While some people go vegan overnight after learning the truth about animal agriculture, for others, the transition is made easier by working towards smaller goals along the way.

Here are 10 helpful tips for making your switch to a vegan lifestyle last a lifetime:

Take our 30-day vegan pledge.

Take our 30-day vegan pledge. Every week, we’ll send you meal plans, recipes, and tips on having a balanced diet, choosing vegan clothes and cruelty-free cosmetics, and showing compassion for animals in other areas of your life. 30-day Vegan Pledge

Have vegan days. Start with #MeatFreeMonday, then choose a few days a week to steer clear of animal-derived foods, and slowly work towards making vegan eating a daily habit. Incorporating additional days into your routine will come naturally, and you’ll soon find yourself choosing plant-based foods every day. Biffs Jack Shack

Eat vegan at home. Make all the meals you eat or prepare at home vegan, including any packed lunches. Our recipe page can help you get inspired. If you’re eating out, remember that most restaurants have at least one vegan option on the menu – even your favourite chain restaurants.

Try new foods.

Use your interest in eating vegan as an opportunity to discover new foods to love. There’s plenty of innovation on the vegan scene, and you’ll find tons of exciting foods that will quickly replace the animal-derived ones that you’re currently used to. Head to our autumn favourites list to get explorin’: New in Vegan Pret

Substitute. If you find that certain foods are a bit harder to give up, find a substitution. There’s a vegan version of every animal-derived food or ingredient – and you’ll find it’s just as good. Head to our guides for some recommendations: Vegan Meat GuideVegan Cheese GuideVegan Milk Guide Oumph!

Join a community. Cook for and with others, especially like-minded people who can support you. Go out with friends to try out new vegan restaurants, join vegan Facebook groups in your area, get talking on Twitter, and join demonstrations. The world is your (vegan) oyster!

Get informed. It’s easier to eliminate animal-derived foods when you’re aware of the suffering behind them, the environmental impact of animal agriculture, and the health benefits of eating plant-based, so keep up to date with what’s going on in the vegan world. Knowledge is power.

Stand by your beliefs.

Not everyone is going to agree with your reasons for going vegan – in fact, some people might go out of their way to try to prove you wrong. But don’t forget: eating vegan is an act of kindness, and choosing compassion in a world that normalises violence is powerful. Remember that your choices are having a positive impact on animals, the Earth, and your health. What could be better than that?

Be grateful.

Many people don’t know about animal rights issues or don’t have access to resources to learn more about the other problems associated with eating meat, eggs, and dairy “products”, so be grateful that you do and that you’re able to make a difference.