Avsnitt
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If you have ever wondered:
âHow do I stop being the scared version of myself, the one shaped by fear?â
âWhy does comparison always leave me feeling like I could never do what they can do?â
âWho am I actually, underneath all the labels other people have cast on me?â
- this episode is for you.
This week A Wake Up Call is a listener Q&A. Tess and Layne asked the tribe what they were wrestling with, and two questions came back louder than the rest: how do you stop identifying with the scared, fear-based version of yourself, and how do you quiet the negative self-talk and comparison that keep you small? What follows isnât expert theory. Itâs two women relaying lived experience â Layne losing every label she had when she left Virgin, the friend who sold his business and lost his identity with it, and the day Layne finally looked in the mirror and liked the person looking back.
Along the way they unpack the tools that actually move the needle: awareness as a superpower (awareness creates choice, and choice creates action, so change the channel), Elizabeth Gilbertâs practice of writing a letter to your fear so it has a voice without taking the wheel, and the quiet reframe Layne carries into every room â I have to becomes I get to becomes I am. Layne also opens the boardroom door on the fifteen years she spent fighting for pay equity in womenâs surfing, being dismissed as âemotional,â and choosing to plant seeds for a tree sheâd never sit under.
This is a conversation about deciding who you want to be, silencing the itty bitty shitty committee, and being kind to yourself while you ride the emotional waves. Itâs part one of the Q&A â a part two is coming.
You will hear about:
Why awareness is your superpower â and how awareness creates choice, and choice creates action
How to write a letter to your fear (Elizabeth Gilbertâs practice) so it stops driving the bus
The three-step reframe Layne lives by: I have to â I get to â I am
How Layne built a brand-new identity she actually liked â in business, health and motherhood
The womenâs-surfing pay-equity fight, the Dawn Award, and planting seeds for a tree youâll never sit under
Links to text
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow AWAKE on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode Description:
If you have ever wondered:
"Why am I so exhausted by my own competence?"
"How do I redefine success on my own terms instead of someone else's?"
"Who am I actually waiting for permission from?"
- this episode is for you.
In this warm, honest and quietly powerful conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Kemi Nekvapil - one of Australia's most respected executive coaches, Penguin author of The Gift of Asking, Power and Grounded Success, a Certified Dare to Lead facilitator trained by BrenĂŠ Brown, host of the globally ranked podcast The Shift Series, flower farmer, and the woman who has personally coached Layne herself.
Kemi has built her life's work on one radical idea: that you are always worthy of the ask. In this episode she unpacks what that really means for the woman who is endlessly capable, the one everyone relies on, who cannot remember the last time she asked for something just for herself.
She shares the wake-up call that has threaded through her whole life - learning to ask how does it feel to be here - and the day she walked off stage to a standing ovation and thought, I am so bored. That boredom, she realised, was a full-body yes to change. Along the way she and the hosts explore why risk has seasons, how we get seduced into stepping over our own boundaries, and a live coaching moment where Layne works through her own surfing retirement in real time.
This is a conversation about redefining success by how it feels, not how it looks, and remembering that the only person you have ever been waiting on for permission is you.
You will hear about:
Why being endlessly needed quietly keeps capable women from ever asking for what they want
The difference between a full-body yes, a full-body no, and a performance yes
Why risk has seasons, and how to find the version of a leap your nervous system can actually take
How to redefine success by how it feels, and why 70% peace beats chasing more
The one question that ends years of waiting: who am I actually waiting for permission from?
Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Connect with Kemi Nekvapil https://www.keminekvapil.com
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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If you have ever wondered:
đ "Why am I switched on all day, but never actually powered up?"
đ "Why do I feel guilty the moment I try to rest?"
đ "Why do I keep waking at 3am, wired and exhausted at the same time?"
- this episode is for you.
In this fascinating and deeply practical conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Dr Kristy Goodwin - one of Australia's leading neuro-performance scientists, a PhD researcher, keynote speaker to Apple, Deloitte, EY and Qantas, and the author of Dear Digital, We Need to Talk.
