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A Wake Up Call

Layne Beachley AO & Tess Brouwer

You can change your life and A Wake Up Call will show you how.

Hosted by Layne Beachley AO and Tess Brouwer, founders of Awake Academy, this is the podcast that gets real about what it takes to live awake - no filters, no fluff, just truth, science, and stories that will shake you out of autopilot and into action.

Each episode is packed with practical tools, honest conversations, and powerful wake-up calls to help you stress less, feel more, and reconnect with who you really are.

If you’re ready to stop drifting and start living with purpose, you’re in the right place.

Follow @awake_academy for more tools, truth, and transformation and tune in weekly to A Wake Up Call.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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27 episodes
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Sunday · 1 hr 6 min
Movember Psychologist Dr Zac: Is It Anger or Depression? The Signs in Men We Keep Missing
If you have ever wondered: “How do I know if the man in my life is struggling when he says he’s fine?” “Why does he get angry and short with everyone instead of just saying he’s sad?” “How do I switch off from work and actually be present with my family?” - this episode is for you. Behind a lot of anger, irritability and drinking in men, there can be a cry for help. This Movember, Dr Zac Seidler joins Layne and Tess for a candid, honest conversation about the men in our lives, the rules they inherit, and what it takes to rewrite the script for the next generation. Dr Zac Seidler is a clinical psychologist, Global Director of Men’s Health Research at Movember and an Associate Professor at Orygen and The University of Melbourne, where he leads the Young Men’s Mental Health lab. He developed Men in Mind, Movember’s training that helps clinicians work better with men. On A Wake Up Call he shares the story of his father, Sydney GP and addiction specialist Dr Raymond Seidler, and how losing him shaped a career spent making it easier for men to be understood and to ask for help. Along the way: why Zac steers away from the word toxic, how we read, sing, hug and kiss boys less, what an act of service looks like for a new dad, and how to help a man feel what he feels. It closes with the AIA Do It For Life toolkit: five or ten minutes on the front doorstep before you walk in. Proudly brought to you by AIA Vitality. Content note: this episode includes discussion of suicide, including the death of Zac’s father (from 1:20). If this raises something for you, Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and Movember has support services at movember.com. You will hear about: What Zac learned from a father who cared for everyone but himself, and why shame keeps men quiet Why depression in men can look like anger, irritability and drinking, and why Zac calls it a cry for help Why we read, sing, hug and kiss boys less, and the question to ask: am I letting him show it his way? An act of service: doing it before you are asked, and why Zac calls it the greatest expression of healthy manhood The doorstep line in the sand: five or ten minutes between the work day and home Links 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 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 Movember: https://movember.com Men in Mind, Movember’s training for clinicians: https://meninmind.movember.com Follow Dr Zac on Instagram @zacseidler 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.
November 1 · 45 min
Sleep Isn't Fixing me: The 7 Kinds of Tired and What Each One Needs to Re-energise you
If you have ever wondered: “Why am I still exhausted when I am sleeping, taking weekends and doing less?” “Which kind of tired am I, and what does that kind actually need?” “What would a week of rebuilding my capacity look like?” - this episode is for you. In this solo episode, Layne Beachley and Tess Brouwer start somewhere personal: Tess has lost her spark. Layne reminds her it is dimmer, not gone, and the two talk about why joy is hard to feel when you are running on empty, and what it costs to hold the load for everyone else. Then they get practical. Layne and Tess name seven kinds of tired (physical, mental, emotional, decision, social, sensory and purpose), and Layne tells the story of the smart ring that went out the window and the week without data that followed. They run a three question Capacity Debt audit: what are you borrowing from, what keeps getting spent and never replenished, and what feels like rest but is not. They finish with the seven day capacity rebuild Tess has been using to get her spark back, from stopping the bleed to setting a weekly baseline. This week, pick the kind of tired that landed hardest and ask one question: what do I really need in this moment? You will hear about: The difference between a spark that is dimmer and a spark that is gone Seven kinds of tired: physical, mental, emotional, decision, social, sensory and purpose Why turning off the inputs, and a week without data, can feel like relief The Capacity Debt audit: what are you borrowing from, and what never gets replenished? A seven day capacity rebuild: stop the bleed, true rest, one boundary, a weekly baseline Links 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 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://www.awakeacademy.com.au/known-2027 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.
