A Wake Up Call – Détails, épisodes et analyse

What if self leadership isn’t about doing more… but about learning to listen sooner?

Today, Tess and Layne sit down with global leadership expert, author, and “conversation architect” Holly Ransom for a deeply human chat about resilience, purpose, and the tools that stop high performers from quietly burning out behind the scenes.

They rewind to the sliding doors moments that shaped Holly’s life, from being spotted by Richard Branson and thrown into the world of hosting and interviewing, to a raw early chapter where overwhelm, exhaustion and a heavy diagnosis forced her to rebuild from the ground up. Together, they unpack the difference between being clinically unwell and being chronically overworked, and why so many of us reach for labels before we look at sleep, stress, nutrition, movement and recovery.

From there, the episode becomes a practical masterclass in energy management. Holly shares the shift that changed everything for her: manage energy, not time. They explore how wearables like the Oura Ring can be a powerful mirror (if you actually listen to it), why sleep hygiene matters more than you think, and how micro breaks, breathwork, and play can downregulate your nervous system in minutes, not hours.

This is an episode for anyone who feels like they’re “coping”… but running on fumes. If you’ve been pushing through, overriding your body, or living in permanent upregulation, this conversation will bring you back to the simplest question: what do I truly need right now?

In this episode, we talk about:

Holly’s sliding doors moments and how one opportunity can reroute a whole life

The early burnout chapter, the weight of labels, and what “push through” culture costs us

The difference between depression and being overwhelmed, overworked, and overtired

Why self leadership starts with self awareness, self knowing, and conviction

Managing energy, not time, and matching your best hours to your most important work

The Oura Ring effect: how data can change behaviour (and why it’s useless if you ignore it)

Sleep hygiene shifts that dramatically improve recovery, even with the same hours in bed

Upregulation vs downregulation and why most of us only train one direction

Micro breaks: how 90 seconds to 3 minutes can reset your nervous system

Breathwork basics, box breathing, and why it works even when you think it’s “woo”

Energy vampires and learning to notice who or what drains you after the fact

The itty bitty shitty committee, courage zones, and doing the scary thing with a meaningful why

How kids reintroduce play, presence, and joy (whether you’re ready or not)

What leaders like Amal Clooney, Obama, Brené Brown, Venus Williams and McConaughey taught Holly about self leadership

Betting on yourself, not letting Plan B become Plan A, and asking people to help you stick the landing

If you’ve been waiting for the “perfect” window to take care of yourself, this episode is your reminder that regulation isn’t a luxury. It’s a skill. And you can start with the smallest reps, the tiniest resets, and the simplest choices that bring you back into your body.

And if you’re listening thinking, “I want support, accountability, and tools I can actually use,” Tess and Layne share how you can join The Awake Collective for monthly coaching, community, and practices that help you keep doing the work.

Connect with Awake

• Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses

https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/awake-collective-sales

• Get Awake’s 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: wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au

• Awake’s TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_

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

What if the healthiest version of you is built from the simplest things?

Today, Tess and Layne kick off a powerful 7 week challenge built around what they call the Seven Doctors, a set of science backed, everyday habits that can transform your energy, mood, focus and wellbeing without needing an overhaul of your whole life.

Layne shares the personal story behind this framework, the tools and rituals she committed to after winning her sixth consecutive world title, and how those tiny, consistent 1 percenters became a literal prescription for vitality.

From there, the episode becomes a grounded, practical guide to the habits that most of us know we need, but forget the moment life gets busy. Tess and Layne unpack why health and happiness have been overcomplicated, why the basics still work, and why the secret is not just doing the habit. It’s connecting to how it makes you feel.

This is an episode for anyone who feels foggy, flat, burnt out, overwhelmed, or like they’re constantly trying to “fix” themselves with big, exhausting plans. These doctors are simple, accessible, and surprisingly transformative. And the best part? They’re free.