Dr Kristy's mission is to help high performers stop paying what she calls the success tax: the moment achievement starts costing you your health, your relationships and your sanity. And she learned it the hard way. At the height of the pandemic she was coaching leaders on stress and burnout while quietly ignoring the whispers of her own body, until she woke up convulsing on her bedroom floor and was rushed to a code red ward on a ventilator. The diagnosis was not just COVID. It was years of chronic stress.
From that hospital bed, she made a pledge to stop living in ways that were incompatible with what she calls our human operating system. In this episode she translates the science into plain language: why you cannot outperform your own biology, why recovery makes you more productive, what your 3am wake-ups are really telling you, and how to empty an overflowing cortisol cup. She also shares, with remarkable honesty, the run of events that recalibrated her values, including her husband's stage four cancer diagnosis and the sudden loss of a close colleague.
This is a conversation about listening to the whispers before they become screams, and learning to live and work in a way your brain was actually designed for.
You will hear about:
Why high performers are the last to know they are burning out, and what the success tax really costs
Why you cannot outperform your human operating system, no matter how capable you are
How proactive recovery makes you 26% more productive, and what a peak-performance pit stop looks like
What your 2 to 4am wake-ups are telling you about an overflowing cortisol cup
A practical daily toolkit: phone-free mornings, delayed caffeine, piccolo breaks and protecting your focus
Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Connect with Dr Kristy Goodwin https://drkristygoodwin.com
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
âWhy do I give my best under pressure sometimes, and completely fall apart others?â
âHow do I stay calm when everything is riding on this moment?â
âIs it possible to rediscover my fire after I have walked away from the thing I worked hardest at?â
- this episode is for you.
In this episode, Tess and Layne sit down with Kieran Perkins - Olympic gold medallist, CEO of the Australian Sports Commission, and the man who won gold from lane 8 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history.
Kieran takes us inside the hours before that race: the panic, the adrenaline hijack, the dark spiral of consequences, and the single question that flipped the switch - âHow did I used to do this?â He unpacks the physiology of pressure, the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic drive, and why the only job in any high-stakes moment is to get out of your own way and let your preparation speak.
Together they explore the gap between chasing excellence and defending it, the surprising differences between elite sport and corporate performance, and the honest story of Kieranâs own health journey - losing over 30 kilos by first stopping exercise entirely.
You will hear about:
How Kieran interrupted a full amygdala hijack in the hours before an Olympic final
Why defending a title is psychologically harder than chasing one
The difference between an athleteâs finish line and a corporate one - and how to close the gap
Why Kieran believes you cannot force elite performance on someone who does not truly want to be there
How stopping exercise was the first step in Kieranâs 30-kilo transformation
The one walk through Melbourne that reminded him what presence actually feels like
Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
"Why do I feel like I am performing a version of myself that has nothing to do with who I really am?"
"How do I separate who I am from what I do?"
"What does it actually take to be vulnerable and still feel strong?"
- this episode is for you.
This episode airs in Men's Mental Health Week, and it is one of the most important conversations we have had. In Australia, nine people a day take their own lives. Seven of them are men. So we asked Harry Garside - Olympic boxer, author, ballet dancer, poet and one of the country's most outspoken voices on masculinity - one simple question: who are you, underneath everything you have achieved?
In this raw, honest and deeply human conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Harry Garside - the boxer who broke Australia's 33-year Olympic medal drought with bronze at Tokyo, a Commonwealth and Pacific Games gold medallist, nine-time national champion and Paris Olympian - for a conversation that goes far beyond the ring.
Harry opens up about the moment he wept on national television, telling Australia he had let them down, and asking for a few days to find his strength again. What came back was an avalanche of support. He traces it all the way back to the Reach Foundation walking into his life at sixteen and giving him the first safe space he ever had to be vulnerable as a young man.
He shares the contradiction he has lived his whole life: the conqueror he becomes in the ring, and the curious, tender six-year-old underneath who only ever wanted to be loved. He talks about a mother's post-natal depression and the quiet story it planted that he was not lovable, about chasing world-class success to earn approval, and about the part of him that still tries to blow up the good things before they can leave him. This is a conversation about taking the mask off, and trusting that who you are underneath is enough.
