A Wake Up Call

If you have ever wondered: “Why do I give my best under pressure sometimes, and completely fall apart others?”“How do I stay calm when everything is riding on this moment?”“Is it possible to rediscover my fire after I have walked away from the thing I worked hardest at?” - this episode is for you. In this episode, Tess and Layne sit down with Kieran Perkins - Olympic gold medallist, CEO of the Australian Sports Commission, and the man who won gold from lane 8 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. Kieran takes us inside the hours before that race: the panic, the adrenaline hijack, the dark spiral of consequences, and the single question that flipped the switch - “How did I used to do this?” He unpacks the physiology of pressure, the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic drive, and why the only job in any high-stakes moment is to get out of your own way and let your preparation speak. Together they explore the gap between chasing excellence and defending it, the surprising differences between elite sport and corporate performance, and the honest story of Kieran’s own health journey - losing over 30 kilos by first stopping exercise entirely. You will hear about: How Kieran interrupted a full amygdala hijack in the hours before an Olympic finalWhy defending a title is psychologically harder than chasing oneThe difference between an athlete’s finish line and a corporate one - and how to close the gapWhy Kieran believes you cannot force elite performance on someone who does not truly want to be thereHow stopping exercise was the first step in Kieran’s 30-kilo transformationThe one walk through Melbourne that reminded him what presence actually feels likeLinks text  Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasseshttps://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-9781761345869Follow Layne on Instagram @LaynebeachleyFollow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwerFollow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academyAwakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contactBook us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact DisclaimerThe 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 have ever wondered:"Why do I feel like I am performing a version of myself that has nothing to do with who I really am?""How do I separate who I am from what I do?""What does it actually take to be vulnerable and still feel strong?"- this episode is for you.This episode airs in Men's Mental Health Week, and it is one of the most important conversations we have had. In Australia, nine people a day take their own lives. Seven of them are men. So we asked Harry Garside - Olympic boxer, author, ballet dancer, poet and one of the country's most outspoken voices on masculinity - one simple question: who are you, underneath everything you have achieved?In this raw, honest and deeply human conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Harry Garside - the boxer who broke Australia's 33-year Olympic medal drought with bronze at Tokyo, a Commonwealth and Pacific Games gold medallist, nine-time national champion and Paris Olympian - for a conversation that goes far beyond the ring.Harry opens up about the moment he wept on national television, telling Australia he had let them down, and asking for a few days to find his strength again. What came back was an avalanche of support. He traces it all the way back to the Reach Foundation walking into his life at sixteen and giving him the first safe space he ever had to be vulnerable as a young man.He shares the contradiction he has lived his whole life: the conqueror he becomes in the ring, and the curious, tender six-year-old underneath who only ever wanted to be loved. He talks about a mother's post-natal depression and the quiet story it planted that he was not lovable, about chasing world-class success to earn approval, and about the part of him that still tries to blow up the good things before they can leave him. This is a conversation about taking the mask off, and trusting that who you are underneath is enough.You will hear about:Why so many men perform a version of themselves that slowly suffocates who they really areHow to separate your identity from your achievements, and why your worth was never in the medalThe difference between competing in fear and competing in loveWhy suppressing your intensity makes it dangerous, and how to harness it insteadWhat it really takes to make vulnerability feel safe for menLinks textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasseshttps://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-salesGet Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869Follow Layne on Instagram @LaynebeachleyFollow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwerFollow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academyAwakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contactBook us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contactDisclaimerThe 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 have ever wondered: 💭 "Why do I feel like I am performing a version of myself that is slowly suffocating me?" 💭 "How do I separate who I am from what I do?" 💭 "What does it take to stop chasing approval and start living from purpose?" - this episode is for you. In this raw, honest and deeply human conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Josh Piterman - the first Australian to perform both Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and the Phantom in the original West End production of Phantom of the Opera - for a conversation that goes far beyond the stage. Josh opens up about the defining moment that launched his West End career: singing Nessun Dorma on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, a performance that found its way to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron McIntosh within two weeks. But behind the marquee billing in London was a man quietly unravelling - running on scarcity, performing for a producer's approval, and placing every measure of his worth in achievement and outcome. He shares the full story of his three-part wake-up call: the feather (burnout), the brick (a fractured larynx mid-rehearsal), and the train (a surfboard that hit the same spot months later, silencing him for a year) - all while his father was diagnosed with brain cancer and he was performing the most emotionally gruelling role of his career. You will hear about: Why burnout is inevitable for high performers who ignore the signals their body keeps sendingHow to find your authentic self through early childhood play and the bliss bodyThe shift from first mountain (achievement) to second mountain (contribution) - and why it changes everythingThe science of heart coherence breathing and how it builds emotional resilience from the inside out Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasseshttps://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/contacthttps://open.spotify.com/track/1vuf0jxcfB7Ry8qeSr7pBp Disclaimer The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life. If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast. Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.