In this episode, we talk about:

What the Seven Doctors are, and why they’re a simple roadmap back to vitality

Why wellbeing doesn’t need to be hard to be effective

The power of 1 percenters, habit stacking, and building momentum without perfection

Doctor 1: Water, and why dehydration can look like hunger, brain fog and fatigue

A simple way to think about hydration and why quality matters

Doctor 2: Movement, and why exercise is one of the most effective antidepressants we have

How to start when you’re depleted, injured, overwhelmed, or “not in the mood”

Why consistency beats intensity, and how to make movement feel like joy

Doctor 3: Nutrition, and why protein can be a game changer for energy and strength

The mindset shift from “skinny” to “strong” and why it changes everything

Doctor 4: Sunshine, and how light resets mood, energy and circadian rhythm

The idea of sunshine breaks and why 90 seconds outside can shift your whole day

Doctor 5: Laughter, and why it’s one of the fastest ways to deactivate stress

How to schedule more joy and train your life to feel lighter again

Doctor 6: Active rest, and why your brain can’t be on screens all day and recover at night

How rest restores creativity, clarity and nervous system regulation

Doctor 7: Journaling, and why “dump it out, don’t take it out” creates instant relief

Why gratitude works when you anchor it in feeling, not just words

If you’ve been trying to push through, hustle harder, or hold it all together, this episode will remind you that change doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from returning to what works, and letting the basics rebuild you.

And if you’re listening thinking, “I want to do this with support and accountability,” Tess and Layne share how you can join The Awake Collective for the full 7 week Seven Doctors challenge, with community, prompts, coaching and momentum to help you actually stick with it.

Connect with Awake

• Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses

https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/awake-collective-sales

• Get Awake’s 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: wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au

• Awake’s TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_

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

If you have ever wondered:

💭 "What does it feel like to be truly seen in a relationship?"
💭 "How do you sit with someone you love when they are in deep pain?"
💭 "How do you stay connected when your instinct is to fix or run?"

– this episode is for you.

In this intimate conversation, Layne turns the spotlight onto Tess and her husband Chris, tracing their love story from a rehab reunion in a pub on AFL Grand Final day to a blended family, a baby, and a life built on shared growth.

Tess shares what it was like to meet Chris after losing everything to injury and trauma, standing in a neck brace, caring for the "quad squad," and hearing him say, "Who are you? You are like sunshine." Chris talks about that first hug that felt like "coming home," the long FaceTime calls during lockdown, and the moment he asked Tess to tell him her accident and PTSD story from start to finish so he could "know how to hold" her. The next morning, he sent flowers with three simple words: "Holding space for you."

Together they unpack what it actually means to hold space in real life: the breath before reacting, choosing not to fix, and learning to say, "I do not know what to say right now, but I am here." Chris opens up about his early shutdown response to female emotion, how his teenage experiences with his mum shaped that, and how he now chooses a "posture of a learner" instead of control. Tess shares how it feels to be on the receiving end of that presence, and why her single word for Chris is "safety."

You will hear about:

The difference between being a solution and being a shoulder

How they stay out of the drama triangle and step back into connection

The marriage vow that changed everything: always doing their own inner work

Why it is "safe to be seen" and how that belief changed Tess's life

This episode is tender, real and quietly powerful. It is not about perfect communication. It is about two humans doing the work to keep choosing each other, even when it is hard.

🎧 Hit play to remember what love can look like when someone is willing to sit in the discomfort and hold space for all of you.

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

If you've ever looked in the mirror and thought,

💭 “I'll love myself when I lose the weight.”
💭 “Why can't I just feel comfortable in my own skin?”
💭 “Everyone else seems confident — what's wrong with me?”

—this one's for you.

In this episode of A Wake Up Call, Layne and Tess dive into one of the most personal and powerful topics yet: body image, self-care, and learning to love yourself — not when you're “better,” but as you are.

