88 Tactical: Advancing Women’s Self-Defense

Women's Journal Staff on April 25, 2024

In today’s era, the safety of women remains a critical issue across global boundaries. The transformation of women’s self-defense programs highlights significant advancements in addressing personal and communal security concerns. From rudimentary defensive tactics to sophisticated training that encompasses psychological and tactical response strategies, these programs have evolved to meet modern challenges.

Historical Context and Evolution

Initially rooted in the early 20th century amid rising concerns over street harassment, women’s self-defense started with basic jiu-jitsu techniques. These early programs were primarily reactive, focusing on immediate physical responses to assaults. As societal attitudes shifted, particularly during the women’s liberation movements of the 1970s and 1980s, the narrative around women’s self-defense expanded to include empowerment, confidence building, and the assertion of personal safety rights.

Modern Self-Defense Techniques

Modern programs offered by entities like 88 Tactical, which derives its name from a law enforcement code signaling safety, now provide comprehensive tactical training. These modern curricula cover situational awareness, legal defense weapon use, and physical defense maneuvers, ensuring a well-rounded approach to personal safety.

Psychological Preparedness

Today’s self-defense training places a strong emphasis on mental preparedness. Programs teach women to maintain composure under stress, assert boundaries confidently, and employ verbal de-escalation tactics. These skills are crucial, enabling women to handle potential threats assertively and safely.

Incorporation of Technology

Acknowledging the digital age, current self-defense instruction also integrates technological tools to enhance safety. Women learn to utilize security applications and emergency response services effectively, addressing both physical and potential digital threats.

Specialized Programs for Women

Understanding that women face unique challenges, organizations like 88 Tactical tailor their programs to address specific scenarios women are likely to encounter. These targeted programs adapt continuously to reflect the latest research and societal trends, ensuring relevance and effectiveness.

Community and Global Impact

The broader impact of empowering women with self-defense skills extends beyond individual safety. These programs foster community resilience and safety, transforming participants into advocates for security and preparedness within their communities.

Future Trends in Self-Defense Training

Anticipating future developments, self-defense programs are likely to incorporate advanced technologies like virtual reality to simulate training scenarios, enhancing realism and preparedness. Personalized training programs, tailored to individual physical capabilities and learning styles, will become increasingly prevalent.

Conclusion

The journey from basic defense techniques to comprehensive, empowering programs underscores a significant shift in the narrative surrounding women’s self-defense. Organizations like 88 Tactical are at the forefront of this evolution, crafting programs that not only respond to but actively shape strategies improving women’s safety. This transformation goes beyond teaching physical maneuvers; it encompasses a holistic approach that includes situational awareness, legal education, and psychological readiness. These programs aim to equip women with the skills and confidence required to navigate and respond to potential threats in a variety of scenarios, whether they are at home, work, or in public spaces.

Moreover, such initiatives help foster a greater societal understanding of the importance of women’s safety as a fundamental right, not just a privilege. The proactive stance of these evolved programs marks a progressive step towards a safer and more empowered future for women globally.

Published by: Khy Talara

Fair Hill Farm’s Pursuit of Regenerative Agriculture

Women's Journal Staff on April 25, 2024

By: Judith Farrell Horvath, Fair Hill Farm

Understanding That The Ideal Way to Cultivate Health and Abundant Life Is To Create It

In the heart of Central Ohio lies Fair Hill Farm, a beacon of hope for those seeking to revolutionize the food systems through regenerative agriculture. Led by the indomitable Judith Farrell Horvath, Fair Hill Farm stands as a testament to the power of resilience, community, and ecological stewardship in the face of modern-day challenges. Her work as a farm and livestock specialist and advocacy for regenerative agriculture have been featured by several outlets and organizations, such as Medium and Authority Magazine.

Fair Hill Farm's Pursuit of Regenerative Agriculture

Photo Courtesy: Fair Hill Farm

Fair Hill Farm’s genesis is rooted in Judith’s personal odyssey—a tale of corporate disillusionment, suburban strife, and the transformative allure of regenerative farming. From her humble beginnings as a corporate executive and keeper of illegal backyard chickens in suburbia, Judith embarked on a journey fueled by conviction and necessity. Witnessing firsthand the fragility of industrialized food systems, Judith made a courageous decision to pivot from boardrooms to barnyards, from spreadsheets to soil.

Fair Hill Farm is at the forefront of the Regenerative Revolution in agriculture, advocating it as a transformative system to elevate small independent farmers, restore soils, and launch local food production.

