Your Needs Matter -- Reflections from a Level 1 Instructor Training

What comes to mind when you hear the term self-defense?

For me it always focused on physical skills to protect myself.

But Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) is so much more than physical protection. It a holistic approach to creating and defining safe spaces, which leaves me empowered instead of defensive.

Coming into an ESD Global Level 1 Instructor Training in New York, I had expectations that we would be taught skills around fighting based on our bodies and capabilities as women. What I received was so much more.

This program is unique because it is created by women for the ways women’s bodies are built to fight. It takes into consideration protection from an unknown assailant, but it also provides skills for its students to create safe spaces with people in their everyday lives.

I did learn some great techniques for when and if a confrontation became physical, however I learned so much about how to prevent situations from becoming physical if possible.

ESD training highlights a woman’s intuition and their ability to reason while teaching them to use their body language and voice with confidence. After years of being told to be polite and quiet, ESD training gives us permission to state our needs, firmly if necessary, and the understanding that we may need to raise our voices to be heard.

As a solo, female traveler and someone who has decided to forgo a traditional lifestyle and live her life on the road, this training is critical to keep me safe in the wide variety of circumstances I find myself in. As a life coach to others wishing to live a similar lifestyle to mine, I am thrilled to give other women the tools they need to feel empowered to live the way in which they choose knowing that they too have the ability to maintain their safety while traveling.

I am anxious to share the knowledge and tools gained through this training to help others feel empowered to live the life the choose with the confidence that they have tools to call upon if the need occurs.

Overall, Empowerment Self Defense reminds its students that their needs matter and that they have a right to be stated, protected and defended.

* Your donation to the ESD Global Scholarship Fund helps more women like Elizabeth provide ESD training to the women in their communities throughout the world. Donate>>>

Elizabeth is an International Life & Business coach she works in-person or online with both groups and individuals around the world creating pathways and actionable plans to empower her clients to make their dreams a reality.

She recently attended the ESD Global Level 1 Instructor Training in New York.

Elizabeth can be found everywhere online and social @ThriveThisDay.