A Wake Up Call
Claim This Podcastby Layne Beachley AO & Tess Brouwer
Podcast Overview
<p>You can change your life and A Wake Up Call will show you how.</p><p>Hosted by Layne Beachley AO and Tess Brouwer, founders of <a href="https://awakeacademy.com.au/">Awake Academy</a>, 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>If you’re ready to stop drifting and start living with purpose, you’re in the right place.</p><p>Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/?hl=en">@awake_academy</a> for more tools, truth, and transformation and tune in weekly to A Wake Up Call.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/12/2025
1 verified contact email on file for A Wake Up Call
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Recent Episodes
September 20, 2026
The Top 5 Needs of the Living
<p>If you have ever wondered:</p><br><p>“Why do I feel guilty every time I take an hour for myself?”</p><br><p>“I know exactly what I should be doing. Why can I not make myself do it?”</p><br><p>“How do I back myself when the results have not been going my way?”</p><br><p>- this episode is for you.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p><strong>You will hear about:</strong></p><ul><li>The number one need in six years of data: more time to myself without guilt, and why the barrier is confidence, not hours.</li><li>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.</li><li>The capacity debt: the visible output and the invisible borrowing underneath it, and why depleted people cannot drive growth.</li><li>Why purpose was the second thing people named, time after time, and how agency and gifts build ownership faster than another values statement.</li><li>One size fits one: breath as the simplest regulator under pressure, compounding micro-habits, and why recognising self-doubt is how you shorten it.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Mentioned in the episode:</strong></p><p>The Top 5 Needs of the Living and The Capacity Debt white paper, published at https://awakehumanperformance.com (copyright Awake Academy)</p><p>Bronnie Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying</p><p>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</p><p>Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses</p><p>https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales</p><p>Get Awake’s transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.</p><p>https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869</p><p>Follow Layne on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laynebeachley/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@Laynebeachley</a></p><p>Follow Tess on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tesscbrouwer/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@tesscbrouwer</a></p><p>Follow AWAKE on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@awake_academy</a></p><p>Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_</p><p>Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact</p><p>Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact</p><p><br></p><h1>Disclaimer</h1><p><br></p><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><p>If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours) or visit lifeline.org.au.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
September 13, 2026
Don't Wait for Symptoms with Dr Preeya Alexander
<p>If you have ever wondered:</p><br><p>“I feel fine, so why would I book a check-up?”</p><br><p>“Is one glass of wine really affecting my sleep and next day?”</p><br><p>“Which health checks am I actually meant to be having at my age?”</p><br><p>This episode is for you.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>You’ll hear about:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Why prevention matters even when you feel completely healthy.</li><li>Where AI health advice can help, where it gets things wrong, and the risks of treating it like a doctor or therapist.</li><li>Bowel cancer screening: two pinpricks, microscopic blood, free screening from 45, opt-in from 40, and why so many Australians never return the kit.</li><li>The SMILES trial and how a Mediterranean-style diet improved symptoms of depression.</li><li>Gut health and Preeya’s simple advice: feed your gut bugs a rainbow.</li><li>GLP-1 medications: who they can help, where the risks are, and concerns around unregulated peptides.</li><li>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.</li><li>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.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Preeya also shares her own non-negotiables: colour and variety on the plate, regular movement and protecting her sleep.</p><br><p>The episode closes with the AIA Do It For Life toolkit and one simple challenge: choose one action this week and start there.</p><br><p><strong>Guest:</strong></p><p>Follow Dr Preeya Alexander on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/doctor.preeya.alexander/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@doctor.preeya.alexander</a></p><p>Listen to Preeya’s podcast Happy to Health and hear her on ABC’s Health Report</p><p><strong>Mentioned in the episode:</strong></p><p>AIA Vitality Age Calculator</p><p><a href="https://www.aia.com.au/en/health-and-wellbeing/aia-vitality/age-calculator" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.aia.com.au/en/health-and-wellbeing/aia-vitality/age-calculator</a></p><p>National Bowel Cancer Screening Program</p><p><a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program</a></p><p>The SMILES trial, Deakin University Food and Mood Centre</p><p>Kate Save on Food as a Performance Tool, Episode 42</p><p>Join the Awake Collective Community</p><p><a href="https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales</a></p><p>Get Awake’s book Know Yourself Grow Yourself</p><p><a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869</a></p><p>Follow Layne on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laynebeachley/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@Laynebeachley</a></p><p>Follow Tess on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tesscbrouwer/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@tesscbrouwer</a></p><p>Follow AWAKE on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@awake_academy</a></p><p>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy</a>_</p><p>Sponsor the podcast or book a workshop:</p><p><a href="https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact</a></p><br><p><strong>Disclaimer</strong></p><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
September 7, 2026
Stop Carrying Other People's Luggage
<p>If you have ever wondered:</p><br><p>“I work with negative people and it really affects how I feel. How do I stop letting them influence my emotions?”</p><br><p>“I am in my 50s heading into my 60s. How do I stay strong for the people I love as the years tick by?”</p><br><p>“What do you do when things keep going wrong? Not one setback, the whole pile-on, all at once.”</p><br><p>- this episode is for you.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>You will hear about:</p><ul><li>Why emotions are contagious, and the 90-seconds-versus-years rule for the stories we wrap around them.</li><li>Fight, flight, freeze or fawn: how to spot your default response to a dream thief and step out of it.</li><li>Two energy tools for a negative colleague: fill your own cup first, and hold the hard conversation when you are clear, not depleted.</li><li>“When you say this, it makes me feel this way”: finding your voice without blame, and why hurt people hurt people.</li><li>The decade rule, the I Am mantra and the overhead-locker test for staying strong into your 60s and 70s.</li></ul><h1><br></h1><h1>Links text</h1><p><br></p><p>Mentioned in the episode:</p><p>Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones (Netflix documentary) <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81214929" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.netflix.com/title/81214929</a></p><p>Dr Stacy Sims on A Wake Up Call (Episode 13) - the episode that got Tess's mum lifting weights.</p><br><p>Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses <a href="https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales</a></p><p>Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869</a></p><p>Follow Layne on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laynebeachley/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@Laynebeachley</a></p><p>Follow Tess on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tesscbrouwer/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@tesscbrouwer</a></p><p>Follow AWAKE on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@awake_academy</a></p><p>Awakes TikTok <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_</a></p><p>Sponsor our podcast <a href="https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact</a></p><p>Book us for a workshop <a href="https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact</a></p><p><br></p><h1>Disclaimer</h1><p><br></p><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><br><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
51 total episodes available
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- What is A Wake Up Call?
<p>You can change your life and A Wake Up Call will show you how.</p><p>Hosted by Layne Beachley AO and Tess Brouwer, founders of <a href="https://awakeacademy.com.au/">Awake Academy</a>, 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>If you’re ready to stop drifting and start living with purpose, you’re in the right place.</p><p>Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/?hl=en">@awake_academy</a> for more tools, truth, and transformation and tune in weekly to A Wake Up Call.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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