Fair Hill Farm’s commitment to nurturing interconnected networks of regenerative farms and ranches reflects Judith’s vision of a future where local, sustainable food production serves as a foundation for resilient communities. Big Ag is not just unsustainable—it’s actively eroding people’s health, soils, and the social fabric of rural America. Fair Hill Farm emerges as a bastion of hope, championing a holistic approach to farming that replenishes and nourishes rather than destroys.

Central to Fair Hill Farm’s mission is the empowerment of a new generation of farmers and entrepreneurs. Through workshops, consulting, and public speaking engagements, Judith endeavors to share the stories of success and struggle through her podcast that define the regenerative movement and adjacent entrepreneurism. Fair Hill Farm beckons with offering mentorship, and a roadmap to success.

Photo Courtesy: Fair Hill Farm

“We need 100,000 new young farmers starting regenerative farms and earning a living wage. It’s exactly the injection of energy and fresh blood that agriculture needs,” says Judith. Moreover, she explains, “Two-thirds of American farmers are over 60 years old, and only 1.5% of the land in America is being regeneratively farmed. And that needs to change.”

Given this alarming statistic, she eagerly invites the youth to take the leap and take advantage of this huge opportunity to transform food production to turn things around for agriculture. Judith and Fair Hill Farm are calling on the youth to join this meaningful and worthwhile endeavor so they can make a lasting difference through regenerative agriculture, saving soil, stimulating local economies, and stabilizing food supply chains, creating a brighter future.

Fair Hill Farm’s impact extends far beyond the boundaries of its 19-acre homestead. Through enterprises like CapriDerma, Judith ventures into the realm of sustainable personal care products, leveraging surplus goat milk to craft zero-plastic, chemical-free shampoo bars and soaps. This diversification not only embodies Fair Hill Farm’s commitment to resourcefulness and innovation.

The Path Forward for Judith and Fair Hill

As we stand at the crossroads of environmental crisis and agricultural opportunity, Fair Hill Farm beckons everyone to chart a new course—one guided by principles of responsible stewardship. Judith’s journey serves as a beacon of hope, illuminating a path towards a more sustainable, equitable future for all.

In Fair Hill Farm, the seeds of transformation have been sown. It’s time to cultivate a future where everyone can thrive with an endless supply of sustenance for future generations.

Judith Farrell Horvath, founder of Fair Hill Farm, is a leading force in the realm of regenerative agriculture and sustainable living. Featured in various outlets and spoken publicly in numerous events. Judith’s expertise in agriculture and stewarding livestock has inspired countless individuals to embark on their own journeys towards farming resilience. Join Judith’s thriving community of earth stewards. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow Fair Hill Farm on social media to join the movement towards a more sustainable future.

Published by: Holy Minoza

The Transformative Journey of Gut Health: How Katarina Grabic Empowers Women to Radiate Wellness

Women's Journal Staff on April 25, 2024

By: Cecily Cox

In the quest for radiant skin and vibrant health, many women find themselves navigating through a labyrinth of skincare products and wellness trends, often without finding lasting solutions. “I was not happy with the responses I received from different naturopaths and Chinese medicine doctors or allergy tests my MD sent me to and I began to create a life studying the gut for myself” Shares Katarina. However, amidst this sea of options, one woman has emerged as a guiding light, offering a transformative approach rooted in the power of gut health: Katarina Grabic, the visionary behind Glow Beauty Sips.

Olivia Pierson, a well-known TV personality and influencer, recently shared her journey to clear, glowing skin after years of battling stubborn adult acne. Frustrated with traditional remedies that offered no relief, Pierson sought a different path—one that led her to Katarina Grabic and her holistic treatment program. “Olivia, she had severe blood deficiency and her ferritin levels were so low. If we masked this using some anti parasitic protocol, her levels would continue to drop and become dangerously low. By killing everything, we do not heal the root of why these parasites are able to thrive in your body, why you are a great host”. Says Katarina

What sets Grabic apart is her holistic approach, which goes beyond surface-level solutions to address the root cause of skin issues like acne. Through her comprehensive treatment programs, Grabic offers personalized care tailored to each client’s unique needs, combining principles from Chinese Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Western Science.

How Katarina Grabic Empowers Women to Radiate Wellness

Photo Courtesy: JENEVIEVECREATIVE (@glowbeautysips)

Pierson’s experience with Grabic’s Full Reset program exemplifies the profound impact that addressing gut health can have on skin issues. By adopting a clean diet and incorporating natural supplements tailored to her specific condition, Pierson noticed remarkable improvements in her skin’s clarity and texture. “My job is to make your body the opposite of a great host to these pathogens and viruses”. States Katarina. Through regular check-ins and personalized protocols, Grabic guided Pierson towards healing from within, empowering her to reclaim her confidence and radiance.

