Unleash Your Inner Warrior: Dawna Gonzales on Self-Defense and Personal Growth

🎙️ Episode Title:

Unleash Your Inner Warrior: Dawna Gonzales on Self-Defense and Personal Growth

💭 Episode Description:

This one is for every woman who’s ever felt powerless but knew deep down she was meant to fight back.

In this electrifying episode, Dawna Gonzales- a 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu black belt, self-defense instructor, and podcast host—gets uncaged with me about the power of owning your body, your mind, and your story. From her unexpected start in martial arts to leading thousands of women in self-defense, Dawna’s journey is about more than combat- it’s about coming home to yourself.

We dive into the physical, emotional, and spiritual transformations that happen when women learn to fight back- literally and figuratively. Dawna breaks down how to find the right gym, the mindset it takes to heal through movement, and why stepping into a sparring round might be the bravest act of self-love there is.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in fear, disconnected from your power, or unsure how to take your healing into your own hands- this episode will meet you where you are and challenge you to rise.

✨ Connect with Dawna Gonzales:

🔗 Website: www.dawnagonzalez.com

📱 Instagram: @dawnagonzalez10p

📘 Facebook: @dawnagonzalez10p

💬 Women’s Grappling Network: Available on Facebook

📚 Resources Mentioned:

– Women’s Grappling Network – a supportive online community for women in martial arts

– Self-Defense Seminars & Workshops – find dates and locations on her website and socials

– Youth Training – the power of gymnastics, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu for kids’ confidence

– Mindset & Recovery Practices – water intake, journaling, and showing up for your healing

💡 Key Takeaways:

• You don’t have to be a fighter to learn how to fight back.
• Surviving is just the beginning- rising is where the magic happens.
• The right gym environment matters!
• Jiu-jitsu isn’t just self-defense. It’s therapy, sisterhood, and transformation.
• Courage isn’t about having no fear. It’s about stepping up anyway.
• Showing up for yourself... in training or in life, is the most radical kind of healing.

🗣️ Quotes to Remember:

🕒 00:03 – "We're not just built to survive, we're built to fight back and rise up."

🕒 07:18 – "Women haven’t been told this… It’s fun, it’s challenging, it makes your body feel alive and powerful in a way that you never realized."

🕒 16:45 – "Once you go and spar with a man who outweighs you by 20 pounds and you’re able to survive… you walk away going, oh, I can handle some other stuff."

🕒 27:58 – "The scariest thing in the world is to walk out in front of another person with just yourself. No weapons. No tools. Just me and you."

🕒 43:23 – "I have zero fucks to share if I don’t want to, and I love myself, and I got here, and I’m okay with me."

🤝 How You Can Support Dawna’s Work:

• Take a free trial jiu-jitsu class in your area- just start.
• Follow @dawnagonzalez10p on Instagram and Facebook for updates and inspiration
• Book her for a self-defense seminar, empowerment talk, or private coaching
• Encourage the young girls in your life to build strength through movement
• Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded of their inner warrior

🎧 Follow The Uncaged Pod:

💜 Listen on Apple Podcasts

💚 Listen on Spotify

🌟 Leave a 5-star review to help more women find stories like Dawna’s

🌿 Free Resources for Our Listeners:

Head to theuncagepod.com to receive:

✨ Monthly giveaways for our email fam i.e. The Roar Drop

🛠️ Thanks to Our Affiliates:

🎙️ Alitu — Podcast production made easy

✍️ @rev — Professional transcription services

Affiliate disclosure: If you purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services