One of the reasons I am this person in this life is to help others find their soul essence, their true identity. I have a particular skill set that has been bringing me to this point. It is something that has taken me most of my adult life to realise and accept, but that is all part of the reason I am able to help. It is from a place of learning that I am able to see the signs of misalignment in a person’s life.
If you have been following my story, or my journey, you will know that I have been open and honest about my direction and my decisions. I have often U-turned in the face of societal norms or even my own path. This has been crucial. Each decision I have made has never been the full answer; it has never been the end of the story. Each decision has been something to allow me to take from and add to so that I continue to build myself.
But there has been something I have been low-key hiding. Those closest to me know this, but my extended family and then people I have met along the way do not. From around the middle of 2020 until the beginning of this year, I considered myself vegan. But that is no longer the case. Technically speaking, I began my journey as plant-based and I ended this journey as plant-based before moving to a different original approach to the food system and what I should be eating.
Now, in that phrase are a couple of very important points: “different original” and “what I should be eating”. To some, my approach now is what I did before. I accept that; it is a very simple way to look at it and misses the wider context and complexities, but without engaging in a discussion, how are they to know? But, in fact, whilst the labels of some of the foods look like they are back to how I was (red meat, game, eggs, milk etc.), the conscious element and new understanding and appreciation have brought me back altered. I will come back to this in a second. The other important point is “what I should be eating”. I was very particular about my reference here. During my time as a vegan, I changed my language to see my decision as the best decision for everyone. I felt I had the right idea and that all should follow it. I no longer think that.
The simplest way for me to explain what happened for me to change is the following belief—something I have always believed:
I want the world to return to how it used to be, a part of the ecosystem. Not running the ecosystem or having to consciously protect the ecosystem. Existing in the world symbiotically. This means that we need to grow and forage, but we also need to hunt. We need to eat what is around us and not transport into our location something that we shouldn’t be getting.
Now, when I have mentioned this to people in the past, a pretty universal response (from the majority) is to smirk and say “good luck with that” or “there is no chance of that”. But this is my true desire. And so I found myself wondering if my true desire aligned with my course of action, and I found it did not. When I started to explore this train of thought, I realised that if I was to reach a world where what I desire came true, I needed to put some actions in place. This meant withdrawing support for certain parts of the system and promoting other parts. It meant letting people know why I do what I do. So, the first and most obvious thing is no more factory farming. In facing this, I realised that my issue was not the consumption of animals; it was the unfairly ruling over them. If we could return to a previous time, in my pursuit of wild boar, I am as likely to get gored as I am to overcome and feed my family. It was a level playing field; this is not.
This thought then went on a bit. As a vegan, I maybe helped one person get somewhere close to changing their lifestyle and reducing the suffering of animals. That was in 5–6 years of pretty vocal and active attempts. But when I looked at it, 95% of animal products come from factory farms. If I could be a part of ending factory farming, that would take away 95% of animal suffering. Everyone agrees with ending that part of the system. But if the only people shouting about it are vegans (the enemy) or farmers (easily confused as part of the problem), what hope do we have? I realised that by living my authentic life and belief, I can help show people we can eat consciously and reduce animal suffering. Granted, this does not end farming and even organic farms have similar issues. I hear you shouting in the back “but that isn’t hunting, Joe!”. No, you are right, but it is a step in the right direction.
After accepting this belief to align with me and my vision, I was able to see what I could achieve and what we, as conscious eaters, could achieve. For example, there are parts of the UK overrun by deer. Before you contest, it is our existence that has reduced the predators that would have dealt with that, and that is not my vision. I believe predators should be there if we are to live symbiotically. But right now, there are no predators, and so they are becoming classed as pests (a term I don’t agree with as it makes a villain of them). But this classification helps keep the thoughts simple. There are too many deer, and so we need a new or temporary predator, and that can be us. And so, I brought wild venison into my diet, direct from the hunter so as not to line the pockets of someone else using a “luxury” label for something that shouldn’t be classed as such. The conscious part of this then is to know when to stop. I have seen pheasant enclosures where they breed them for the purposes of hunting, and this is abhorrent. At the point that nature starts to find its balance, we should stop.
So, the “I” part of all this. And that really is the reason for this email. I wanted to apologise to you all for it taking so long for me to reveal this truth about me. But I wanted you to know so that you can see what can happen when we do align, but also, that whilst scary, U-turns are completely normal and don’t mean the end of the world.
I have qualifications in plant-based nutrition. I am studying for a diploma in nutritional therapy. I have basic understandings of epigenetics and nutrigenomics. But the overall thing here is that I am an expert in my own body, mind, and soul. There is no one in this universe that knows me better than me. I live every experience, I feel every emotion. When you bring nutrigenomics into it, you understand the personalised approach to nutrition even more. But that is for another day.
I battled with telling people about this change because my negative self-talk and that context brain I often talk about is packed full of arguments for veganism and so I was fully my worst critic. This experience reminded me of what I work on with my clients: that sometimes, the path to alignment isn’t straightforward. It’s full of U-turns, self-doubt, and questioning. But that’s part of the process. When you allow yourself to honour your truth, even when it goes against who you thought you were, you make space for real growth. That’s what I want for everyone I work with—to break through the noise and find the version of themselves that’s deeply true. What did it take to overcome it? What it always takes to overcome these things: just being authentic. I liken this to the difference between being seen and unseen. When we are authentic, we glow differently. It is this glow that people find warm and inviting, particularly yourself. It is like a cosy warm fire in your home or a vibrant green forest on a pleasant day. It just makes you want to settle down and be at peace.
I hope that the people reading this, that are shocked or disappointed, understand my journey and me as a person. At best, we can align in our pursuit of ending suffering; at worst, we can remain friends on our separate paths. For me, authenticity isn’t just an idea—it’s a practice. It’s what allows me to hold space for others on their journeys, no matter how winding or unexpected the path may be. My role as your coach is to guide you through that exploration, to challenge you when the old beliefs hold you back, and to celebrate you when you find your truth—just as I have found mine.
Not many people have seen me play the wood flute. This was a majestic spot.
If you have made it this far, you must have found something in my story that resonates or fascinates you. Perhaps your true self is waiting to be seen, and you subconsciously see the way through this. Whatever the reason, I invite you to get in touch. At the very least, we can chat and give options to unearthing your soul essence.
Look after yourself, find your truth, and live your life.