But Pierson’s journey is just one example of Grabic’s transformative impact. Through Glow Beauty Sips, Grabic has touched the lives of countless women, helping them break free from the cycle of skincare struggles and embark on a journey towards holistic wellness. By emphasizing the importance of gut health and offering individualized care, Grabic has become a beacon of hope for those seeking lasting solutions to their skin woes.

Photo Courtesy: JENEVIEVECREATIVE

What sets Grabic’s approach apart is her commitment to education and empowerment. By educating her clients about the connection between gut health and skin issues, Grabic empowers them to make informed choices that support their journey towards wellness. Through her innovative protocols and unwavering dedication, Grabic inspires women to embrace holistic living and prioritize their health from within.”I am able to choose from more than one modality when healing an issue. If someone has one education training, they can only utilize that. I am able to pull from many, ” says Katarina.

As more women like Pierson share their success stories, Grabic’s influence continues to grow, offering hope to those who have long struggled with skin issues. In a world inundated with quick fixes and superficial solutions, Grabic’s holistic approach stands as a testament to the transformative power of addressing gut health.

For women seeking to reclaim their health and radiance, Grabic offers a simple yet profound suggestion: prioritize gut health. By nourishing the body from within and addressing underlying imbalances, women can unlock the key to clear, glowing skin and vibrant wellness. Through her visionary approach, Katarina Grabic is reshaping the beauty industry one radiant woman at a time, proving that true beauty begins from within.

Published By: Aize Perez

Megghan Thompson: Coaching Young Children

Women's Journal Staff on April 25, 2024

Parenting a highly sensitive child can present unique challenges, but with the right support and guidance, it can also be a deeply rewarding experience. Highly sensitive children (HSCs) possess a heightened sensitivity to their environment and emotions, which can make them more susceptible to stress and overwhelm. Nurturing their emotional resilience is essential for helping them thrive in a world that may not always understand or accommodate their needs. In this article, we’ll explore practical insights from experts in the field, including Megghan Thompson Coaching, on how to nurture emotional resilience in highly sensitive children.

Understanding Emotional Resilience

Emotional resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity, cope with stress, and adapt to challenging situations. For highly sensitive children, developing emotional resilience is particularly crucial as it equips them with the tools to navigate life’s ups and downs with confidence and grace. Thompson emphasizes the importance of proactive engagement with highly sensitive children, providing them with practical strategies to build resilience and thrive in various aspects of their lives.

Creating a Supportive Environment

One of the first steps in nurturing emotional resilience in highly sensitive children is to create a supportive and nurturing environment at home. Thompson encourages parents to cultivate an atmosphere of acceptance, validation, and understanding where children feel safe to express their emotions openly and honestly. By fostering a strong parent-child bond built on trust and empathy, parents lay the foundation for their child’s emotional resilience and well-being.

Teaching Coping Strategies

Equipping highly sensitive children with coping strategies is essential for building emotional resilience. Megghan Thompson Coaching offers practical tools and techniques for parents to teach their children how to manage stress, regulate their emotions, and navigate overwhelming situations. These strategies may include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, and positive self-talk. By empowering children with these coping skills, parents help them develop a sense of self-efficacy and confidence in their ability to handle life’s challenges.

Encouraging Self-Expression

Encouraging self-expression is another important aspect of nurturing emotional resilience in highly sensitive children. Thompson emphasizes the value of validating children’s feelings and providing them with opportunities to express themselves creatively. Whether through art, music, or journaling, allowing children to express their emotions in healthy and constructive ways helps them develop a sense of agency and self-awareness. By encouraging self-expression, parents empower their children to navigate their emotions and build resilience in the process.

Promoting Positive Relationships

Positive relationships play a vital role in fostering emotional resilience in highly sensitive children. Megghan Thompson Coaching encourages parents to foster meaningful connections with their children and cultivate supportive relationships with peers and mentors. By surrounding children with positive influences and role models, parents provide them with a strong support network to lean on during times of stress or adversity. These positive relationships not only bolster children’s emotional resilience but also contribute to their overall well-being and sense of belonging.

Building Confidence and Self-Esteem

Building confidence and self-esteem is essential for nurturing emotional resilience in highly sensitive children. Thompson emphasizes the importance of celebrating children’s strengths, talents, and accomplishments to boost their confidence and self-worth. By providing children with opportunities to succeed and overcome challenges, parents help them develop a sense of resilience and belief in their abilities. Building confidence and self-esteem lays the groundwork for children to face future challenges with resilience and determination.

