Episode:Â 7
The Body Image Episode – Learning to Love the Skin You’re In
With Layne Beachley and Tess Brouwer
Listen on:
A Simple Question That Can Change Your Relationship With Your Body
If you’ve ever caught your reflection and felt a sting instead of pride, this episode will hit home.
In this deeply personal conversation, Layne and Tess open up about their lifelong journeys with body image – from chasing impossible standards to finally learning to see their bodies as allies, not enemies.
Layne shares how years on the pro surfing circuit turned her body into both her tool and her torment, culminating in a cosmetic procedure she deeply regrets. That experience, and her father’s reaction, became the wake-up call that taught her the difference between performing confidence and embodying self-love.
Tess reveals her own decades-long battle with food, control, and comparison – from teenage body shame to postpartum healing – and how self-worth, not willpower, changed everything. Together they unpack how body image is shaped by culture, childhood, trauma, and the stories we tell ourselves.
They explore why “bouncing back” after birth is the wrong goal, how to quiet the inner critic, and what it really means to ask: “What would love do now?”
Because this isn’t about getting your old body back – it’s about coming home to yourself.
What you will learn
- How childhood conditioning and media shape body image long before we notice
- The real cost of chasing perfection and external validation
- Why self-worth must come before habit change
- How to rebuild trust with your body after trauma, surgery, or childbirth
- A simple daily reframe: “What would love do now?”
- Layne’s no-mirror-after-dark rule for body compassion
- How to create an environment that makes self-love easier than self-critique
5 Key takeaways
-
Self-Love Starts Where Self-Loathing Ends
As Layne says, “I stopped building myself up with false validation.” Real healing began when she forgave her body for not being perfect – and thanked it for surviving. -
Your Environment Shapes Your Energy
Fill your fridge with real nourishment, ditch the mirror after dark, and delete the apps that feed comparison. Self-care isn’t a task – it’s design. -
Worthiness Comes First
“You’ll only change when you believe you deserve to.” Every act of self-care – from eating breakfast to saying no – begins with self-worth. -
Forgive Your Body for the Past
Tess shares how pregnancy and recovery helped her rewrite the story that her body had failed her. “When I loved my body, it finally loved me back.” -
Ask the Love Question
In any moment of doubt, frustration, or shame, pause and ask: “What would love do now?”
It’s the gentlest, most powerful way to reset how you treat yourself.
Ready to awaken?
Monthly Live Coaching with Layne & TessÂ
Real, raw conversations + group mentoring, a vibrant community and so much more!
Connect with us
Get Awake’s transformative book: Know yourself grow yourself to live a happier more purposeful life Â
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow Awake Academy on Instagram @awake_academy
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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.
