Implementing change can be quick and easy when you have no children

By Nina Steele 

Recently, my husband and I decided to eat less meat, and have more vegetarian meals during the week. The change as it often happens in our household was swift, even though it wasn’t planned. Until then, as a couple, we haven’t seen eye to eye when it comes to how much meat we should eat. My husband has never been that keen on eating too much meat, and prefers having lots of vegetables on his plate. I on the other hand grew up eating lots of meat and so, I didn’t see the need for change, until now that is. And we have the festive season to thank for it.

As it happened with most people everywhere, we ate far more during the festive season than we would normally, and that included meat. The portion at Christmas was just right, whereas even I, the meat lover have to admit that I went a bit overboard for our meal on New Year’s Eve.

And so, when my husband told me that the New Year’s Eve meal had put him off eating too much meat in future, I knew that I had to act. In spite of the fact that I had already done my weekly shopping when we discussed the issue, I decided that instead of the meal that I had planned the next day, which of course involved meat, I was going to try out a new vegetarian dish.

Thankfully, we live a stone throw away from a supermarket and a convenience store, which means that I can just pop out to get whatever I need during the week, without needing the car. Not only do I now make a point of having vegetarian dishes on our weekly menu, I have also now drastically reduced our meat consumption.

Because we have no children, change often happens swiftly. Once we both agree that something needs to be done, whatever it is, is implemented without much fuss. When you are two adults who know what you want, there is no reason to let things drag on for ever. And the good thing about food is that I only cook once, as opposed to having different meals for different people.

Change is what brings about personal growth, and it happens all the time whether we like it or not. The nature of the change and how in agreement we are with it, will impact on our happiness overall. Not having children, I find, often makes change easier and by extension contributes to the happiness that is ultimately the state of mind that we all seek.