This has been a very long time coming…and today I am happy to announce the official release of our first DVD. It’s called Girls Fight Back: Live from Denver! If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the seminar live or just want a refresher, it’s the same program I give to 100 schools, colleges and corporations every year. We shot it with a live studio audience at Comcast Studios in Denver this summer, and it was such a fun experience. There are two versions of this DVD. First, you can buy the consumer version for home use. Or if you would like to show the DVD to an audience or classroom, you can purchase the Public Performance Kit. In addition to the DVD, the kit includes a CD-ROM with worksheets, discussion questions, instructor guide, posters, handouts and a public performance license. You can show the DVD as many times as you’d like. The launching of the DVD is a major milestone in steps towards the mission of Girls Fight Back: To educate women across the globe about personal safety & self-defense.
FREE SHIPPING on all DVD purchases until this Friday, Aug. 22nd! Click here to buy it.
So why the DVD? With rising travel costs, my schedule becoming busier than ever and the demand for programs constantly on the rise..it was long overdue. Furthermore, this past year my husband and I made the decision to start a family, which isn’t easy given my current lifestyle. The good news is we found out I was pregnant in July, and we were given a due date of March 2009. Nervous and excited, my staff and I got to work trying to figure out what the Spring ’09 tour could look like (big prego girl teaching self-defense?) and all the other plans that might need re-adjusting. It was a blissful few weeks, and for the first time in a long while, I started seeing myself in another light besides a speaker, author and fighter.
But here’s the not-so-good news: Two weeks ago, we had a miscarriage. This is the first time I am openly discussing it. As these past two weeks have unfolded, some people looked upon me with pity, sadness or avoided eye contact altogether. There have been awkward moments and I have felt myself going to great lengths to make sure people didn’t feel uncomfortable. Some individuals simply didn’t know what to say, so they said nothing at all. Or on the flip side, some assured me to “keep my chin up” or that “I’d get over it someday.”
I started wishing this experience would just go away, disappear and I’d never talk about it again. I could throw myself into work or travel or writing another book just to stay distracted. And in that moment of wanting to shrink into the darkness, lock this experience in a small box of sadness and hide it in the attic of my heart…that’s when I realized this situation had similarities to what society tells victims of violence to do with their pain. Don’t make others uncomfortable. Don’t talk about it. Keep it a secret. Get on with your life. And we wonder why rape victims often don’t report assaults! And why survivors of childhood sex abuse don’t speak about it until their 40th birthday! Or why our society is a massive cluster of people who are hurting, which wreaks havoc on our ability to succeed, to love and to break the cycle!
The first step to finding peace is sharing the stories that bond together in our human experience. We have to start tearing down our brick walls. We need to begin opening up, even when it’s hard or there is a lurking fear of judgment. When we feel the need to turn our back on the truth, instead we need to grab a flashlight and investigate deep within. Above all, we need to support each other. We need to be there to catch our loved ones with a giant net as we leap out the 10th story window of our respective comfort zones. If you are someone who has been carrying a heavy burden, I can assure you that for every insensitive comment you will hear, there will be one thousand more hugs, words of support, good vibes and friends you didn’t even know you had.
Next week I begin my Fall speaking tour in Texas. I have taken the time to write, think, cry, talk, process and heal. I can honestly say that I’m back to my old self and at peace with what has happened…perhaps even a bit wiser than before. All the great things at GFB headquarters are moving ahead with gusto. I am excited that when I can’t be somewhere to give the GFB seminar, the DVD can be shown in my place. I am elated that we have been presented with opportunities to take the GFB mission to an international level. Blessings are everywhere, but we must choose to see them for what they are.
I went to a yoga retreat this past weekend to get some zen before diving into the Fall Tour, and I camped the first night. I endured a howling, scary thunder and lightning storm alone in my little tent. While getting pelted by hail I thought to myself, “I really don’t need this right now.” But how symbolic of my past two weeks! I consciously decided, after fleeing to my SUV for cover, that my challenges were finished for now and it’s time to start over. The next morning, in anticipation of more bad weather, I upgraded from my tent to a cabin. Ironically, I was placed in a cabin named Ganesh, who is the Hindu God of Removing Obstacles and New Beginnings.
And so it is.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
YOU ARE LOVED SO VERY MUCH!
VERY HEARTFELT NEWSLETTER. I REALLY DO FEEL YOUR PAIN: I SUFFERED THREE MISCARRIAGES BEFORE KEEPING MY PREGNANCY. (I HAD TO STOP ALL PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES.)
STRESS REALLY IS A KEY FACTOR, SO TAKE CARE. I WISH YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND ALL THE BEST.
Erin-
My sympathies on your loss. It is always difficult to lose a child no matter their age. I will keep you and your husband in my prayers.
Please remember that you have a legion of fans who are willing to step up and help you. We are a team. What you have started is greater than one individual.
Blessings and safe travel on you as you heal and grow.
Tracey
My dearest friend!! you are loved and treasured across the world. Your commitment and ability to continue raising above the bar (every time!) is a testiment of your strength and faith. I miss you dearly and hope your stop in Texas includes a sweep through Dallas!! Call me soon! Love, Janel
Even through life’s toughest challenges you continue to learn, grow and become a better person all the while sharing your experience so that you can encourage, inspire and motivate others. You are a true leader and inspiration. My thoughts are with you and Pete.
hi Erin, we don’t know each other but I feel like we should. First, like you, I also run self defense seminars for women. I love doing the work. It is fun, and it gratifies me like nothing else. If anything, it is a constant reminder of what I have to keep doing for myself to make sure that I don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
Also, i went through three miscarriages and I still feel the emotional pain of each one. I can tell you the story of my first, which was especially traumatizing. And like you said, people just really didn’t know what to say. But those who did know what to say were the ones, (men and women) who had gone through it themselves. and their stories always made me feel better because I felt understood. I’m sorry to hear about your miscarriage. If your desire is to be a mother, you will find a way to make that happen no matter what. you seem like a very determined person, so fear not.
In spirit,
jackie
Erin,
Last time I saw you was probably in a booth at Ike’s some night many years ago, but I just had to write to you and let you know you are in my prayers — I just had my second miscarriage in the last 12 months, I understand what its like to get the looks of pity, the stupid comments (have you gotten the “oh, well at least you know you can GET pregnant”?)
Just wanted to say that you do so much good for so many people, I truly believe that the Lord will bless you and your husband.
You just have to believe you will be a mom someday, and I am sure you will attack that role with the fierceness and heartfelt determination that you did with this amazing career you have created.
Best always,
Jenn