October 25 · 1 hr 13 min
Maggie Dent: The Parenting Rule That Lets You Off the Hook and Makes you a Better Human and Better Parent
If you have ever wondered: “What do I do when I get it wrong with my kids, or my team?” “How do I stop being so hard on myself for not being perfect?” “What am I actually in such a hurry to prove?” - this episode is for you. You do not have to get it right every time. You only have to get it right about 30% of the time, and then repair the rupture. This week, Maggie Dent joins Layne and Tess for a warm, honest conversation about perfection, pressure and what to do when you get it wrong. Maggie Dent is one of Australia's most trusted parenting authors and educators, often called the queen of common sense. A former high school teacher, palliative care counsellor, funeral director and celebrant, she has spent more than 20 years working with parents, and especially dads, on how we raise boys and teenagers. She is the author of books including Mothering Our Boys, From Boys to Men, Girlhood and Help Me Help My Teen, a mother of four sons and a grandmother, and in 2026 received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wollongong. On A Wake Up Call she explains why you only have to get it right 30% of the time, how to repair the rupture, and the question that stopped her rushing to prove herself. Along the way: holding the no without nastiness, saying “I’ve got a deadline coming up” before the pressure shows, talking to boys, why good men stay silent, and two questions to ask your kids or your team. It closes with Maggie’s 21 lessons at 71 and the AIA Do It For Life toolkit: there is no perfect. Proudly brought to you by AIA Vitality. Content note: this episode includes discussion of a suicide attempt (from 42:44). If this raises something for you, Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue is on 1300 22 4636. You will hear about: Why you only have to get it right 30% of the time, and how to repair the rupture How to hold the no without nastiness: “I know you’re unhappy. It’s still no.” Saying “I’ve got a deadline coming up” before the pressure shows Two questions to ask your kids or your team: what am I doing that’s great, and what do I need to work on? The question that stopped Maggie rushing to prove herself: what was I in a hurry for? Links 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 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 Maggie Dent: https://www.maggiedent.com https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/better-human-better-parent-waitlist 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.
October 18 · 1 hr 6 min
Life Looks Fine on Paper. So Why Do I Feel So Empty? Tools to Feeling Like Yourself Again.
If you have ever wondered: “Why do I feel off when my blood tests say I'm fine?” “How do I know if I'm stressed when I don't feel stressed?” “Where do I even start when I'm exhausted and overwhelmed?” - this episode is for you. You are getting everything done, and you still do not feel like yourself. The results say fine. Your body says otherwise. This week, Chinese medicine practitioner and Pagoda Tree founder Nat Kringoudis joins Layne and Tess to unpack why fine on paper can still mean running low. Nat has spent more than 20 years working with women on fertility, hormones, stress, perimenopause and menopause. She explains why in range is not the same as optimal, reads Tess's and Layne's bloods live, and shares the three-hour check-in that catches a silent stressor before it runs the day. It is a warm, funny and practical conversation about energy: starting with the basics, keeping the plan small enough to actually do, and asking for what you need. It closes with the AIA Do It For Life toolkit and a message for the partner listening. Full disclosure from us: Embody product and creatine were gifted to the hosts. You will hear about: Why in range is not the same as optimal, and what a blood test report leaves out The three-hour check-in: one question, no fixing, just clock it Why three or four things beat 65 supplements How to find the loudest signal and pull one lever instead of everything at once What to say to the partner listening: ask, and listen Links 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 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 Nat Kringoudis: https://www.natkringoudis.com | Instagram @natkringoudis | The Pagoda Tree: https://www.thepagodatree.com.au 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.
October 11 · 27 min
Two words Quietly keeping you stuck:'Yeah, But...': How to Stop Talking Yourself Out of What You Want
If you have ever wondered: “Why does a ‘yeah, but’ show up the second I say what I really want?” “How do I know whose idea of success I am actually living?” “What does enough look like when I still want more?” - this episode is for you. In part five of their solo series, Layne Beachley and Tess Brouwer take on the limiting beliefs that come attached to success: the definition you inherited, the audience you are still performing for, and the “yeah, but” that turns up the moment you say what you really want. Layne goes back to earning $35,000 a year in the season she won her first world title, and the “not worth it yet” she heard from the outside while she built her own yes, and barometer on the inside. Tess works live through her own belief that success has to be a struggle, and the two land on a simple test for enough: how does your Sunday afternoon feel? They finish on the tool they use in their workshops. Every yeah, but needs a yes, and. This week, catch one and answer it. You will hear about: Why your definition of success is a belief too, and why leaving it unset means running on someone else's The audience you are still performing for, long after the room has gone What it takes to set your own value when the outside world says “not worth it yet” The Sunday test: no Sunday scaries as a metric for enough How to answer every yeah, but with a yes, and, live, with Tess's own belief as the example Links 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 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.
