In this heartfelt conversation, author Colleen Patrick-Goudreau joins Jasmin and Mariann to discuss her eighth book, A Year of Compassion: 52 Weeks of Living Zero Waste, Plant-Based and Cruelty Free, exploring how compassion can be a guiding force during challenging times and offering practical ways to manifest it in everyday life.
This episode explores:
- How compassion is often misunderstood and how we can reclaim its true meaning in secular contexts
- The psychological barriers that prevent people from aligning their actions with their compassionate values
- Practical ways to make a difference, from rewilding our gardens to support native pollinators to embracing a zero-waste mindset
- The importance of starting where you are rather than doing nothing because you can’t do everything
- How Colleen’s personal journey, including her relationship with her mother, shaped her compassionate worldview
ABOUT OUR GUEST

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a recognized expert and thought leader on the culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living compassionately, healthfully, and sustainably. She is an award-winning author of eight books — including the bestselling The Joy of Vegan Baking, The 30-Day Vegan Challenge, The Joyful Vegan, and her newest book, A Year of Compassion: 52 Weeks of Living Zero-Waste, Plant-Based, and Cruelty-Free. Colleen is also an acclaimed speaker, a regular contributor to National Public Radio, the host of all-inclusive luxury sustainable, vegan, animal-friendly trips around the world, and the Host/Producer of Food for Thought Podcast (one of the longest-running podcasts). She can be found at JoyfulVegan.com and on Substack at https://colleenpatrickgoudreau.substack.com.
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