You will hear about:
Why so many men perform a version of themselves that slowly suffocates who they really are
How to separate your identity from your achievements, and why your worth was never in the medal
The difference between competing in fear and competing in love
Why suppressing your intensity makes it dangerous, and how to harness it instead
What it really takes to make vulnerability feel safe for men
Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ "Why do I feel like I am performing a version of myself that is slowly suffocating me?"
đ "How do I separate who I am from what I do?"
đ "What does it take to stop chasing approval and start living from purpose?"
- this episode is for you.
In this raw, honest and deeply human conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Josh Piterman - the first Australian to perform both Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and the Phantom in the original West End production of Phantom of the Opera - for a conversation that goes far beyond the stage.
Josh opens up about the defining moment that launched his West End career: singing Nessun Dorma on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, a performance that found its way to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron McIntosh within two weeks. But behind the marquee billing in London was a man quietly unravelling - running on scarcity, performing for a producer's approval, and placing every measure of his worth in achievement and outcome.
He shares the full story of his three-part wake-up call: the feather (burnout), the brick (a fractured larynx mid-rehearsal), and the train (a surfboard that hit the same spot months later, silencing him for a year) - all while his father was diagnosed with brain cancer and he was performing the most emotionally gruelling role of his career.
You will hear about:
Why burnout is inevitable for high performers who ignore the signals their body keeps sendingHow to find your authentic self through early childhood play and the bliss bodyThe shift from first mountain (achievement) to second mountain (contribution) - and why it changes everythingThe science of heart coherence breathing and how it builds emotional resilience from the inside out
Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
https://open.spotify.com/track/1vuf0jxcfB7Ry8qeSr7pBp
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhy does no one talk honestly about what happens to your body after having a baby?â
đ âHow do I stop feeling like sex is the last thing on my list?â
đ âWhat does a healthy sex life even look like when everything in my body has changed?â
- this episode is for you.
In this honest, hilarious and genuinely eye-opening conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Heather Ford, sexologist, women's health clinician and founder of Core Restore Co., for a conversation about the body knowledge most of us were never given, and what changes when you finally have it.
Heather opens up about her own turning point: a trampoline park, a toddler, three months postpartum, and the moment that turned shame into purpose. She went back to university, completed a Master's in Women's Medicine and a Master's in Sexology, and built a practice dedicated to making complex, stigmatised medical topics genuinely approachable.
Together they move through female anatomy in a way that is equal parts educational and liberating. They cover the pelvic floor as a stress response muscle, the real structure and size of the clitoris, how breathing affects arousal, why lube is non-negotiable, and what happens to sexual health through perimenopause and menopause. Layne shares ten years of navigating menopause with honesty and grace. Tess reflects on rebuilding desire after injury.
You will learn about:
The anatomy most of us were never taught, and why that gap costs us in confidence and connectionHow the pelvic floor connects to your jaw, your breathing, your mental health and your orgasmWhat the research actually says about sexual health, longevity, and why one orgasm a week mattersHow to have the conversations about intimacy that most couples avoidLinks text
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhy am I working harder than ever and still feeling behind?â
đ âHow do I stop the spiral in my head from running the show?â
đ âHow do I actually perform at a high level without burning my life to the ground?â
â this episode is for you.
In this energising and practical conversation, Layne and Tess take you to high performance school. They strip back the myth that elite performers are simply more talented, more driven or born different, and reveal the real ingredient: hard work in harmony with your wellbeing, your relationships and yourself.
Layne shares hard earned lessons from 20 years as a seven time world champion and her new life in the business world, including the head knocks, the paralysed face, the broken noses she pushed through, and the cost she still pays today in her body. Tess opens up about her noisy brain, the moment she realised her thoughts were not her, and how shortening the time she spends in the struggle has been her biggest high performance edge. Together they share the science of why your nervous system fires every part of your life, why 90 minute sprints exist for a reason, and why most people schedule every meeting except the one with themselves.
You will walk away with a five step framework you can apply immediately: getting clear on what matters, protecting your energy, training your mind, building disciplined routines and recovering like it matters.
