The ups and the downs, the twists and the turns

Hi friends. Let me explain why I have been intermittent with my posting. Although I knew it would be difficult to commit to  fully plant based eating, it's been harder than even I thought it would be. Intellectually, I knew that I would have starts and stops, but when I did, I would feel so bad. Guilty. I would feel that it wasn't right to be blogging on a vegan blog if I wasn't walking the walk. Last night, I realized, if I was having the difficulties, maybe others were also. Maybe there was someone else laying in their bed, beating themself up over cheese, or eating the wrong butter, or whatever. I decided last night that I would start writing about it ALL, the good, the bad and the ugly. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of people just like me, who understand the benefits of eating vegan, not only for our health, but for the environment, and for the love of animals, but who are traveling this path and hitting obstacles. If you are like me, and live in a very small, rural, southern city, maybe you find it difficult to go out to eat and find things that are vegan, (sometimes even vegetarian), so you give in and eat the cheese laden food, or whatever it is. Last week, I found myself at my favorite Mexican restaurant, and I ordered my usual dinner off the veg options, a bean burrito and a chalupa. I received my dinner and it had a cheese enchilada instead of the chalupa, since my dining companion also had their dinner, rather than send it back, I decided to go ahead and eat it. I knew full well that it was going to cause my terrible tummy discomfort later, but I chose that over inconveniencing every one else. WHAT? Ridiculous right? I need to worry about me. Later when I suffered terrible issues, my dining partner said rather simply, "you should have just sent it back, I would have". Maybe that's the right answer after all. I also struggle with the fact that I live with a carnivore, and even though he will eat the veg meals I prepare, I feel bad about "making" him do that. When I stated this he looked at me like I was crazy and said, "If I wanted something else I would make it myself, I do know how to cook", well ok. So, I'm here, letting it all hang out, and trying to be more about ME and less about everyone else. How do you deal with all these issues?