October 4 · 58 min
Camilla Thompson Health Expert: Bio Hack your way to feel more energised your life: Why More Optimising Is Making You More Tired
If you have ever wondered: “Why do all my healthy habits still leave me flat by 3pm?” “Is ageing something happening to me, or something I can influence?” “Is my sleep tracker helping me, or making me more anxious about sleep?” - this episode is for you. This week Layne and Tess sit down with Camilla Thompson: founder of Biohack Me, author of Biohack Me (Wiley), and founder of Mould Safe. Camilla was eating clean and training hard when sepsis put her in hospital at the height of a media career, and years of chronic illness she connects to a mould-affected home moved her work from performance into prevention. The conversation strips biohacking back to what a plant actually needs: water, fresh air and light, before it ever gets to a supplement shelf or a wearable. Camilla and the hosts talk through the anchor habit of sleep, the night a good routine slipped anyway, and why ageing and decline are two different things. Underneath it is a bigger idea Awake keeps coming back to: the basics are free, they are not boring, and a tracker that tells you how you slept is no substitute for permission to actually rest. You will hear about: The plant hack: the three free things Camilla checks before any supplement or wearable Why sleep is the anchor habit everything else gets built around The night a good wind-down routine slipped anyway, with a big job and small kids Why ageing and decline are not the same thing, and how small a part genetics really plays Orthosomnia: what happens when a ring becomes the only proof you slept well The debrief after sepsis and years of chronic illness: there was no recovery protocol, only permission to rest Links Camilla Thompson's site: https://www.biohackme.com.au Follow Camilla Thompson on Instagram @biohackmecoach 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 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 Stop guessing what your body needs. Discover your unique DNA blueprint. A once-in-a-lifetime genetic test exploring pathways involved in nutrient processing, hormone metabolism, stress and focus, appetite, blood-sugar regulation and brain health. Includes a simple at-home cheek swab, a 1:1 results debrief with Camilla Thompson and a personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan to help you understand what your findings mean for you. Visit biohackme.com.au/dna-package and use BIOHACKME for $100 off. 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. If you need support now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 27 · 51 min
Olympic Diver Sam Fricker : What to Do When Your Biggest Setback Hits. From Career-Ending Injury to Showing Up Again and aiming for Gold
If you have ever wondered: “Why do I still get so nervous when I have done this a thousand times?” “How do I stop one bad result from deciding who I am?” “What should I actually be thinking about when the pressure is on?” - this episode is for you. This week Layne and Tess sit down with Olympic diver Sam Fricker: Tokyo Olympian, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, founder of Sam’s Straws and one of Australia’s biggest athlete creators, with more than nine million people following along. He has come straight from training, and he brings the same energy to the couch that he brings to the platform. Sam talks about the lockdown slump his coach called out in one honest conversation, the two keywords he thinks on the board while the judges are watching, and what it was like to win Australia a quota spot for Paris and then miss the team by a single place. Layne catches him on one word he keeps using and hands him a reframe he leaves the studio with. Tess shows how a diver’s process translates to bath time with a toddler. Underneath it is a bigger idea we come back to a lot at Awake: pressure does not fade with experience, so the work is learning to point that energy somewhere useful, keeping your self-worth separate from yesterday’s result, and always asking what the next best move is. You will hear about: The honest conversation from his coach that ended a lockdown slump, and the three changes that brought Sam’s energy back Why nervous excited and nervous overwhelmed feel different, and how Sam tells them apart on the day Reach and bang: the two keywords Sam uses on the board, and Layne’s three things on a 50-foot wave The word Layne banned mid-interview, and why trusting the work beats straining for the outcome How coming dead last as a kid gave Sam the tools to miss Paris by one place without an identity crisis Sam’s three guardrails for a positive life: sleep, the people around you, and a dream worth getting up for Links text Follow Sam Fricker on Instagram and TikTok @sam.fricker and listen to his podcast Diving Deep. 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 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 telling you. If you need support now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 20 · 29 min
Forget the Regrets of the Dying. These Are the 5 Needs of the Living and what you can do about it.
If you have ever wondered: “Why do I feel guilty every time I take an hour for myself?” “I know exactly what I should be doing. Why can I not make myself do it?” “How do I back myself when the results have not been going my way?” - this episode is for you. Episode 50 is a milestone and a launch. For six years Layne and Tess have surveyed every AWAKE workshop room before and after, and one question kept coming back: what do you need right now? 1,750 responses later, across around 100 businesses and everyone from CEOs to the frontline, five answers stood out. Inspired by Bronnie Ware’s top five regrets of the dying, they flipped it. These are the Top 5 Needs of the Living, the research behind AWAKE’s white paper, The Capacity Debt. Need one was time, and it never arrived alone. It came wrapped in guilt, and the barrier was confidence, not calendars. Need two was to feel alive again, with most people arriving at a workshop near empty and nothing left for the people they love. Need three was purpose: the quiet why underneath the busyness. Need four was something that holds on the hard days, small enough to survive a real week. Need five, the quietest in the room, was self-belief. Along the way: Layne on the post-event comedown and the two days off every leader should mandate, Tess on the family at the beach who cancelled Saturday sport, Julia Gillard’s cones of silence, why breath is the most portable tool in the room, and the moment the masks come off in a room full of leaders. The line that holds the whole episode: it is not a knowledge problem, it is a capacity problem. You will hear about: The number one need in six years of data: more time to myself without guilt, and why the barrier is confidence, not hours. Culture writes the permission slip: how leaders build the trust that makes asking for rest possible, and why two days off after a big delivery is not optional. The capacity debt: the visible output and the invisible borrowing underneath it, and why depleted people cannot drive growth. Why purpose was the second thing people named, time after time, and how agency and gifts build ownership faster than another values statement. One size fits one: breath as the simplest regulator under pressure, compounding micro-habits, and why recognising self-doubt is how you shorten it. Mentioned in the episode: The Top 5 Needs of the Living and The Capacity Debt white paper, published at https://awakehumanperformance.com (copyright Awake Academy) Bronnie Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying Book Layne and Tess to present the Top 5 Needs of the Living or run a workshop for your team: wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au or https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact 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 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. 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. If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours) or visit lifeline.org.au. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 13 · 51 min