You will hear about:
The difference between high performance and hustle, and how to tell which one you are in right now
Why your state, not your skill, determines your output
The science of matching your energy to the work in front of you
How time boxing, life lists and 90 minute sprints transform overwhelm into action
Why recovery is a performance tool and not a reward, and how to build it into your daily life
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhat if everything I thought I knew about my health was wrong?â
đ âWhy do I keep pushing even when I know Iâm running on empty?â
đ âHow do I slow down without feeling like Iâm falling behind?â
â this episode is for you.
In this candid and courageous conversation, Tess and Layne sit down with Damien Mu, CEO and Managing Director of AIA Australia, for a conversation that is anything but corporate. Damien opens up about wearing a biometric device for 48 hours and discovering his stress recovery sat at 23 out of 100 and his restorative sleep at 6 out of 100 â despite feeling like he had everything under control.
Damien takes us behind the role and into the reality: 152 flights a year, four hours of sleep, a first-generation migrant familyâs work ethic running quietly in the background, and a deep-seated belief that slowing down was a sign of weakness. He shares what it took to face the data, find his why, and begin the slow, meaningful process of reprogramming a mindset that had served his ambition but was quietly costing him everything.
Together they unpack the difference between health span and lifespan, explore AIAâs 5590 model of modifiable lifestyle behaviours, and make sense of what Australiaâs growing mental health claims really mean for all of us. But more than the data, this conversation is about presence, parenting, and what it feels like when your son finally leaves the card game first because his cup is full.
You will learn:
The truth about âhealthyâ when the data tells a very different storyWhy the carry-on culture hides the true cost of high performanceHow a first-generation work ethic can become both a superpower and a quiet trapWhat 36 percent of AIAâs disability claims being mental health related really means for AustraliaWhy genuine leadership begins with taking care of the leader firstSeason 3 is brought to you by AIA, a leading life, health and wellbeing insurer supporting healthier, longer, better lives. Protect what matters most, and AIA will help you do it for life. Complete your age calculator here https://www.aia.com.au/en/health-and-wellbeing/aia-vitality/age-calculator
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakeâs TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode Description:
đ âAm I going crazy, or is this perimenopause?â
đ âIâm exhausted all the time but Iâm not depressed â what is actually going on?â
đ âDo I have to grieve who I used to be to become who I want to be?â
â this episode is for you.
In this warm, honest and genuinely funny Q&A episode, Tess and Layne open the listener inbox and answer the questions youâre too afraid to Google in daylight. From the full truth about perimenopause (yes, brain fog and anxiety are often the first signs, not the hot flushes) to HRT, burnout, health span, friendship, and what it actually means to let go of an identity that no longer fits.
Layne opens up about going straight to menopause without realising it, visiting a cardiologist for what turned out to be a hormonal heart rate, and her decision to finally give HRT a full year instead of stopping and starting. Tess talks about prepping for perimenopause before it arrives, why the Flow app has become a relationship tool in her household, and the four-step energy audit she uses when someone says âIâm exhausted but I donât know why.â
You will learn:
The real symptoms of perimenopause that have nothing to do with hot flushes â and why so many women are misdiagnosedWhy the story you tell about your treatment might be more powerful than the treatment itselfHow Layneâs relentless pushing through eventually led to chronic fatigue â and what the body whispers before it screamsThe difference between health span and lifespan, and why your 40s are your most important decade for building the body youâll have in your 70sJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakeâs TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey â not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWho am I without the role I have held for years?â
đ âHow do I start over when everything I knew has changed?â
đ âWhat does real reinvention look like â not in theory, but in real life?â
â this episode is for you.
In this honest and deeply human conversation, Tess and Layne welcome broadcaster, author and mentor Mel Doyle to share the story of her reinvention â and why change, even the kind you did not choose, can become the most defining chapter of your life.
Mel opens up about 2020: the year her 25-year career at Channel 7 came to an end, her son flew to Seattle on a near-empty plane, she turned 50 in the middle of a pandemic, and the whole world fell quiet at once. She talks about the grief of losing an identity she thought she had separated from her work â and the slow, brave process of rediscovering who she was on the other side.
