I do think “at peace” is a good way of putting it. In theory, I’m of the opinion that if we treat animals as peers, then it’s fine to trade e.g. shelter for foods.

In practice however, this is virtually impossible to actually do. You pretty much have to care for the animals yourself to know they’re not being mistreated, and especially for dairy, you’re not going to get a lot out of it, without exploiting the animals.

Whether eating the unborn child (or period, or whatever you want to call it) of your peer, is really something you would do, that’s a whole 'nother story.

So, in effect, I feel like I was lying to myself when I was still vegetarian, and it was certainly not a moral conviction that held me there, but rather social expectations.
That was an inner conflict, which I was repressing rather than resolving. Now that I’m vegan, this conflict is gone.