GP Dr Preeya Alexander Reveals the Health Checks Most Women Put Off Until It's Too Late and how Feeling Fine Isn't the Same as Being Healthy
If you have ever wondered: “I feel fine, so why would I book a check-up?” “Is one glass of wine really affecting my sleep and next day?” “Which health checks am I actually meant to be having at my age?” This episode is for you. This week on Ask the GP, Layne and Tess put Dr Preeya Alexander, practising GP, author and AIA health expert, in the hot seat with the health questions high performers Google most and act on least. Preeya starts with the pattern she sees every week: people coast while they feel fine, put off prevention because there is no symptom forcing them to act, then arrive when something is already wrong. Her message is simple: don’t wait for symptoms, and if one does show up, go early. The conversation covers AI and where it helps or fails as a health tool, bowel cancer screening, gut health and the SMILES trial, GLP-1 medications including Ozempic, unregulated peptides, alcohol, sleep and the health checks people commonly miss. You’ll hear about: Why prevention matters even when you feel completely healthy. Where AI health advice can help, where it gets things wrong, and the risks of treating it like a doctor or therapist. Bowel cancer screening: two pinpricks, microscopic blood, free screening from 45, opt-in from 40, and why so many Australians never return the kit. The SMILES trial and how a Mediterranean-style diet improved symptoms of depression. Gut health and Preeya’s simple advice: feed your gut bugs a rainbow. GLP-1 medications: who they can help, where the risks are, and concerns around unregulated peptides. Alcohol and sleep: Australia’s guideline of no more than 10 standard drinks per week, why alcohol can help you fall asleep but disrupt sleep later, and practical ways to drink less. The checks people often miss: heart disease risk assessment from 45, cervical screening every five years, breast screening from 50, bowel screening from 45 and conversations around PSA testing. Preeya also shares her own non-negotiables: colour and variety on the plate, regular movement and protecting her sleep. The episode closes with the AIA Do It For Life toolkit and one simple challenge: choose one action this week and start there. Guest: Follow Dr Preeya Alexander on Instagram @doctor.preeya.alexander Listen to Preeya’s podcast Happy to Health and hear her on ABC’s Health Report Mentioned in the episode: AIA Vitality Age Calculator https://www.aia.com.au/en/health-and-wellbeing/aia-vitality/age-calculator National Bowel Cancer Screening Program https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program The SMILES trial, Deakin University Food and Mood Centre Kate Save on Food as a Performance Tool, Episode 42 Join the Awake Collective Community https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales Get Awake’s book Know Yourself Grow Yourself 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 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_ Sponsor the podcast or book a workshop: https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact Disclaimer The A Wake Up Call podcast is for general informational, educational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological or therapeutic advice. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay professional advice because of something you heard on this podcast. This episode discusses eating disorders, weight-loss medication and alcohol. Nothing discussed is individual medical advice. Speak to your own GP about screening, medication and your personal health. If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 7 · 37 min
Stop Carrying Other People's Luggage
If you have ever wondered: “I work with negative people and it really affects how I feel. How do I stop letting them influence my emotions?” “I am in my 50s heading into my 60s. How do I stay strong for the people I love as the years tick by?” “What do you do when things keep going wrong? Not one setback, the whole pile-on, all at once.” - this episode is for you. This week A Wake Up Call is a solo listener Q&A, Part 4, and the thread running through all three questions is energy. Layne and Tess start with the colleague who drains the room: why emotions are contagious, why an emotion lasts about 90 seconds in the body but the story you wrap around it can last for years, and the four default responses to a dream thief (fight, flight, freeze and the one nobody names, fawn). Layne owns hers. Then the tools: check your own energy before you walk in, time the hard conversation for when you are clear, say how it lands instead of pointing the finger, and put down the luggage that was never yours to carry. The second question is about ageing strong. Tess sets out the decade rule (what you do in your 40s hits you in your 50s), the I Am mantra as a mental fitness weight, and the overhead-locker test for the life you want at 70. Layne adds the one-gap-at-a-time rule and a shout-out to Tess's mum, adventure granny, who changed everything in her 70s after one episode of this podcast. The third question pulls a story out of Tess she has never told on the show: the bladder test she could not pass in the spinal ward, the radical acceptance that finally moved her forward, and a cafe, a jug of water and the greatest act of love she has felt. Layne answers with her own pile-on, chronic fatigue two years before her first world title, and the fear that lit the flame. The reframe they land on together: how is this happening for me, not why. You will hear about: Why emotions are contagious, and the 90-seconds-versus-years rule for the stories we wrap around them. Fight, flight, freeze or fawn: how to spot your default response to a dream thief and step out of it. Two energy tools for a negative colleague: fill your own cup first, and hold the hard conversation when you are clear, not depleted. “When you say this, it makes me feel this way”: finding your voice without blame, and why hurt people hurt people. The decade rule, the I Am mantra and the overhead-locker test for staying strong into your 60s and 70s. Links text Mentioned in the episode: Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones (Netflix documentary) https://www.netflix.com/title/81214929 Dr Stacy Sims on A Wake Up Call (Episode 13) - the episode that got Tess's mum lifting weights. 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 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. 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. This episode discusses a period of depression and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours) or visit lifeline.org.au. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 30 · 55 min
They Told Me 50/50. It Was 5 Per Cent.