Layne describes making the phone call to Mel in the aftermath of her job loss, and what she said to remind her that the heart behind the career matters more than the career itself. Mel shares how she channelled everything into writing â producing two books during COVID, including 15 Seconds of Brave, drawn from extraordinary stories of human courage. The title comes from a child with a terminal illness who said he could only be brave for 15 seconds at a time. That idea changed how she approached every scary new beginning.
You will hear about:
The grief of losing a career identity and the slow, brave process of rebuilding a sense of self
Why keeping busy can be a lifeline and a barrier â and how to find the balance
How writing, creating and giving yourself a project is a powerful act of self-rescue
The story of the Abdallah family and what radical forgiveness can teach us all about letting go
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhy does success feel hollow even when I have ticked all the boxes?â
đ âHow do I build a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside?â
đ âWhat does it actually take to succeed without burning out, losing myself, or standing on the podium alone?â
â this episode is for you.
This is the launch of A Wake Up Callâs Sustained Success Series, and it starts with a question most of us never stop long enough to answer: what does success actually mean to you?
Tess and Layne open up about their own definitions â from Layneâs six consecutive world titles and the private cost of chasing worthiness through achievement, to Tessâs shift toward inner peace, consistency and being the same person behind the door as she is in front of it. They explore why success looks different at every life stage, why the shiny metrics are never the whole story, and what it takes to build something sustainable instead of just spectacular.
Layne shares the three-part framework she developed across her professional surfing career â values, dream team, and action â and why today she would lead with values, not vision. Together they unpack how fear drives us but also costs us, what it means to fill your life with things that inspire rather than deplete, and why the truest measure of success is the person you are when no one is watching.
You will leanr about:
Why Layne chased world titles but was really chasing self-worth â and what that cost herThe moment Tess realised her job had become her identity because she felt she had failed at building a relationshipThe three-part Sustained Success Framework: values â dream team â actionWhy values must come before vision â and how to identify yoursThe difference between a Dream Team member and a Dream ThiefWhy fear is a good motivator but a terrible compass for sustained successâ
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhy do I keep getting in my own way right when things are going well?â
đ âIs it really possible to train my brain to perform under pressure?â
đ âHow do I stop overthinking and just trust myself when it counts most?â
â this episode is for you.
In this science-packed and surprisingly fun conversation, Tess and Layne sit down with Dr Roy Sugarman â applied neuroscientist, former Director of Neuroscience and Performance Innovation at Team Exos, and the man who has built peak performance models used by the U.S. Congress, California Health Services and elite sporting organisations around the world.
Roy unpacks the neuroscience of why you sabotage yourself, why your emotional brain is faster than your logic, and how the six pillars of psychological flexibility â the hexaflex â can train anyone, athlete or everyday human, to thrive under pressure. Layne shares the Fat Bastard recitation that won her a prize purse, Roy explains why âbelieve in yourselfâ is actually a vulnerable strategy, and Tess discovers that the yeah buts in her head are a neuroscience phenomenon.
You will learn:
The two ancient brain systems running your every decision and why knowing the difference changes everythingWhy trust is more powerful than belief in competition â and in lifeHow radical acceptance turns setbacks into stepping stonesThe science of thought diffusion and why humour might be the most underrated performance tool you haveJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakeâs TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey â not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhy do I feel so guilty every time I do something for myself?â
đ âWhy does leaving my child feel like leaving a part of me behind?â
đ âHow do I stop my childhood pain from running my parenting?â
â this episode is for you.
In this brave and deeply personal episode, Tess and Layne sit in the hot seat with therapist Lael Stone for a live mini therapy session that unpacks the childhood stories shaping their relationship to self-care, separation, and motherhood.
Tess reveals her fear of missing out on moments with Benji and traces it back to being three years old, shuttled between homes after her parentsâ divorce. She realises the separation anxiety she feels at daycare drop-off is not the adult leaving. It is her inner child reliving the pain of being left behind. Layne shares the story of losing her adoptive mother at seven, being adopted at birth after conception through date rape, and how the ocean became the mother love she never had.
