When Beyoncé challenges the girls to go vegan, the girls respond with kudos and applause but very few accept.
The simple fact is: lifestyle changes are hard. That's why we often praise and congratulate our favorite celebrities for pushing boundaries and making healthier lifestyle choices that break old habits. We commend Queen Bey for her diligence and flawlessly dewy skin. Both of which are a direct result of what we eat.
We have to keep that same energy and support our friends with the same enthusiasm. While veganism isn't something that's reserved for the affluent, it's also not for everybody. In which case, it doesn't hurt to a least support a friend that's trying.
It's a new year and your homegirl whose new year's goal was to go vegan is slowly slipping back into her old ways. Sometimes it's not just the eating habits that are hard to break, it's everything that comes with it. It's deciding on a place to eat when going out with a group of friends, it's navigating the grocery store with an entirely different intention, and unlearning everything you thought you knew, from what you put in your mouth to what you put on your body.
Here's how you can stan for your newly vegan homegirl like she's Beyoncé:
Congratulate Her on the Small Accomplishments
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If your friend decides to "go vegan," what she really means is she's stepping into a transitional period. A majority of vegans go through a phase where they aren't entirely vegan but making more health-conscious decisions in an effort to achieve their goal. That said, you should absolutely be celebrating your friend anytime she chooses a salad over cheeseburger sliders. Acknowledge her efforts when she brings her vegan nail polish with her to her nail appointment or opts not to buy leather. After all, a great accomplishment is just a string of careful choices over a period of time.
Suggest Vegan Restaurants for Hanging After Work
For a lot of new vegans, it's not uncommon that friends will flat out stop inviting them out because of their dietary restrictions. Don't be that friend. It's hard to imagine there's a place where there are no vegan restaurants within a reasonable distance. If there is, suggest that you and your friend go for drinks and forward her the menu. This shows you support her decision while also helping yourself to a few half-off glasses of wine before 7 p.m.
Have a Girls’ Night In and Make a Vegan Recipe
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And if you can't find a vegan restaurant nearby or you'd rather stay in, make it a vegan girls' night. Comfort your friend southern-style with vegan chicken and waffles or golden fried crab cakes and a movie. A common misconception is vegans only eat salads and everything tastes bland. But this is far from the truth. Veganism gives you the opportunity to explore other options, experiment with new flavors and expand your palate.
So the next time you hear your friend talk about her decision to go vegan, instead of giving her the side-eye, gas her up! And take her to the Slutty Vegan to commemorate her dope lifestyle change, 'cuz baby, she deserves!
Featured image by Getty Images.
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Overall, April is a month of feeling things through, taking more intuitive risks, investing in yourself, and balancing your needs with the needs of your relationships.
Read for your sun and rising sign below to see what April has in store for you.
AriesKyra Jay for xoNecoleARIES
April is your month to shine, Aries. With the chaos of March now over, you are starting to see the progress of where life is and how everything has turned out even better than you were expecting. The month begins with the Sun in your 1st house of self, and you are feeling more confident, courageous, and in tune with yourself. With a Full Moon in your sister sign on April 12, relationships are also coming full circle for you now, and you are claiming your peace this month.
Mercury finally goes direct on April 7 and then enters your sign from April 16 to May 10, and this is going to clear up any miscommunications that you have been through. With Mercury now in your sign, your conversations are lively, your mind is inspiring, and you are thinking one step ahead. Before the month ends, Venus enters your sign from April 30 to June 6, and love is also moving forward for you now. Overall, this is a month where you are experiencing some happy outcomes and loyal support.
TaurusKyra Jay for xoNecoleTAURUS
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GeminiKyra Jay for xoNecoleGEMINI
This month is all about the options becoming available to you now, Gemini. With your ruling planet Mercury going direct at the beginning of the month on April 7, you no longer feel as held back or out of place as you may have in the past weeks. With Mercury now direct, your thinking is clearer, and you are seeing the opportunities in your career and professional world that you may have missed before.
The more you can embrace your authenticity, the less time you will spend doubting how others perceive you, remember that this month.
On April 12, there is a Full Moon in Libra, highlighting the romance in your life and bringing forth understanding and compassion within your close relationships. You are letting go of old attachments or self-doubts that haven’t been serving your love life, and are growing closer to your own heart in the process. Before April comes to an end, Mars enters your 3rd house of communication, and you are overall leaving the month focused on your progress, your vision, and taking up space because you deserve to.
CancerKyra Jay for xoNecoleCANCER
This month is all about balancing your time and energy wisely, Cancer. You are being reminded not to overwork or overwhelm yourself in April, and to focus on doing the things that are within your control right now. The Sun is in your 10th house of career for most of the month so you are feeling really passionate about the things you are developing in your life right now, but it’s all about finding the right balance between your personal goals and your needs in your relationships as well.
The Full Moon in Libra on April 12 will be a time to devote your energy to self-care, close loved ones, and overall getting some time to decompress. You are ready to let go of the things that don’t make you feel safe or nurtured and are receiving an emotional renewal right now. The New Moon in Taurus at the end of the month is a time to focus on your intentions on your community, friendships, and aspirations in life, and to pay attention to where you can create more abundance here.
LeoKyra Jay for xoNecoleLEO
Things are turning around for you for the better, Leo. April is a dynamic month, and you are owning your inner alchemist. With a Full Moon in your 3rd house of communication on April 12, you are getting the messages you have been looking for and the mental clarity you have found is bringing closure to some of your close relationships. This month is about being flexible and trusting the changes that are happening for you right now.
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VirgoKyra Jay for xoNecoleVIRGO
This month is all about building new foundations in your life, Virgo. You are feeling more supported and in tune with your own inner needs and interests, and it’s bringing you closer to people and systems that resonate. Your ruling planet Mercury goes direct this month on April 7 after being retrograde for the past few weeks; bringing more clarity, understanding, and compassion to your partnerships in life. You are focused on love this month and are working together with others to make your dreams come true.
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LibraKyra Jay for xoNecoleLIBRA
This is a big month of closure for you, Libra. The Sun is in your 7th house of love for most of April, and your heart is in the right place. With Venus, your ruling planet, going direct on April 12 after being retrograde since March 1, you are finally able to take a breath. You are not experiencing as many obstacles when it comes to communication matters and you are feeling like you have the tools you need to move forward right now.
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ScorpioKyra Jay for xoNecoleSCORPIO
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SagittariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleSAGITTARIUS
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CapricornKyra Jay for xoNecoleCAPRICORN
April is about putting one step in front of the other with patience and dedication and trusting the decisions you are making for yourself right now, Capricorn. The Sun is in your 4th house for most of the month, and you are yearning for your safe spaces, comfort foods, and loyal people. Giving yourself more time to decompress, take care of yourself, and ground your energy is essential this month.
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AquariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleAQUARIUS
April is about giving yourself time to process, accept, and gain a new perspective, Aquarius. You are being guided towards friendship, connection, and community, and are understanding what may be creating the discord in your life that has been distancing you from that. The Full Moon this month is happening in Libra on April 12, and you are ready to let go of feeling like you have to do it all at once or all alone. This month is a reminder to take your time with all the experiences you want to have, trusting that they will come to fruition for you.
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PiscesKyra Jay for xoNecolePISCES
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