If you have ever wondered: “How does someone come out of the worst thing that ever happened to them more grateful, not less?” “What am I supposed to do with myself once I have finally got the thing I was chasing?” “Why does money stress leak into everything else, even when the numbers are not that bad?” - this episode is for you. Tristan Knowles OAM has been given his odds twice. At nine he lost his leg to childhood cancer. At twelve he found out that the 50/50 his parents and his doctor gave him when the cancer came back in his lung was a white lie, and that his real chance of surviving had been closer to 5 per cent. This week he sits down with Layne and Tess to talk about what that does to a person, and what he built out of it. It runs from a foam cover cut off a prosthetic leg at 17, to gold in Beijing and the email from his coach that was waiting when the team got home, to ranking themselves across 30 separate parts of their sport so that being the best would not make them soft. Six Paralympic Games, a gold medal, back to back world titles, and a definition of success that has nothing to do with winning. Then it goes somewhere nobody expects a Paralympian to go: money. Tristan has spent more than a decade in financial advice, and he makes the case that how you handle money quietly decides how much energy you have for everything else. Financial stress and mental health run in both directions, and most people never touch either because they think it is complicated. You will hear about: ● The 50/50 his parents and his doctor agreed on before he ever asked, and the real number he learned at twelve ● Why cutting the foam cover off his prosthetic leg at 17 was the most liberating thing he has done ● The three questions he uses to define success instead of winning, and why the result is not one of them ● The email waiting after Beijing gold, and how ranking themselves on 30 parts of the game kept the team hungry ● What financial stress actually costs, and the simple split he gives people who think money is too complicated ● The question from Tuesdays with Morrie that he put to Layne and Tess live, and why everyone answers it the same way Guest links Tristan Knowles: https://tristanknowles.com.au Follow Tristan on Instagram @tristanknowles09 Support Australian Paralympians (virtual seat, donations are tax deductible): https://www.paralympic.org.au Awake links 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 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.
August 23 · 33 min
We Went Viral. Then We Read the Comments.
If you have ever wondered: “How can two people hear exactly the same thing and walk away with completely different stories?” “Why does disagreeing online get personal so fast?” “What do I actually do when something I read online gets under my skin?” - this episode is for you. A few weeks ago Layne and Tess posted a 49-second clip from the podcast. They thought they were sharing a conversation about performance and what it was like to compete in conditions that were never built for you. Instead it reached more than 400,000 people, picked up 41,000 likes, 2,000 shares, 2,000 saves and almost 200 comments, and the comments turned into something none of them expected: a live social experiment in how people hear, judge and defend. So this week they turn the comments off and turn the conversation on. Layne walks through what actually surprised her, which was not the disagreement but the vitriol, and how quickly people stopped arguing with her and started attacking each other. Tess reads out what came back, from the woman sent to the worst break so the blokes could keep the good waves, to the claim that corporate Australia still parachutes in a female CEO when a business is already sinking. Together they pull apart why perception hardens into narrative, why narrative hardens into belief, and why most of us would rather be right than happy. The back half is the useful part for anyone leading a team. Advocacy beats mentorship. Confirmation bias is usually cheaper to fix than hostility. And the three things every performer needs, something to believe in, someone to believe in and someone who believes in them, are exactly what women’s surfing was missing in the 1990s and exactly what it has now. It closes with the AIA Do It For Life toolkit for the moment something online gets under your skin, and the three questions worth asking before you type anything at all. You will hear about: What 49 seconds and almost 200 comments revealed about identity, leadership and judgement, and why turning the comments off was the right call Why people defend identity instead of facts, how confirmation bias quietly decides who gets the seat, and where the scarcity mentality comes from Advocacy over mentorship: “don’t teach us how to surf, show us where the best waves are”, and what real allyship sounds like at work The money myth in sport: whether bigger audiences justify bigger pay, why the flights do not cost less for Serena Williams, and what Layne would have done with pay equity instead of four part-time jobs The AIA Do It For Life toolkit for getting triggered online: why am I triggered, what do I need to decompress, get curious about your response rather than the comment, and the three questions - is it true, is it kind, is it necessary Links 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 on Instagram @awake_academy Awake’s 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 Bring more energy, motivation and connection to your team wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au 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. 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. Help is always available, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text on 0477 13 11 14. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 16 · 51 min
Sam Gash on the Power of the Pause
