The holiday season is fast approaching, with Thanksgiving kicking it off tomorrow. Last year, my main concern was how I was going to get through a Thanksgiving meal as a new vegan. What was I going to eat? Would I be able to resist the foods everyone else was eating? 

This year, the sadness and struggle are different. They stem from something much deeper … and more depressing. In the past year, I’ve seen so many forms of animal abuse that were once unimaginable to me (well, many still are). 

My level of awareness was heightened, and so was my sensitivity and empathy for the billions of innocent animals who are mercilessly abused, mistreated, exploited and violently killed every second of every day.

And so, in the past year since I first celebrated Thanksgiving as a new vegan, I’ve changed. 

If you’re like me in this stage of veganism, how do you cope with the emotions of being around non-vegan loved ones during the holidays?