It’s not always about what’s on the plate
When people talk about the hardest parts of being carnivore, you might expect the answer to be the food. What do you eat? Don’t you get bored? What about going out?
But sometimes the food is the easy part. It’s everything around it that gets complicated. Ordering a meal can turn into a conversation you weren’t planning to have. A change in how you look can bring questions, concern, or opinions. And suddenly you’re explaining a choice when you were really just trying to eat.
You don’t have to defend every meal
I’m happy to share my experience. That’s a big part of why I’m here. But sharing what I’ve experienced and feeling like I have to defend it are two different things.
Not every question is an argument. Sometimes somebody is curious. Sometimes they’re worried. And sometimes I’m bringing my own defensiveness into the conversation before I’ve really listened.
I can explain what I’m doing without needing the other person to agree. I can listen without turning lunch into a debate. That doesn’t mean hiding what matters to me. It means noticing what the moment actually needs.
When it’s somebody you love
The harder part can be watching people you care about struggle. When something has mattered in your own life, of course you want to share it. You want the people you love to feel better, too.
But caring about somebody doesn’t mean I get to choose their path. My experience is mine. It isn’t a promise about what will happen for somebody else.
I can offer what I’ve learned. I can be available when somebody wants to talk. And I can keep loving them without making every conversation about food. That’s something I want to stay aware of.
An ORRA check-in
This is where Observe, Respond, Remain Aligned comes back into it. Not as a way to get every conversation right. Just as a way to slow down and notice.
Observe: What actually happened? What did I hear, and what meaning did I add to it?
Respond: How did I respond? Was I sharing, listening, defending, or trying to convince?
Remain Aligned: What might alignment look like next time? Maybe a simple answer. Maybe a question. Maybe letting the conversation move on.
If a conversation about your own choices has stayed with you, take a minute with those questions. There doesn’t have to be a perfect answer. Just an honest one.
Coming up on the channel
The 4 Hardest Parts of Being Carnivore is coming November 15, 2026. I’ll be getting further into the parts of this way of eating that go beyond the food itself.
Before that, Cinnamon Toast Butter Bars is coming November 8, 2026—a little time back in the kitchen.
Both videos are upcoming as I write this. You’ll find them on the channel when they’re released.
Reading corner
If you’d like something to read, the Books section now includes Reality Transurfing, The Kybalion, and Conversations with God, Book 1. There’s room to sit with an idea, question it, and see what you take from it.
Thanks for being here
Thank you for taking a few minutes to read this and for being part of the conversation. Whether you eat the way I do or you’re just here for the awareness side of things, I appreciate you being here.
— Joe
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