If you have ever wondered: “How do people actually do hard things when I can barely find the energy for mine?” “Why does every achievement seem to cost me so much?” “Is pulling back going backwards, or is it the smartest move I can make?” - this episode is for you. Sam Gash was a corporate lawyer when she decided to test the limits of what she was capable of. That decision made her the first woman, and the youngest person at the time, to complete the legendary Four Deserts Grand Slam: 1,000 kilometres across some of the world's harshest environments. She has since crossed India on foot to support education initiatives, traversed Nepal's Great Himalaya Trail, played Australian Survivor and become an AIA ambassador. But this conversation is not about running. Layne and Tess sit down with Sam for a conversation about what it really takes to keep moving when life gets real hard: where unwavering self-belief actually comes from, why she stopped waiting to be invited and backed herself first, and what she learned when a natural disaster left her stranded for 12 days on a 50-day expedition. Sam is disarmingly honest about the cost side of achievement, the invisible rules she is still uncovering, and why she now walks on stage without a bow to put on the story. At its heart this is an episode about capacity and self-leadership: honouring the person you are today rather than the person you were a year ago, finding an easefulness to effort, and using the power of the pause to catch your default settings before they run your day. You will hear about: Why resilience is being adaptive, quicker and with greater ease, and why the reflection after a hard thing (not the hard thing itself) is what builds capacity What the Four Deserts Grand Slam actually involves, and what carrying everything on your back teaches you about your real baseline Why you should not wait to be invited: how Sam sponsored herself when nobody else would, and why action builds confidence rather than the other way around The 12 days Sam spent stranded on the Great Himalaya Trail, and how it rewired what success and finishing mean to her The AIA Do It For Life toolkit: the power of the pause, uncovering your invisible rules, and closing the gap between the person at home and the person in the outside world Links text Connect with Sam Gash https://www.samanthagash.com 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 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.
August 11 · 35 min
When You Can’t Be Bothered: Motivation, Overwhelm & the Juggle
When You Can’t Be Bothered: Motivation, Overwhelm & the Juggle If you’ve ever thought: “Why can’t I motivate myself, even when I know what I need to do?” “How do I keep everything going without burning myself out?” “Why does it feel like everyone needs something from me?” — this episode is for you. This week, A Wake Up Call is back with another listener Q&A, and Tess and Layne are tackling two questions that will feel very familiar if life has been feeling a little too full: how do you find motivation when you simply can’t be bothered, and how do you juggle everything without losing yourself in the process? First, they unpack why losing motivation isn’t necessarily a sign that you’re lazy or failing. Sometimes you’re overwhelmed. Sometimes you’re depleted. And sometimes your body is asking you to stop pushing and start paying attention. Tess shares the “bare minimum” approach that helped her move through a winter slump — including the 3km-a-day challenge that taught her just how loud her excuses could become — while Layne explains why action often has to come before motivation. Start with five minutes. Take one step. Make it achievable. Then let momentum do the rest. Then the conversation turns to the juggle. Layne opens up about a season when she was caring for her dad, chairing Surfing Australia, running a charity, building a business, speaking, filming and still competing — and the moment someone reflected back to her: that’s a lot. What looked like capability on the outside was costing her time with the people she loved, her health and her wellbeing. And underneath all that busyness was an even bigger question: what was the juggle giving her? Together, Layne and Tess explore why being needed, being busy and being the person who can “handle everything” can become part of our identity — and why sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is step out of the middle and realise the world will keep turning without you. You’ll hear about: Why motivation often follows action, rather than the other way around The “bare minimum” tool for days when everything feels too hard How accountability can help create momentum Why losing motivation can be a signal to look deeper How to tell when your busy life has become unsustainable The hidden emotional payoff we can get from being needed What to let go of, outsource or delegate when you’re overwhelmed Why structure can create more freedom A simple physiological sigh to help regulate your nervous system in moments of overwhelm The questions to ask when the juggle starts costing you more than it’s giving you 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 on Instagram: @awake_academy Awake’s 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. Help is always available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 2 · 1 hr 7 min
Hamish McLachlan on the Last Three Percent
If you have ever wondered: “What do the most decorated people in the world actually do differently when no one is filming?” “How do you stay present with your own kids when your job is showing up for everyone else's biggest moments?” “What does your mother know about you that no highlight reel ever will?” - this episode is for you. For more than 20 years, Hamish McLachlan, sports broadcaster, journalist, commentator and AIA Ambassador, has held the microphone while other people have had their biggest moments, sitting just a few feet from Olympic champions, AFL greats, prime ministers and Kobe Bryant. This week Layne and Tess flip the format. Instead of interviewing the broadcaster, they interview the student, taking Hamish through what he calls his own life MBA: the lessons picked up over two decades of watching greatness up close. It opens with a voice note from Hamish's mother, Sylvia, introducing her own son, and from there Hamish works through the people who shaped him: his mother's total absence of hierarchy, his brother Gillon as the first call in any crisis, and the professionals who let him inside their preparation, Bruce McAvaney's ritual before air, Dennis Cometti's scone and tea debrief after every broadcast, and Kobe Bryant choosing his own interviewer from four audition tapes because he refused to leave the last three percent to chance. It becomes a conversation about presence over performance: the sixteen months he took his family travelling instead of chasing the next broadcast, trading FOMO for what he calls JOMO, and the daily habit of choosing good units over bad ones with his own kids. It closes with Hamish reading a message back to his mother, live. You will hear about: Why Kobe Bryant asked to choose his own interviewer from four audition tapes, and what it revealed about leaving nothing to chance The “good units, bad units” habit Hamish uses with his kids to spend each day well, and the day his ten-year-old called him out on it Why Dennis Cometti's post-broadcast scone and tea ritual is a masterclass in presence The difference between a “deal friend” and a “real friend” Why the family took sixteen months off to travel, and the line from his daughter that reframed what happiness actually looks like Links text Follow Hamish McLachlan @hamishmclachlan Watch: Hamish's AIA talk, “The Last Time I Cried”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ny9Y9B5xic 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 on Instagram @awake_academy Awake's 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. Help is always available, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text on 0477 13 11 14. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 26 · 56 min
