What does it really take to raise strong, confident girls in today’s world? In this episode, Joe De Sena sits down with Cesalina Gracie – Mount Everest climber, self-defense expert, and member of the iconic Gracie Jiu Jitsu family. Cesalina runs an all-women’s martial arts academy and has trained girls as young as two to stand their ground, trust their instincts, and lead with power.

They dive deep into the real difference between competition and challenge, how to motivate kids without pressure or fear, and why female empowerment starts with mindset, not medals. Cesalina shares unfiltered stories from her own upbringing in the world’s most famous fighting family and explains how she turned discipline, self-awareness, and real-life preparedness into a lifelong mission.

Timestamps: 

00:00 Intro 00:43 Meet Cesalina Gracie 

01:59 Upbringing, Discipline, and Family Values 04:25 Leading by Example 

07:33 Building Confidence in Girls & Women 09:00 When Competition Becomes a Burden 13:51 The Importance of Self-Motivation

18:11 Competition vs. Challenge Debate

25:14 How to Connect with Cesalina’s

26:15 Final Thoughts

Connect to Cesalina:

🌐 Website: https://cesalina.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cesagracie

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cesalinagracie

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cesalina-gracie-096792117

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cesalinagracie

✖️ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/cesagracie