Lael guides them through the imprints they received around self-care, boundaries, and rest, showing how the martyr story and the âyouâre lazy if you stopâ narrative are passed down through generations. She offers a powerful reframe: you do not have to choose between being a present mother and meeting your own needs. Healing the younger parts of yourself is what allows the integrated adult to show up. And when you complete your story, your children do not have to carry it.
You will learn:
How childhood imprints around self-care create hidden blocks to rest and boundaries in adulthood
Why separation anxiety in parenting often has roots in your own childhood experiences
The three-step process for healing: identify the story, feel it, and offer compassion to your younger self
Why completing your own healing story frees your children from carrying wounds that were never theirs
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhat happens when I finally stop running from my pain?â
đ âHow can I trust my life when I have been hurt so deeply?â
đ âWhat does it mean to truly own my story?â
â this episode is for you.
In this vulnerable and transformative conversation, Lael Stone joins Tess and Layne to unpack the moment that changed everything: the traumatic birth of her third child, Tali, and how she chose surrender over fear by whispering âI trust youâ to her newborn when no one was certain she would survive.
Together they explore the language of the nervous system: fear hits in the gut, causes dissociation and shutdown. Trust feels like stillness, expansion, knowing. Lael teaches inner child work â that critical moment when you pause and ask âHow old am I right now?â and realise your triggered nervous system is actually protecting a younger, wounded version of you. Tess shares a real-time example with her husband over tadpoles, discovering she was responding as an 8-10 year old girl being told she was weird.
They discuss imprints â the belief systems and stories we absorb as children to belong in our families. We stay shockingly loyal to these imprints even as adults because they feel like love: âYouâre too emotional.â âYou donât deserve that.â âYouâre not enough.â Lael shares how recognising these patterns is the first step to changing them. And then she names the transformative truth that hit Tess: if everyone owned their story instead of running from it, we would have less projection, less blame, and infinitely more peace and accountability.
You will hear about:
The somatic difference between fear and trust in your body and nervous system
Inner child work and how to identify which younger part of you is driving your triggers
What imprints are and how family loyalty keeps us locked into unhealthy patterns
Why owning your story instead of running from it is the path to freedom and peace
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Learn more about Lael Stone: layelstone.com.au
Get Laelâs book âOwn Your Storyâ
Listen to Laelâs podcast âHumans Beingâ
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If youâre experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something youâve heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you have ever wondered:
đ âWhy do I feel so crushed by pressure, even when I am doing well?â
đ âHow do I find perspective when I feel like I have let myself or others down?â
đ âHow do I know when to keep pushing and when it is time to let go?â
this episode is for you.
In this honest and moving conversation, Tess and Layne explore what the Olympics can teach us about greatness, pressure, emotional regulation and identity. Through the stories of athletes like Scotty James, Alana Meyers Taylor and Alysa Liu, they unpack what happens when performance collides with expectation, and how perspective, support and joy can help you find your way back to yourself.
Layne reflects on the emotional weight athletes carry when their goals are public, why having a life outside the arena matters, and how dream teams help people hold steady when the pressure is at its peak. Tess draws out the deeper life lessons in each story, showing how the same patterns appear in work, parenting, leadership and everyday life whenever we tie our worth to one outcome.
The episode then turns deeply personal as Tess invites Layne to reflect on her own recent experience competing for her boardriders club. What follows is a vulnerable and powerful conversation about ageing, identity, acceptance and the courage to stop proving. Together they offer a toolkit for anyone carrying too much pressure or avoiding a truth they already know: ask what basic emotion you are resisting, bring it back to yourself, and choose the version of greatness that lets you breathe.
You will hear about:
How perspective shifts help regulate disappointment and emotional overwhelm
Why support systems matter when you are standing at the edge of growth or burnout
The difference between pressure driven performance and joy fuelled performance
How acceptance can free you from identities you no longer need to carry.
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know yourself, grow yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakeâs TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you are experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you have heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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When life forces you to slow down, it can feel like everything is falling apart. But sometimes the hardest seasons become the very moments that reconnect you to what matters most.
In this episode, Tess and Layne sit down with Barry for a deeply moving conversation about the wake-up calls that changed the course of his life. From infertility, miscarriage and depression, to two life-threatening cancer diagnoses, Barry shares the moments that cracked him open, the pain that disconnected him from himself, and the human connection that ultimately helped bring him back.
