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:
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
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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.