Layne opens up about what it was like to have her body as her career, her tool, and her identity — and the fifty-year journey it took to look in the mirror and genuinely love what she saw. Tess shares how she spent decades disconnected from her body, constantly at war with food, weight, and self-worth, and the moment she finally began to come home to herself.

Together they explore:

Why body image affects nearly everyone, regardless of age or gender

The science behind why how we feel in our skin shapes our mental health and confidence

The difference between self-love and self-criticism — and how to shift from one to the other

How therapy, awareness, and daily micro-habits can help quiet the inner critic

The simple question Tess asks herself each day: “If I loved my body, what would I do?”

Layne's practical advice on creating an environment that supports healing, not comparison

You'll also hear from listeners, including one raw, heartfelt email from a woman feeling “asleep with her eyes open,” reminding us why these conversations matter so deeply.

This episode isn't about perfection — it's about peace. It's a wake-up call to treat your body as the ally it's always been.

🎧 Hit play to remember what it feels like to belong in your own skin again.

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

This conversation sits where many of us are living right now: caring for kids and partners while also preparing to say goodbye to the people who raised us. Tess and Layne open with a real life audit, naming the season they are in as the sandwich generation. They invite guest Mitch Wallis (Heart On My Sleeve – https://www.mitchwallis.com) to help untangle grief with honesty and practical tools. You will hear why ambiguity makes grief so hard, how to “undensify” big feelings through presence, and why the most healing question is often the simplest: “What are you going to miss about your dad the most?” Together they model emotional regulation, co-regulation, and the courage to feel it to heal it, then close with a clear toolkit: “Stop fixing. Start listening.”

What you will learn:

• How to run a quick life audit when you feel stretched on all sides
• Why uncertainty supercharges grief and how to find steadiness in it
• Simple body anchors from Mitch's practice: “light, bright, tight, might”
• A supportive question that opens connection: “What are you going to miss about them the most?”
• How to balance pre-grieving with presence, so you do not wish away the time you still have
• Co-regulation basics for friends and leaders who want to help without rescuing
• Three tools to use today: feel it to heal it, breathing and grounding, stop fixing. start listening.

Connect with Awake

• Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/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
• 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 – wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au
• Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
• Sign up for a wake up call for a weekly wake up call
• Sponsor our podcast 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.

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.

What does well-being actually look like when you're exhausted, parenting, flying, speaking, working… and still trying to be a decent human? This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at how Layne and Tess really weave habits, supplements, sleep, and rituals into messy, modern life – without pretending it's perfect.

From Layne sprinting on the sand, flying to a keynote half-asleep, smashing it on stage and then nearly hurling through turbulence… to Tess parenting through a hangover after Kirk's birthday, they unpack the routines that hold them – and the ones that fell apart and had to be rebuilt. You'll hear the story of Layne's “first pancake” keynote that ended in a formal complaint, and how that wake-up call turned her into the speaker she is today.

They dive into morning rituals (from cuddles and magnesium water to “show me how good it can get today, universe”), the power of a 10-minute lunchtime reset with bare feet in the grass, and why nighttime routines quietly run the whole show. There's honest chat about alcohol, falling off the wagon, bone broth, matcha, and the truth that sometimes the bravest move is just leaving your desk to eat lunch outside.

This episode isn't medical advice – it's Layne and Tess sharing what's actually working, what isn't, and how to keep coming back to habits that honour your nervous system, your energy, and your real life.

🎧 Hit play and remember — you can't give from an empty cup. It's time to refill yours.

Connect with Awake

• Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/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
• 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 – wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au
• Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
• Sign up for a wake up call for a weekly wake up call
• Sponsor our podcast 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.

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.

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS – with Sue Langley
https://langleygroup.com.au/

If you've ever wondered,

“Why can't I stay happy even when things are good?”
 “Is there actually science behind wellbeing?”
 “Can I really rewire my brain to feel better?”

—this episode is for you.