What unfolds is an honest conversation about identity, grief, masculinity, mental health, courage and what it really means to live well. Barry reflects on the pressure of trying to be âstrong,â the danger of losing touch with your emotions, and the quiet way despair can build over time. He also shares the turning points that helped him heal: a friend who showed up, the power of being seen without being âfixed,â and the curiosity that slowly helped him rebuild his life.
The trio explore the difference between confidence and true self-belief, why resilience is more about adaptation than toughness, and how children, community and purpose can completely reshape your relationship with life. They also touch on boundaries, bravery, self-worth, emotional eating, and the importance of asking people how they need to be supported instead of telling them what to do.
They finish with a powerful reminder that healing rarely happens in one dramatic moment. More often, it begins with a tiny crack of light, a safe connection, or one small choice that helps you come home to yourself again.
In this episode, you will learn:
⢠Why wake-up calls often arrive long before the biggest crisis
⢠How depression can create deep disconnection from yourself and others
⢠Why human connection can be the first step back from darkness
⢠The difference between bravado, confidence and true self-belief
⢠How curiosity can become a practical tool for healing and growth
⢠Why resilience is about adapting, not just âbeing toughâ
⢠The role of boundaries in protecting your energy and wellbeing
⢠Why asking âhow can I help?â matters more than giving advice
⢠How children, community and purpose can reshape your life
⢠What it means to live bravely, honestly and with more intention
Connect with Awake
⢠Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/awake-collective-sales
⢠Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
⢠Watch the episodes on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@Awake_Academy
⢠Follow Layne on Instagram @laynebeachley
⢠Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
⢠Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
⢠Book us for a workshop: [email protected]
⢠Awakeâs TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy
Connect with Barry
⢠Learn more about Barryâs work at Barryâs website
⢠Follow Barryâs journey and speaking work online
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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When you feel flat, overwhelmed, or quietly disconnected, itâs often not because something is âwrongâ with you. Sometimes itâs simply a signal that parts of your wellbeing need attention.
In this episode, Tess and Layne introduce the Soul Map, a framework designed to help you reconnect with yourself and rebuild wellbeing from the inside out. The conversation starts with a feeling many people share: doing all the ârightâ things in life while still feeling exhausted or out of alignment.
They explore why mindset alone canât fix a dysregulated nervous system and why real wellbeing requires looking at multiple layers of life. Tess and Layne walk through the three parts of the Soul Map: your physical state (Basecamp), your emotional world, and the wellbeing practices that restore energy and clarity.
Along the way, they share personal stories about burnout edges, decision fatigue, busy calendars, and the quiet exhaustion that can come from constantly saying yes. The episode finishes with a rapid-fire listener Q&A, covering everything from recognising when your body needs care instead of discipline to understanding the difference between being tired and being disconnected.
In this episode, you will learn:
⢠Why mindset alone canât fix a stressed nervous system
⢠The three layers of the Soul Map framework
⢠Why managing your energy matters more than managing your time
⢠How burnout can show up as disconnection rather than exhaustion
⢠The role of emotional stories in shaping how we experience life
⢠How space in your calendar can create safety rather than urgency
⢠Simple wellbeing practices that reconnect you to yourself quickly
⢠The difference between rumination and reflection
⢠How boundaries and consistency build self-trust over time
⢠What feeling âwellâ actually feels like in your body
Connect with Awake
⢠Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/awake-collective-sales
⢠Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
⢠Watch the episodes on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@Awake_Academy
⢠Follow Layne on Instagram @laynebeachley
⢠Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
⢠Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
⢠Book us for a workshop: [email protected]
⢠Awakeâs TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy
Complete your Soul Map here: https://soulmap.online/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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When you understand what your brain is trained to notice, you can start choosing a life that feels richer, lighter, and more yours.
In this episode, Tess and Layne welcome back positive psychology expert Sue Langley for a science-packed deep dive into what actually helps humans flourish, and why most of us are wired to cling to the negative.
