Layne Beachley: Empowering Women Through Positivity

Layne Beachley AO has achieved success in ways many of us could only dream. Beginning her surfing career at just 16, Layne progressed through the pro circuit to claim six consecutive world titles between 1998 and 2003, then another in 2006. Incredibly, Layne returned to surfing after a 10- year retirement to claim a masters world title in 2018 as the first female winner of the WSL World Masters Championship.

The first years of her surfing career were tough, struggling financially and becoming increasingly exhausted from working long hours and fitting in her much-loved sport. She found herself in prolonged periods of self-doubt, culminating in depression and chronic fatigue. This testing time of her life became a pivotal point from which to learn and grow.

Inspired by her own journey, Layne set up her foundation Aim for the Stars, where she has provided financial support and mentoring to young women to help them achieve their dreams. Over the 15-year lifetime of the program, over 500 girls have been given the opportunity to reach their goals and make a positive impact on their communities. The program ended this year with five supercharged grants to worthy nominees, totalling almost $1M in grants.

In 2015, Layne was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for her unwavering support for a range of charities, for her dedication as a leading women’s mentor, and for her surfing success. Also, that year Layne was appointed Chairperson of Surfing Australia, becoming the first former female World Champion of any sport to take on the role of Chairperson in a national sporting organisation. In her spare time, she is a proud ambassador or Planet Ark, R U OK? And the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation.

Get out of your own way

Through all of her inspirational achievements, what has propelled Layne forward from her early doubts is her winning attitude and ability to completely back herself, no matter what hurdles she faces. Like all of us, Layne still experiences tough times, but with the right support, tools to help her and a commitment to a positive mindset, she has always come through the other side to shine once again.

Now as a public speaker, influencer, mentor and trainer, Layne thrives on sharing her positivity, knowledge and experience with others to empower them to similarly achieve their own ultimate success. Layne’s primary advice is to “get out of your own way”; “There are many reasons why women fail to back themselves and ultimately, I believe it all comes down to two main themes; comparison and lack of acceptance. If you are comparing yourself to others or other versions of yourself, you will never feel good enough and struggle to have the confidence to back yourself.

“Similarly, if you fail to accept the current state of play and find yourself projecting into the future or reflecting into the past, you are causing prolonged pain, suffering and frustration because you are not taking the time to deal with what is right in front of you. Stay in the moment and give it the attention it needs and deserves to ensure you produce the best possible outcome.”

Layne also recommends meditation to help build resilience and create space to process any fears or situations that are causing stress. Meditation is a fantastic tool to reframe situations in our own mind and bring you back to a much more logical, calm and centred state.

Another effective tool Layne suggests is gratitude journaling. Taking a few minutes in your self-care routine to sit quietly and jot down a few things each day that you are grateful for is a wonderful way to bring back a positive mindset and have you feeling calmer and more in control. Do this with purpose, intent and conviction, rather than just going through the motions.

“Recent research in happiness suggests you need to include why you are grateful to truly feel grounded in gratitude and change your emotions,” Layne also suggests.

Finding activities that bring you joy is also extremely important to achieving balance in your life and long-term wellbeing. For Layne, naturally, it has always been surfing. “It brings me so much joy, happiness and balance and it makes me feel healthy and connected. When I’m out of sorts, the ocean or nature is the first place I revert back to.”

If you are still struggling to have confidence within yourself and trust your gut instincts, Layne recommends confiding in a partner or like-minded women who understand you and will listen without judgement.

“My husband or a close girlfriend are who I always turn to in times of pain and suffering because they listen without judgement and provide me with the safety, time and support to process whatever I am going through. You can’t change what you can’t see so having the courage to shine a light on the darkness is the first step to overcoming all struggle.”

Layne continues her work as a mentor, role model and public speaker, travelling the globe to inspire others to truly back themselves and never stop striving for their own personal success.

“As a speaker I am motivated and invested in helping people help themselves. Through my public speaking, workshops, executive mentoring and personal relationships, I’m committed to helping people fulfil their potential and be the champion of their life.”

She will be launching her first public online course this year and has many more exciting opportunities on the horizon.

To read more about Layne Beachley, visit laynebeachley.com