TPP 057: Interview with Colleen Patrick Goudreau

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau was one of the first vegan authors that I started reading when I transitioned in 2013. What always stood out to me, was how clearly she articulated her values and beliefs related to veganism. Colleen talks about the fact that you are 'not becoming vegan', rather, you are expressing your full self when you start abstaining from animal products and living a vegan lifestyle. She also isn't willing to compromise on her values and clearly states throughout her work how living according to what you belief is not something you need to do halfway and that, if there is resistance in any form from family, friends, co-workers, neighbors or others, it's from a place of insecurity, sometimes even defensiveness or it's from a place of unnecessary self consciousness. Her 30 Day Vegan Challengeis the original work that inspired Noah to embark on his vegan journey - and as Colleen says it so eloquently, it wasn't her doing, it was he who chose it. Colleen's words could not resonate more with us. And her latest book that just officially hit the on- and offline shelves on 11/12 is a summary of tools she has been crafting and sharing for the last 10 years through her podcast. The Joyful Vegan: How to Stay Vegan in a World that Wants You to Eat Meat, Dairy and Eggsshares Colleen's personal story, which a lot of us will be able to relate to. It's the story of a child with empathy, asking questions about the animals we love and the ones we eat, from a very young age on.As she says, it's not an original story, in the sense that a lot of children evolve this way. One of the crucial points Colleen makes in her work is that the interaction with animals is often used as a 'barometer for determining mental and emotional health' - but most of us go on and eat animals. In our interview we talk with Colleen about this profound contradiction that a lot of us embody and live. We talk about the reason why we eat animals and why it's so hard to stick to a vegan diet in a society that collectively believes in the commoditization of animals. We also dig into the question if veganism is going mainstream and if we are going to reach the tipping point of conscious consumerism soon. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. It was an absolute highlight for us to sit down with Colleen and to be able to share a little bit of her deep presence and her incredibly well articulated thoughts on empathy with all of you. SHOW NOTES: Colleen's website here Check out her latest book on Amazon The Joyful Vegan Colleen's very own Food For Thought Podcast Colleen Patrick-Goudreau on IG One Part Plant IG Go Further and check out previous posts if you are new to the pod: Check out our recent episode with Krisann Polito-Moller hereabout her vegan journey TPP 022 with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, on beating his heart disease with a plant-based diet TPP 024 with Registered Dietician Karin Gibson, a plant based lifestyle TPP 026 with Dr Michelle McMacken, the science behind a plant based diet Follow us on Instagram @theplantiful And a special thanks to Caleb Jones, our audio engineer and latest addition to the pod – thank you @partcalebjones ! This episode is sponsored by Hundred. Hundred takes a one-of-a-kind, holistic approach to vitamins. Sleep, nutrition and stress all directly impact your energy levels, and hundred takes them all into account to recommend you the right vitamins. Hundred also guides you with free check ins from a Nutrition Expert, so you can feel comfortable knowing you're taking the right vitamins for your unique goals.