Sue breaks down positive psychology as the scientific study of human flourishing (not pop-psych), and explains how the field emerged after decades of psychology focusing mainly on whatâs âwrongâ rather than whatâs working. From there, the conversation becomes a playful masterclass in how beliefs, labels, environments and tiny daily choices quietly shape our wellbeing.
Youâll hear practical frameworks like âVelcro and Teflonâ (negativity sticks, positivity needs practice), how labels box us into invisible rules, and why autonomy and purpose can literally change health outcomes. The trio also explores âcollective effervescenceâ (that buzzing group energy you feel at concerts, sport, churches or even Christmas chaos), plus newer research on psychological richness: the idea that an interesting, varied, eventful life matters just as much as pleasure and meaning.
They finish by touching on primal beliefs (do you believe the world is good or bad?), parenting language, and the idea that life tries to get our attention gently first (feather), then more firmly (brick), then with a full-on wake-up (truck).
In this episode, you will learn:
What positive psychology is (and why itâs not just âgood vibesâ)Why negativity is âVelcroâ and happiness is more like âGlad WrapâHow your brain can be trained to notice more good, more oftenThe trap of labels and the ârulesâ we live by without realisingThe nursing home study: how autonomy and purpose changed outcomesâCollective effervescenceâ and why shared moments bond usPsychological richness: why an interesting life beats a perfect oneFeatherâbrickâtruck: how life escalates when we ignore the signsPrimal beliefs: how your view of the world shapes wellbeingA mindset for 2026: be your best self, more frequentlyConnect with Awake
⢠Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/awake-collective-sales
⢠Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
⢠Watch the episodes on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@Awake_Academy
⢠Follow Layne on Instagram @laynebeachley
⢠Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
⢠Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
⢠Book us for a workshop: [email protected]
⢠Awakeâs TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy
Connect with Sue Langley
⢠Follow Sue on Instagram @suelangley
⢠Connect with Sue on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelangley
⢠Learn more about Sueâs work
https://suelangley.com.au
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What if the thing keeping you stuck isnât your circumstances⌠but who youâre blaming for them?
In this episode, Tess and Layne unpack the blame game through sport, injury and a very real-life moment between the two of them. From sand sprints, stress fractures and the Australian Open final to world titles and wounded egos, this conversation dives into what happens when we look everywhere but within.
Watching Djokovic and Alcaraz battle it out, Layne reflects on the subtle signs of belief versus excuse: body language, composure, where the eyes go under pressure. She shares how, in her early career, every loss had a culprit, the boards, the judges, the wind, anyone but her. Until she realised the common denominator in all her disappointment was herself.
They explore the science behind blame as a survival mechanism. When we feel threatened, overwhelmed or unsafe, the brain looks for control. Blame gives the illusion of control. But it also keeps us stuck in stress, fuels shame, and quietly drains our energy.
Tess and Layne share a vulnerable moment where blame crept into their own dynamic, and how awareness, regulation and ownership shifted it from defence to growth. The lesson? Ownership without punishment changes everything.
In this episode, youâll learn:
What elite athletes reveal under pressure: belief versus excuseLayneâs early career pattern of blaming everyone but herselfThe fear of success, fear of rejection, and how they drive blameThe neuroscience of blame as a safety responseHow blame turns inward into shame and fuels negative self-talkWhy poor communication often sits underneath the blame cycleParenting through blame and helping kids feel safe and seenA practical toolkit to interrupt the blame loop:Name it without judgementRegulate before you respondAsk whatâs in your controlSeparate responsibility from personal attackReplace blame with curiosityWhy people pleasing in conflict prevents real growthThe freedom that comes from owning your part and letting it goIf youâve been blaming someone else, or yourself, for where you are right now, this episode is your invitation to pause. To breathe. To look within. And to choose growth over defence.
Because when you drop the blame, you drop the weight.
Connect with Awake
⢠Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses
https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/awake-collective-sales
⢠Get Awakeâs transformative book: Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
⢠Watch the episodes on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@Awake_Academy_
⢠Follow Layne on Instagram @laynebeachley
⢠Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
⢠Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
⢠Book us for a workshop: [email protected]
⢠Awakeâs TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Visa fler