Seeking Support and Guidance

Navigating the complexities of raising a highly sensitive child can be challenging, but parents don’t have to do it alone. Megghan Thompson Coaching offers a range of resources, including workshops, support groups, and individual coaching sessions, to empower parents on their parenting journey. By seeking support and guidance from experts in the field, parents can gain valuable insights, strategies, and encouragement to nurture emotional resilience in their highly sensitive children. Together, we can create a supportive and nurturing environment where children can thrive emotionally and build resilience for life’s journey.

Published by: Holy Minoza

Tricia Schepp: Empowering Women Through lumenCLT

Women's Journal Staff on April 25, 2024

By: Heather Holmes

Subtle Glow: The Entrepreneurial Journey of The Candle Lady

In the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, there’s a flicker of warmth and comfort in the form of a small batch soy candle business, lumenCLT. At its helm is an inspiring entrepreneur, Tricia Schepp, who more often goes by the name “The Candle Lady” by her beloved clientele. Her venture into entrepreneurship followed a risky leap from her corporate job to jumping on her passion project, and she has crafted soy candles that spark not just light but life in rooms that are both high-quality and high in safety, free from harmful chemicals. Her work rapidly spread through word of mouth, and before she knew it, she was tasked with the challenge of creating custom candles for a variety of events. Today, lumenCLT operates on a higher level, with its items popping up in the stores of retail partners and gracing pop-up events; Tricia’s work and company are clear reminders of the amazing power and impact of women and stand as an illuminating figure in the realm of female-run business this upcoming Mother’s Day.

This Spring, Tricia is featuring her Spring Candle lineup, including the enchanting scents of Sea Salt & Orchid, Mermaid Lagoon, Spotless Kitchen, Queen City Charlotte, and the limited edition Mom Magic, inspired by the warmth of a mother’s love evoking the aroma of hot coffee and warm hugs. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, Mom Magic and lumenCLT’s Spring lineup offers a heartfelt way to express gratitude and appreciation for the maternal figures in people’s lives. The lineup also includes the limited edition Women Supporting Women candle, a candle sporting notes of beech wood, vetiver and eucalyptus as an ode to Women everywhere this upcoming National Women’s Month. As a bonus this season, lumenCLT is offering free shipping for purchases over $100 using the code SHIPDEAL at checkout.

Tricia Schepp Empowering Women Through lumenCLT

Photo Courtesy: Tricia Schepp

Tricia’s dedication to women and service doesn’t stop there. Candles like Women Supporting Women celebrate the spirit of female empowerment not just on International Women’s Day but every day of the year. With notes of beechwood, vetiver, and eucalyptus, the Women Supporting Women candle is a tribute to the strength and resilience of women everywhere.

At the core of lumenCLT is a commitment to quality, transparency and health. Each candle is handcrafted in small batches in Charlotte, NC, and crafted using soy wax and high-quality oils resulting in carcinogen and toxin-free products. Tricia’s choice of exclusively using soy-wax over petroleum-based alternatives ensures that each one of her candles provides a clean burn—contributing to the effort of making healthier and safer options in an industry ridden with unsafe products.

Photo Courtesy: Tricia Schepp / lumenCLT

What sets lumenCLT apart is not just the candles themselves but the story behind them. Tricia’s commitment to authenticity shines through in her social media posts, emails, and conversations with customers. She attributes her success to her unique way of authentic entrepreneurship, which she shares:

“What’s been most effective in running my business is being authentic in my social media posts, emails and conversations. By sharing the highs AND lows of my business, I am relatable to my customers. This is the real world where things are going to go sideways at times but we make it work! I think many people relate to those stories and appreciate the honesty (and humor). As time goes on, I realize people want to know my story as well as the lumen story. They want to see photos of me sitting on the floor, labeling 600 candles for a corporate order. They want to know how many pounds of soy wax I used the previous year. I have been gradually slipping little gems of the ‘Tricia life’ into lumen.”

Her commitment to transparency and building authentic connections is evident in the way she shows glimpses of her true self while running her business. As such, she’s created a community that’s both supportive and appreciative of her and her enterprise, thus adding depth and humanity to lumenCLT.

Tricia Schepp is an innovating figure in the candle industry inspiring both change and empowerment through her craft and creations. She’s been featured in numerous publications and outlets for her inspiring story and her dedication to transparent, healthy and high-quality products. Learn more about Tricia Schepp and lumenCLT by visiting http://lumenclt.com.

Published by: Holy Minoza