Articles Reflecting a Vegan Lifestyle used with permission from All-Creatures.org

Even though being vegan means missing out on certain things, Christine Cook Mania reflects on how the knowledge that we are making ethical choices and the new experiences that accompany this lifestyle can be a tremendous source of joy.

The Joy of Missing Out
From Christine Cook Mania, MainStreetVegan.com
November 2024

Photo from Canva

Excerpt from Vegan Minded: Becoming a Steward for Animals, People, and the Planet

Have you ever experienced the fear of missing out? You know, FOMO? As we glue ourselves to technology and social media day after day, it’s more common than ever to have these feelings. On the flip side, JOMO is the joy of missing out. Because I’m vegan, I miss out on things all the time: the holiday cookies my coworker brings to the office, the shrimp dish my dad made for dinner after talking about it for days, the cute leather boots I see in the window, and on and on and on it goes. But because I choose to be vegan to protect animals, the planet, and my health, I feel the joy of missing out instead.

It’s been years since I experienced FOMO for animal products, but there was a time when I did. Food can be a big and contentious topic—just like sex, money, and politics. If you don’t think so, invite your family to Thanksgiving this year for an entirely vegan dinner. Imagine your family sitting around the table, talking with each other about the past year; maybe there will be a bit of arguing about politics, gun safety, abortion, or the climate crisis. There’s no shortage of controversial topics to explore.

Now consider what will be at the center of your table. Not a turkey. What will you serve this year? How about a stuffed seitan roast? Or a homemade veggie pot pie? Or a store-bought Tofurky loaf? Don’t forget about all the side dishes like mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry relish, pumpkin pie, and whatever traditional dishes you enjoy—all vegan, of course. Now consider how the meal changes the atmosphere. Who is complaining? Who shrugs it off?

It’s my guess that your more traditional family members will not be pleased. In fact, some may soon have other plans, or they might bring meat dishes to share! Your less traditional family members will likely be a bit more accepting. They might even be excited that you are leading the way.

When I first switched to a vegan diet, I read the book Voices from the Garden. This book is filled with meaningful essays on living vegan. One essay stood out. In Because I Care, Erin Moore wrote about missing out. She explains, “I’ve heard people say, ‘I could give up meat, but I couldn’t give up milk and cheese,’ or some variation thereof. ‘Don’t you miss ice cream? Don’t you miss ______?’ I answer that I don’t miss it. ‘Indeed,’ I add, ‘there is no point to missing it, because I will never have it again.’ Life is not about getting everything you desire, no matter the consequences. It is not about only us. It is about the system that surrounds and envelops us all. We can’t always have everything we want—and we should probably make sure we don’t.”[1]

Every time I make, buy, or learn about an alternative product that doesn’t use animals, I feel a sense of satisfaction. I’m happy to see the world changing. Every new vegan product found at the grocery, every new vegan recipe published online, and every vegan restaurant opening its doors for the first time makes my heart sing. I reawakened my creative juices in the kitchen that I had originally discovered as a teenager and soon began to enjoy cooking and baking vegan food for family and friends. My taste buds delight in trying new dishes, especially the ones I make myself.

My life and diet are richer since becoming vegan. Many cultures eat plant-based dishes as standard fare. I enjoy frequenting international restaurants. Ethiopian, Soul, Mexican, Thai, Indian, and Middle Eastern foods top my list. Food is something we all have in common, so why not embrace a wider array of foods and dishes, while discovering different flavors, and possibly learning about and even understanding other cultures because of it? Before becoming vegan, I ate a lot of cheese and very few vegetables—not much variety. Now I find joy in eating healthy, flavorful, vegan meals. And I know I’m not missing out on anything that matters—except animal cruelty, taking down the planet, and heart disease. Why would I want to fit in if that’s what I’m contributing to? JOMO reconnects me to what matters most. Finding a place in the world where joy is possible is the only place I want to be.

[1] Towns, Daniel, et al. “Because I Care.” Voices from the Garden: Stories of Becoming a Vegetarian, Lantern Books, New York, NY, 2001, pp. 89.

By Christine Cook Mania, trained and certified as a vegan lifestyle coach and educator by Main Street Vegan Academy, www.MainStreetVegan.com

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Posted on All-Creatures: March 17, 2025
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