Food is your Performance Tool with Kate Save
If you have ever wondered: 💭 "Why am I gaining belly fat when I am doing everything right?" 💭 "Why does the diet that worked at 30 stop working at 40?" 💭 "What should I actually ask my GP for beyond the standard blood panel?" - this episode is for you. This week Layne and Tess sit down with Kate Save: accredited practising dietitian, clinical exercise physiologist and founder of Be Fit Food. Kate sits at a rare intersection. She reads food through metabolic flexibility, cognitive output and physical longevity, not weight loss, and she is on a mission to treat food as our most powerful daily performance tool. Her own wake-up call came early. Emergency surgery at 20 for a rare congenital condition doctors said she would not live past 30, after 19 years of being told it was in her head. Years later she found her mum dead at home, after emergency departments sent her home three times with a bowel cancer nobody caught. If you look well and present well, you do not get seen. Then the conversation gets practical: why fat arrives at the waistline after 40 even when you are doing everything right, how insulin resistance builds for 10 to 20 years before a standard test flags it, why muscle is the sink for glucose, how much protein you actually need and in what form, and how busy people fuel for energy, focus and the long game. Layne even hands over her own blood results for Kate to read live. You will hear about: The two blood tests that reveal insulin resistance 10 to 20 years early: fasting insulin and the HOMA index, and why your GP will not run them unless you ask Why muscle is the sink for glucose, and the three-times-a-week strength habit that protects your metabolism as you age Protein done properly: 1.2 to 1.6g per kilo, whole food first, supplements second, and the 2025 trial that showed whole food lifts 45 beneficial gut bacteria The perspective tool Kate uses with her intensive-care doctor best friend on the hardest days The Do It For Life toolkit: vegetables of every colour, leftovers packed the night before, and one health check that predicts your next 10 to 20 years Links text Follow Kate Save on Instagram @katesave and LinkedIn (Kate Save) Be Fit Food: https://www.befitfood.com.au Listener code: WAKEUP35 for $35 off Be Fit Food orders over $100 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 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. Help is always available call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text on 0477 13 11 14 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 19 · 30 min
Selfish Isn’t the Problem. Selfless Is.
If you have ever thought: “How do I get better at being selfish when I always put everyone else first?” “Why is saying no so uncomfortable, even when I know I should?” “How do I set boundaries without the guilt, or without letting everyone down?” - this episode is for you. This week A Wake Up Call is a solo listener Q&A (Part 2), and it goes deeper than Part 1. We asked the Dream Team what they were wrestling with, and the theme was almost unanimous: people-pleasing. One question said it all - “my generosity is my greatest strength and my greatest weakness. I put everyone first and my own health and finances last. How do I get better at being selfish?” Layne and Tess reframe the whole thing. Selfish is not the enemy - selfless is. When you say yes to everyone and no to yourself, the people you love get the fried, depleted, running-on-empty version of you. Showing up “selfish” - protecting your time, energy, health and finances first - is what lets you show up for anyone at all. They get honest about why saying no is so hard: the three fears underneath every yes (letting people down, losing your relevance, and the shiny fix-it version everyone expects), and the three types of expectations - including the stealth ones we quietly place on ourselves. Layne shares how selfishness became a privilege that got her to the top, the story of her dad calling her “a bloody idiot”, and winning seven world titles - five of them in fear - and asks the real question: fuel, at what cost? Tess opens up about being “Tess from Virgin”, performing on a fragile foundation, and what changed when she started filling her own cup first. You will hear about: Why people-pleasing is fear wearing a helpful face - and how to show up “selfish” so you stop reserving the worst of you for the people you love The three fears that stop you saying no: letting people down, a scarcity mentality around relevance, and the expectations you place on yourself The three types of expectations - yours, other people's, and the stealth ones you assume - and why the stealth ones are the most toxic Fill your cup first: do one thing you love every day (15 minutes is enough, and it has to be tech-free) The boundary tool: “no, not now” and “no, not me”, why the guilt is a stepping stone, and knowing your recovery rule (one day is fine, three days is a warning sign) 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 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 Mentioned in this episode: Viktor Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning (the one thing that cannot be taken from you is your choice of how to respond) Dr Kristy Goodwin - researcher on digital overload and focus, and past AWUC guest (“infobesity”, ~74GB of information a day, and the case for micro-breaks) The Seven Doctors 7-Week Challenge - Awake's gentle nervous-system reset program (sunshine breaks, micro rest, the science of why), linked in the show notes Disclaimer Awake Academy is not a licensed mental health service, and this podcast is not a substitute for personalised mental health advice, assessment, diagnosis or treatment. What we share here is general in nature and is designed to offer reflection, insight and practical tools for everyday 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 12 · 34 min
Who Are You Without the Fear?