In today's episode of A Wake Up Call, Layne and Tess sit down with Sue Langley — global leader in positive psychology and neuroscience, founder of the Langley Group, and the woman who helped them ground their book Awake: Own Your Truth in science.

Sue's story is extraordinary: from truck driver to one of the world's most respected experts in human flourishing. Her work translates complex brain science into practical, real-world tools that anyone can use to boost happiness, resilience, and purpose.

In this powerful and joy-filled conversation, you'll learn:

• What positive psychology really is (and what it's not)
• The brain-based reason gratitude, mindfulness, and focus actually work
• How to turn trauma into growth and rewire your mindset for worthiness
• The difference between good stress and bad stress — and how to use both
• A 30-second brain hack you can try right now to boost your mood
• How AI could help scale wellbeing and make mental fitness accessible to everyone

Sue brings both warmth and wisdom, with practical takeaways you can use today to feel more alive, balanced, and in control of your happiness.

Hit play and discover how small shifts in focus, belief, and self-awareness can rewire your brain for wellbeing.

Connect with Awake

• Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses https://awake-academy.mykajabi.com/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
• 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 – wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au
• Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
• Sign up for a wake up call for a weekly wake up call
• Sponsor our podcast 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.

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.

If you've ever thought,

1.  “Love shouldn't be this hard.”
2.  “We're so different — can this really work?”
3. “How do you stay connected when life gets loud?”

This episode is for you.

In this heartfelt, laughter-filled conversation, Tess sits down with Layne Beachley and her husband, INXS legend Kirk Pengilly, to unpack the real story behind their 23-year relationship and 15 years of marriage.

They talk about the highs, the heartbreaks, and the hilarious moments that shaped their partnership — from living worlds apart in the early years to navigating fame, recovery, and the daily work of staying in love.

You'll learn:

• How two complete opposites learned to grow with each other, not just beside each other
• The moment Kirk said, “Why do I always get the broken version?” — and how it changed everything
• The truth about identity, healing, and showing up in a relationship as your whole self
• How humour, self-awareness, and radical honesty can keep love alive for the long haul
• The truth bombs land hard and the love runs deep.

Hit play and wake up to love, laughter, and a few home truths that might just change how you see your own relationship.

For more resources related to today's episode, check out our podcast episode page:
www.awakecollective.online/episode-3

Connect with Awake

Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses 

Get Awake's transformative book: Know yourself grow yourself to live a happier more purposeful life

Watch the episodes on YouTube: 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 – wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au

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

If you've ever said, “I'm fine,” when you were anything but… this one's for you.

In this raw, honest conversation, Layne and Tess unpack the tiny, two-word lie that so many of us use to avoid what we're really feeling.

Because the truth is, every time you say “I'm fine” when you're not, you push your real self a little further away.

You'll learn:

• How to feel it to heal it
• Why emotional honesty is the ultimate power move
• How unprocessed emotions get stored in the body
• One simple way to start feeling your emotions safely without getting stuck in them

This episode is your permission slip to stop pretending, start feeling, and finally owning your truth.

For more resources related to today's episode, check out our podcast episode page:
www.awakecollective.online/episode-2

Connect with Awake

Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses 

Get Awake's transformative book: Know yourself grow yourself to live a happier more purposeful life

Watch the episodes on YouTube: 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 – wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au

Awakes TikTok www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_

Sign up for a wake up call for a weekly wake up call

Sponsor our podcast 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.

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.

Tess Brouwer and Layne Beachley share how life's toughest wake-up calls led to more laughter, energy, and purpose. From burnout to bounce-back, they dish out simple tools (hello water, sunshine + protein!) and heartwarming stories that prove healing doesn't have to be heavy.

Connect with Awake

Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses 

Get Awake's transformative book: Know yourself grow yourself to live a happier more purposeful life

Watch the episodes on YouTube: 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 – wakeup@awakeacademy.com.au

Awakes TikTok www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_

Sign up for a wake up call for a weekly wake up call

Sponsor our podcast 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.

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.