If you have ever wondered: 💭 “Why does no one talk honestly about what happens to your body after having a baby?”💭 “How do I stop feeling like sex is the last thing on my list?”💭 “What does a healthy sex life even look like when everything in my body has changed?” - this episode is for you. In this honest, hilarious and genuinely eye-opening conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Heather Ford, sexologist, women's health clinician and founder of Core Restore Co., for a conversation about the body knowledge most of us were never given, and what changes when you finally have it. Heather opens up about her own turning point: a trampoline park, a toddler, three months postpartum, and the moment that turned shame into purpose. She went back to university, completed a Master's in Women's Medicine and a Master's in Sexology, and built a practice dedicated to making complex, stigmatised medical topics genuinely approachable. Together they move through female anatomy in a way that is equal parts educational and liberating. They cover the pelvic floor as a stress response muscle, the real structure and size of the clitoris, how breathing affects arousal, why lube is non-negotiable, and what happens to sexual health through perimenopause and menopause. Layne shares ten years of navigating menopause with honesty and grace. Tess reflects on rebuilding desire after injury. You will learn about: The anatomy most of us were never taught, and why that gap costs us in confidence and connectionHow the pelvic floor connects to your jaw, your breathing, your mental health and your orgasmWhat the research actually says about sexual health, longevity, and why one orgasm a week mattersHow to have the conversations about intimacy that most couples avoid Links textJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasseshttps://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales Get Awake's transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life.https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869 Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_ Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact Book us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact Disclaimer The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life. If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast. Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are trying to tell you.

If you have ever wondered:💭 “Why am I working harder than ever and still feeling behind?”💭 “How do I stop the spiral in my head from running the show?”💭 “How do I actually perform at a high level without burning my life to the ground?”– this episode is for you.In this energising and practical conversation, Layne and Tess take you to high performance school. They strip back the myth that elite performers are simply more talented, more driven or born different, and reveal the real ingredient: hard work in harmony with your wellbeing, your relationships and yourself.Layne shares hard earned lessons from 20 years as a seven time world champion and her new life in the business world, including the head knocks, the paralysed face, the broken noses she pushed through, and the cost she still pays today in her body. Tess opens up about her noisy brain, the moment she realised her thoughts were not her, and how shortening the time she spends in the struggle has been her biggest high performance edge. Together they share the science of why your nervous system fires every part of your life, why 90 minute sprints exist for a reason, and why most people schedule every meeting except the one with themselves.You will walk away with a five step framework you can apply immediately: getting clear on what matters, protecting your energy, training your mind, building disciplined routines and recovering like it matters.You will hear about:The difference between high performance and hustle, and how to tell which one you are in right nowWhy your state, not your skill, determines your outputThe science of matching your energy to the work in front of youHow time boxing, life lists and 90 minute sprints transform overwhelm into actionWhy recovery is a performance tool and not a reward, and how to build it into your daily lifeJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasseshttps://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-salesGet Awake’s transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869Follow Layne on Instagram @LaynebeachleyFollow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwerFollow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academyAwakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contactBook us for a workshop https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contactDisclaimerThe 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 have ever wondered: 💭 “What if everything I thought I knew about my health was wrong?”💭 “Why do I keep pushing even when I know I’m running on empty?”💭 “How do I slow down without feeling like I’m falling behind?” – this episode is for you. In this candid and courageous conversation, Tess and Layne sit down with Damien Mu, CEO and Managing Director of AIA Australia, for a conversation that is anything but corporate. Damien opens up about wearing a biometric device for 48 hours and discovering his stress recovery sat at 23 out of 100 and his restorative sleep at 6 out of 100 – despite feeling like he had everything under control.Damien takes us behind the role and into the reality: 152 flights a year, four hours of sleep, a first-generation migrant family’s work ethic running quietly in the background, and a deep-seated belief that slowing down was a sign of weakness. He shares what it took to face the data, find his why, and begin the slow, meaningful process of reprogramming a mindset that had served his ambition but was quietly costing him everything.Together they unpack the difference between health span and lifespan, explore AIA’s 5590 model of modifiable lifestyle behaviours, and make sense of what Australia’s growing mental health claims really mean for all of us. But more than the data, this conversation is about presence, parenting, and what it feels like when your son finally leaves the card game first because his cup is full. You will learn: The truth about “healthy” when the data tells a very different storyWhy the carry-on culture hides the true cost of high performanceHow a first-generation work ethic can become both a superpower and a quiet trapWhat 36 percent of AIA’s disability claims being mental health related really means for AustraliaWhy genuine leadership begins with taking care of the leader first Season 3 is brought to you by AIA, a leading life, health and wellbeing insurer supporting healthier, longer, better lives. Protect what matters most, and AIA will help you do it for life.  Complete your age calculator here https://www.aia.com.au/en/health-and-wellbeing/aia-vitality/age-calculatorJoin the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasseshttps://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 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.