate to need less salt, sugar, and fat. But once you do you appreciate the subtle flavors your overtaxed palate couldn’t detect.

My favorite website for nutrition information is nutritionfacts.org. Dr. Michael Greger author of How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. Here you can find research-based guidance on how to recharge on a plant-based diet.

“A plant-based diet is like a one-stop shop against chronic diseases.” -Dr. Michael Greger

You won’t go hungry, either. Plant-based diets are growing in popularity and retailers are responding with new products. You can replace traditional butter and cheese with Miyoko’s products. A variety of milk alternatives are available at grocery stores. I use soy milk in my coffee and coconut milk for baking. And because more people are eating a plant-based diet, restaurants have responded with more menu choices.

I wrote a post about author Julia Turshen and her cookbook Feed the Resistance Recipes + Ideas for Getting Involved. She includes ideas for how activists can recharge.

My other favorite cookbooks are The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples by Miyoko Schinner, and Veganize It!: Easy DIY Recipes for a Plant-Based Kitchen by Robin Robertson.

Finally, my favorite resource for a plant-based lifestyle is the website vegan.com. This treasure trove of information is run by animal activist and author Erik Marcus.

Recharge: Physical and Mental Health

Besides having the best vegan website, Erik has a spot on my top 10 activism book list: Self-Care for Activists: A Guide to Clearing Yourself of Trauma While Working for a Better World.

His work as an advocate for factory-farmed animals left him in physical and mental trauma. His book (really a long essay) is about his journey to better health and provides guidance for activists to be able to stay active for their cause in the long run. You cannot serve with an empty vessel.

Erik writes about the importance of diet, exercise, and sleep. But yoga helped his body and his mind recharge, by ridding himself of anxieties that he had previously been masking with alcohol.

“Devoting myself to a hatha yoga practice marked a turning point for me. The more often we do this, the more those emotions and negative mindsets realize that they’re no longer welcome. Over time they get replaced with more positive, more constructive thoughts.”

My yoga practice started when I was experiencing terrible pain in my neck and shoulders. Medications and physical therapy didn’t help. One day I found a DVD at the library called Yoga to the Rescue for the Neck & Shoulders, featuring Desiree Rumbaugh. After one session, despite struggling with some of the poses, my pain was gone. I was hooked.

Although the reduction of my pain was immediate, it took several years of practice before I recognized my improved mindfulness. Yoga helps you recharge with a relaxed state so you can work on your mind. Marcus also discusses how activists can use body awareness and meditation to reduce anxiety and heal trauma.

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Gratefulness

Another way to stay motivated for activism is to incorporate gratefulness in your work.

Gratefulness has so many blessings.

It has a positive impact on well-being, resilience, and life satisfaction.
It reduces anxiety, stress, and depression. Individuals who each day list five things they are grateful for showed stress reductions over a five-week period.
Gratitude also positively impacts social networks because folks who receive appreciation pay it forward to others. This type of social network can help everyone cope better.

Start the new year with a gratitude ritual. One of my friends keeps a gorgeous journal to capture her gratitude. I use Evernote (an online information storage app) to jot down what I’m grateful for each morning.

How do you fill your vessel?

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