A Wake Up Call

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 p...

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 aut...

If you have ever wondered: 💭 "Why am I switched on all day, but never actually powered up?" 💭 "Why do I feel guilty the moment I try to rest?" 💭 "Why do I keep waking at 3am, wired and exhausted at the same time?" - this episode is for you. In this fascinating and deeply practical conversation, Tess and Layne welcome Dr Kristy Goodwin - one of Australia's leading neuro-performance scientists, a...

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 me...

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 p...

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...

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 w...

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 el...

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...

Episode Description: 💭 “Am I going crazy, or is this perimenopause?” 💭 “I’m exhausted all the time but I’m not depressed — what is actually going on?” 💭 “Do I have to grieve who I used to be to become who I want to be?” — this episode is for you. In this warm, honest and genuinely funny Q&A episode, Tess and Layne open the listener inbox and answer the questions you’re too afraid to Google...

If you have ever wondered:   💭 “Who am I without the role I have held for years?” 💭 “How do I start over when everything I knew has changed?” 💭 “What does real reinvention look like – not in theory, but in real life?”   – this episode is for you.   In this honest and deeply human conversation, Tess and Layne welcome broadcaster, author and mentor Mel Doyle to share the story of h...

If you have ever wondered: 💭 “Why does success feel hollow even when I have ticked all the boxes?” 💭 “How do I build a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside?” 💭 “What does it actually take to succeed without burning out, losing myself, or standing on the podium alone?” – this episode is for you. This is the launch of A Wake Up Call’s Sustained Success Series, and it s...

If you have ever wondered: 💭 “Why do I keep getting in my own way right when things are going well?” 💭 “Is it really possible to train my brain to perform under pressure?” 💭 “How do I stop overthinking and just trust myself when it counts most?” — this episode is for you. In this science-packed and surprisingly fun conversation, Tess and Layne sit down with Dr Roy Sugarman — applied neuroscient...

If you have ever wondered:   💭 “Why do I feel so guilty every time I do something for myself?” 💭 “Why does leaving my child feel like leaving a part of me behind?” 💭 “How do I stop my childhood pain from running my parenting?”   – this episode is for you.   In this brave and deeply personal episode, Tess and Layne sit in the hot seat with therapist Lael Stone for a live mini ther...

If you have ever wondered: 💭 “What happens when I finally stop running from my pain?” 💭 “How can I trust my life when I have been hurt so deeply?” 💭 “What does it mean to truly own my story?” – this episode is for you. In this vulnerable and transformative conversation, Lael Stone joins Tess and Layne to unpack the moment that changed everything: the traumatic birth of her third child, Tali, an...

If you have ever wondered: 💭 “Why do I feel so crushed by pressure, even when I am doing well?” 💭 “How do I find perspective when I feel like I have let myself or others down?” 💭 “How do I know when to keep pushing and when it is time to let go?” this episode is for you. In this honest and moving conversation, Tess and Layne explore what the Olympics can teach us about greatness, pressure, emot...

When life forces you to slow down, it can feel like everything is falling apart. But sometimes the hardest seasons become the very moments that reconnect you to what matters most. In this episode, Tess and Layne sit down with  Barry  for a deeply moving conversation about the wake-up calls that changed the course of his life. From infertility, miscarriage and depression, to two life-thre...

When you feel flat, overwhelmed, or quietly disconnected, it’s often not because something is “wrong” with you. Sometimes it’s simply a signal that parts of your wellbeing need attention. In this episode, Tess and Layne introduce the  Soul Map , a framework designed to help you reconnect with yourself and rebuild wellbeing from the inside out. The conversation starts with a feeling many peopl...

When you understand what your brain is trained to notice, you can start choosing a life that feels richer, lighter, and more yours.   In this episode, Tess and Layne welcome back positive psychology expert Sue Langley for a science-packed deep dive into what actually helps humans flourish, and why most of us are wired to cling to the negative.   Sue breaks down positive psychology as the...

What if the thing keeping you stuck isn’t your circumstances… but who you’re blaming for them?   In this episode, Tess and Layne unpack the blame game through sport, injury and a very real-life moment between the two of them. From sand sprints, stress fractures and the Australian Open final to world titles and wounded egos, this conversation dives into what happens when we look everywhere but...

What if the real glow-up isn’t a new face, a new body, or a new role… but a new  voice ?   In this episode, Tess and Layne sit down with actor and creator  Erika Heynatz  for an honest, funny and empowering conversation about rejection, ageing, identity, and finally owning your voice.   They rewind to sunrise walks in Mona Vale, where a slow-burn friendship helped both wom...

What if your best self isn’t the version that  pushes through … but the one that knows when to soften?   In today’s episode, Tess and Layne get real about the days where life is lifing. Injury. Pain. Fatigue. The spirals. The inner critic turning the volume up to stadium levels. And the big question underneath it all:  can you still be your best self when you’re not coping?   T...

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, f...

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 ritua...

What if the story you’re telling is the thing keeping you stuck? In this special bonus episode of A Wake-Up Call , Tess and Layne revisit a deeply personal moment that reveals how powerful our internal stories can be, and how quickly they can pull us out of alignment with who we really are. Layne shares the story of a competitive surf event that spiralled into weeks of self-judgement and withdrawa...