Each year, I see Dry January this, Veganuary that, and I think it’s become just a load of marketing BS.
What was once steeped in ideology has become a month-long brainwashing campaign to get us all to drastically change our lifestyles.
We should repent for overindulgence at Christmas and New Year, and to be frank, it annoys the hell out of me.
It shouldn’t be a case that we feel indoctrinated into a lifestyle and shamed if we don’t sign up. These campaigns may have a message behind them, but nowadays they just feel like marketing exercises to get people jumping on the bandwagon.
Who really knows the origins of both of the campaigns? Dry January became ‘a thing’ in 2013. Two years earlier a woman gave up booze as part of their marathon training, happened to join Alcohol Change a year later, and it grew from there.
In 2013 a journalist gave it a go and then there followed a study of the impact of booze. Ultimately, it was about willpower can you say no to a drink – and less about lifestyle choice.
As for Veganuary, this has been happening since 2014. It had an ideology, to get people to stop eating animals. It wants to use the month as a springboard to people adopting a lifestyle change, not just trying something for 31 days.
Why can’t they just co-exist alongside each other, without feeling the guilt of having a pint or a glass a wine along with a burger or a good steak?
That’s what I want to see. I don’t want January monopolised either.
It’s about moderation and balance – not about pitting one against the other. I’m more than happy to stay booze free and meat free, but when I feel like it.
I would estimate that across this January, I probably was ‘dry’ for half of the days and didn’t eat meat for a similar amount of time. I am well versed in plant-based food and have no problems recommending it. I just don’t want to eat it every day of my life.
This is my lifestyle choice – not just in January, but throughout the year. Don’t pigeonhole yourself for a month. There doesn’t have to be extremes. Just do what feels right. This is my message.
If you did ‘sign up’ to either one or both at the start of the year, don’t feel guilty if you decided to have a drink or tuck into a bacon sandwich part way through the month. It’s all about being happy, living in moderation and choice.
#dryjanuary #veganuary #failure