If you have ever wondered: “How do I stop identifying with the scared version of myself?” “Why does my inner critic get louder when I am tired, overwhelmed or out of my depth?” “How do I stop comparing myself to others and become the person I actually want to be?” This episode is for you. This week, Tess and Layne answer questions from the AWAKE community about fear, identity, comparison and the relentless voice of the “itty-bitty shitty committee”. They explore what happens when the identities you have built your life around suddenly disappear, whether that is a career, a business, success, appearance or the role you believed you had to play. Tess shares how losing her corporate identity forced her to intentionally rebuild her life, health and sense of self, while Layne reflects on becoming a world champion and learning not to let success, fear or other people’s labels define her. The conversation then turns to negative self-talk and comparison, with Layne revealing the sexism, unequal prize money and resistance she faced while fighting to transform women’s surfing. Her story is a reminder that purpose can carry you through moments when confidence disappears, progress feels painfully slow and the change you are working towards may not arrive for years. This is a conversation about giving fear a voice without handing it the steering wheel, choosing your identity with intention and moving from “I have to” to “I get to” to “I am”. You will hear about: Why fear becomes louder when you are depleted, overwhelmed or feeling unsafe How to recognise the difference between who you are and the labels other people have placed on you Tess’s experience of losing her corporate identity and intentionally creating a new one Using Elizabeth Gilbert’s letter-writing exercise to understand and respond to fear How comparison creates fragile confidence and keeps you focused outside yourself The sexism, pay inequality and resistance Layne faced while fighting for the future of women’s surfing The “I have to, I get to, I am” framework for reconnecting with purpose Why your inner critic may never disappear completely, and how to stop identifying with it How compassion, curiosity and play can soften fear and help you choose what love would do next Links 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 on Instagram @awake_academy AWAKE’s 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 Mentioned in this episode: Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray Love 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.
July 6 · 34 min
Have We Taken Optimisation Too Far?
If you have ever wondered: “Have I taken wellness and optimisation a little too far?” “Why does chasing the perfect sleep score leave me feeling worse, not better?” “Is outsourcing my life to AI making me more connected — or more alone?” - this episode is for you. This week A Wake Up Call is a solo Health Trends episode. Tess and Layne pull up the cultural wellbeing moments blowing up online and pressure-test them in real time - so you can challenge them, test them, and decide what you actually think. They start with Steven Bartlett's viral claim that three glasses of wine “ruined” him for three days (cue a very Layne take on quality wine), move into Brian Johnson and the millions-spent quest to never die, and land on the statistic that 37% of Gen Z say they could fall in love with an AI companion. Underneath the laughter - wine-maxing, sleep-maxing, life-maxing - is a bigger question: have we swapped intuition for data, and connection for optimisation? This is a conversation about trusting your body over the spreadsheet, choosing quality of life over quantity, and - borrowing Mo Gawdat's two campfires - deciding who we want to be at the intersection AI has put us all at. You will hear about: Why wine-maxing, sleep-maxing and life-maxing can optimise the fun right out of your life - and where the middle ground actually is Changing your relationship with alcohol: trusting your body's visceral yes or no instead of the after-a-hard-day default Brian Johnson, longevity culture and the real question - quality of life vs quantity of life The AI connection paradox: 37% of Gen Z open to falling in love with AI, and why outsourcing connection can quietly deepen loneliness Mo Gawdat's two campfires - the fork in the road with AI, and why who we choose to be matters more than ever Links 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 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 Mentioned in this episode - Mo Gawdat, Scary Smart (book on AI) [add link] 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.
June 28 · 57 min
The Worthiness Episode: Why You're Always Worthy of the Ask (with Kemi Nekvapil)
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 Brené 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 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 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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