The podcast originated as a personal quest of Erika de la Vega, a Venezuelan comedian, broadcaster and TV host based in Miami. People are hooked because it comes from an authentic place, where doubts never stop emerging and where everyone can find different answers.
En Defensa Propia (In Self-Defense) is a gem in times of quarantine, because many have begun an inward search that contrasts with everything we have been finding in the world so far.
De la Vega started the project in March 2019 in a moment of personal discomfort, when she realized she needed to change things in her life and embark on a different path that would be more rewarding on a personal level. A year later, she had created a large community that listened to her important message on different platforms.
The podcast has not only been recognized by its audience, it has also been considered one of the best Spanish-language podcasts by O, The Oprah Magazine. The show brings together women with diverse life experiences – professional and personal – and discusses the tools they have used to deal with problems and opportunities.
Each of the interviewees shows their vulnerabilities and recounts their path to success, a journey that has also had obstacles and defeats, demonstrating to the podcast community that the easy way does not exist for anyone, that all people have had to work for their success and – especially – that, to have a more balanced life, it is necessary to carry out internal work.
Looking inward has been the key to the success of the women interviewed. Many of them have had to struggle with anxiety, depression, self-sabotage, bad relationships, self-criticism, bankruptcy, illness, unemployment and the loss of loved ones. And each of them has found different ways to get through these stages.
Reinvention is another theme of each episode. How do we transform ourselves to make room for a better life? Each guest has an answer according to their own experiences, helping us to understand that solutions are not written in stone and that everyone can adapt this knowledge and put it into practice in their own way.
Another subject openly discussed is self-compassion. Have we paid attention to how we talk to ourselves? Are we kind to ourselves? Are these thoughts we repeat limiting us? Are we hurting ourselves?
Such powerful messages come from these guests and their words help us reflect on how we see, speak about and accept ourselves. Often in our minds there can be distorted images of reality that cause us to constantly judge and not accept ourselves. We are human, what’s wrong with having flaws? We all have defects as well as virtues.
These lessons allow us to understand that we can achieve our goals, but that success and happiness will be related to the way we treat ourselves. In other words, a balance between the material, emotional, spiritual and mental is necessary.
The guests are dedicated to different professional areas. They are entrepreneurs, teachers, actresses, astrologers, singers, scientists, comedians, chefs, producers, doctors… They all speak with honesty from their truth, to help us realize that we are not very different and a little support among ourselves would be great.
The podcast also tries to provide tools for the future, because working on today translates into the welfare of tomorrow. But how can we apply the lessons we learn to our daily life and not be dragged down by depression, fear, insecurity, anxiety, or self-criticism? It is definitely not an easy path when we try to control everything, but it is not an impossible journey.
An empowering point highlighted in the podcast is to be responsible with what we carry inside, knowing that the exterior cannot determine or unbalance our world. Everything we need for well-being is already within us, therefore it is essential to connect with life without forcing anything.
Conflict and peace reside within us. Which one do we choose in each situation? Are we reacting to life or are we conscious of our responses? For this, the perception we have of reality can help; one of the philosophies of life invites us not to see things as good or bad, understanding that they only have the meaning we give them.
Image credit: Csaba Nagy