#134: Tiny Shifts, Big Change—Colleen’s Tips on Living with Purpose
Feeling overwhelmed trying to “do the right thing” in a complicated world? You're not alone—and you're not doing it wrong. In this episode, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau helps us move beyond guilt, perfectionism, and burnout by reconnecting with what matters most: compassion. Whether you’re struggling to stay consistent with your values, feeling discouraged by your impact, or unsure where to start—this conversation offers practical, heart-centered guidance for creating real change, one small step at a time.
LISTEN HERE OR ON SPOTIFY OR APPLE PODCASTS
What if making a difference felt light, empowering, and joyful? In this inspiring episode, we hear from our dear friend Colleen who shares the moment her compassion was truly awakened—how it lifted a weight from her shoulders and helped her embrace sustainable living with confidence and ease.
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, joining us for her fourth appearance on the podcast, has become our resident expert on all things compassion and sustainability. She’s someone we deeply respect, and someone who continually inspires us with her clarity, courage, and wisdom. She is a renowned speaker, educator, and author who has been guiding people toward living more compassionately for over two decades. Colleen has written multiple influential books—including The Joy of Vegan Baking (Michelle and Toni’s first vegan cookbook), Joyful Vegan, and The 30-Day Vegan Challenge—and she’s known for making complex ethical and nutritional topics incredibly accessible, practical, and deeply moving. She's also the host of the long-running podcast Food for Thought.
Through weekly inspirations and challenges, Colleen offers a supportive space to explore new habits with confidence. She believes that making an impact doesn’t have to feel overwhelming and that small, intentional actions can lead to meaningful change. In this conversation, she shares the steps she has taken to remove mental blocks and step into compassionate action, from living more zero-waste (and the most effective actions to do so!), to practical questions that can guide your choices in a way that feels manageable and fulfilling.
You'll discover simple yet impactful ways to integrate zero-waste habits, mindful food choices, and kindness into your everyday life—without stress or overwhelm. Learn the truth behind grocery store "sell-by" dates, explore creative ways to reduce food waste while boosting your budget, consider the growing affordability of renewable energy (it's more accessible than you think!), and find some surprisingly simple ways to support animals, even if you can’t foster or adopt. This episode offers real-life solutions that feel doable and satisfying.
Sustainability isn’t about being perfect—it’s about doing what you can, where you are, with what you have. And trust us, you can do more than you think by making choices that align with your values! Tune in and get inspired to take small steps that work in your life to make big changes.
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
- How Colleen’s compassion was awakened and, simultaneously, a weight was lifted
- How Colleen recognized and removed the blocks to compassion in her own life
- Why Colleen offers weekly inspirations and challenges to give space and time to start integrating in a confident way
- What makes an action impactful, and how Colleen seeks out the most impactful actions to recommend
- Services and actions Colleen has discovered to help her live even more zero-waste
- Questions to help guide individual decisions in a manageable way
- How renewable energy sources are becoming more and more affordable
- Mindset shifts that can greatly reduce food waste
- The truth behind grocery store “sell-by” dates
- Michelle shares how satisfying it can be to evolve habits, like composting, one small step at a time, even if it initially seems intimidating
- What “eating by color” means and how it can simply but powerfully transform your health
- How to eat healthy while budget conscience
- How simply challenging yourself to not go to the store can open your eyes to many creative options
- Colleen’s favorite go-to meals and the secret ingredient of polenta
- Options for helping animals, even if you don’t have the availability to foster or adopt
- How to be humane even with critter control in your homes
- How to focus on the power and opportunities that are close to you, at your level, instead of the overwhelming things that are far away from us
MORE OF COLLEEN
- JoyfulVegan.com
- Colleen's Substack & Food for Thought podcast
- Colleen's books
- Episodes with Colleen
- VegAnswers with Michelle & Colleen
RESOURCES
A Year of Compassion
We’ll never be perfect in this imperfect world, but Colleen's book shows us how with small, incremental changes, we can each contribute to big change. One week, you might declutter your fridge to cut down on food waste, while the next, you could store some basic supplies in your car to help an injured animal. Another week, you might explore eating by color to boost your nutrient intake, while the next, you can take steps to stop junk mail in its tracks.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
If you love nut butter, you’re going to love Nutty Novelties! They make all-natural nut butters that are high in protein, low in sugar, and so delicious. Most of their line is totally vegan, which we obviously love. Their Classic Peanut Butter is a perfect place to start—just peanuts and salt, with 8 grams of protein per serving, and half the sodium of the big brands. It’s our go-to for smoothies, oatmeal, or just dipping with apples!
You can also use nut butters as an egg replacer in baking recipes, in creamy peanut sauces, and so much more. And if you want to get a little more adventurous, their Pistachio Butter is next-level. There are so many fun flavors to try, and they all pair beautifully with your favorite plant-based foods. They even have special flavor batch drops, and it just feels good to support a small company that’s so passionate about nut butter.
As a podcast listener, you can use our code PLANT for 10% off your order at NuttyNovelties.com, and check out their latest flavor lineup! Happy snacking!
Purity Woods Age-Defying Night Cream
We talk a lot about what we put into our bodies, but what about what we put on our skin? Especially at night, when our bodies and brains are in full-on repair mode, our skin is too. That’s actually when it can absorb ingredients most effectively, so what you use before bed really matters.
We recently discovered Purity Woods and their Age-Defying Night Cream has been such a lovely addition to our evening routines. It’s 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and USDA certified organic. It’s the real deal! And get this, their secret sauce is maple leaf extract which has amazing anti-oxidants and hydrating properties. The cream is formulated with over 25 powerful botanicals to nourish and smooth the skin without any weird synthetic stuff. No parabens, no toxins, no green-washing, just the super clean, gentle formula that feels really luxurious and gives your skin a little love while you sleep.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy nighttime moisturizer, you can check it out at puritywoods.com/PLANTPOWERED or enter code PLANTPOWERED at checkout and you’ll get 10% off your first order.
LET'S BE FRIENDS!
CONNECT WITH TONI OKAMOTO:
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
CONNECT WITH MICHELLE CEHN:
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
WANT TO SUPPORT THE SHOW?
If you love our podcast and want to help keep this free resource alive for many years to come, you can become a supporter through Patreon with a donation as little as $2 a month or by making a one-time donation through Paypal. Can't donate? You can still be a huge support to us by subscribing and leaving us a review on iTunes! Either way, we're sending you massive hugs through the screen :)
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that we've linked to these products purely because we personally use and recommend them and they are from companies we trust. There is no additional cost to you.
WATCH OUR MINI DOCUMENTARY
