Summary of #28 The Power of States: Briana Bowley on Transforming Stress into Strength

Ann-Marie Antic • April 14, 2025

Summary of #28 The Power of States: Briana Bowley on Transforming Stress into Strength

In a world that never slows down, mastering your nervous system could be the ultimate performance edge—whether you're chasing personal bests in sport or breaking new ground in business. In this episode of the D8 Training Podcast, Ann-Marie Antic chats with Briana Bowley, a nervous system and performance coach. She breaks down how our body reacts to stress—and how we can use that knowledge to perform at our best.

The Nervous System: More Than Fight or Flight

Briana explains the different nervous system states:

  • Fight or Flight: Our survival mode.
  • Freeze: When we shut down under pressure.
  • Ventral Vagus State: The ideal state for performance—where calm, creativity, and problem-solving happen.

Too often, people get stuck in survival mode, which:

  • Reduces clear thinking
  • Impacts decision-making
  • Limits performance


Self-Awareness is a Superpower

Briana encourages us to tune into how our body responds to stress.

✅ Track your emotional and physical responses
✅ Identify your personal triggers
✅ Learn how to shift back to a calm, safe state

This awareness helps you take control—whether you're on the field or in the boardroom.


Redefining Mental Resilience

Everyone has resilience, but it shows up in different parts of life.

🧠 Briana’s tip: Align your actions with your values.
When you do what truly matters to you, resilience becomes more natural and sustainable.


Less is More: A New Approach to Performance

Briana’s strategy for peak performance is simple but powerful:

  • Focus on one thing at a time
  • Avoid multitasking overwhelm
  • Build calm and clarity through consistent small steps


Why This Episode Matters

Whether you’re:

  • An athlete chasing a PB
  • A business leader managing stress
  • Or simply navigating life’s daily pressures…

This episode gives you practical tools to shift from survival mode to thriving.


🎧 Tune In & Transform

Listen here to Episode 28 now and discover how to:

  • Rewire your nervous system
  • Manage stress with confidence
  • Reconnect with your values
  • Unlock your full potential


🔗 Connect with Briana Bowley

Want to dive deeper into your own performance potential?

👉 Connect on Instagram Briana Bowley, The Bowley Blueprint or Facebook.

🎯 Curious about how your nervous system responds to stress? Visit her website to learn more about her coaching programs

🧬 Take Briana’s Archetype Quiz to discover your unique stress-response pattern—and get personalised strategies to shift into your optimal performance state.Take the Archetype Quiz Now.


More Posts

Is your athlete overtrained or underprepared? How to tell the difference

By Neven Antic • August 6, 2026
Learn to identify overtraining vs. underpreparedness in young athletes. Book an Athlete Assessment & Testing session today!

Shift workers: How to train when your roster is all over the place

By Neven Antic • July 30, 2026
Nurses, ambos, police, hospitality, FIFO… lots of Adelaide adults don’t have a “normal” week.  That doesn’t mean you can’t train. It just means the plan for your adult strength training in Adelaide has to be built differently.

Everyday “tests” to see how strong you really are after 60

By Neven Antic • July 23, 2026
You don’t need gym numbers to know whether over 60s strength training in Adelaide would help. Here are 7 simple “everyday tests” we use with over 60s.  Try them and notice how they feel. Stand up from a chair without using your hands Climb a flight of stairs without pulling on the rail Carry two shopping bags from the car to the kitchen Get down to the floor and back up again safely Balance on one leg for 10 seconds Walk 400–500 m at a comfortable pace without stopping Pick up something from the floor without holding your breath If 3 or more of these feel shaky, slow or scary, balance and strength classes for seniors in Adelaide will likely help

What progress really looks like in your first 90 days at D8

By Neven Antic • July 15, 2026
A lot of adults expect: 10 kg weight loss Completely new body No more niggles  …in 4 weeks. That’s not how real, sustainable change works. Here’s what you can realistically expect in your first 90 days of strength training classes in Adelaide at D8.

“They already have sport”: Do young athletes really need extra strength training?

By Neven Antic • July 9, 2026
A common line from Adelaide parents: “They already train twice a week and play on weekends. Isn’t that enough?”  Sometimes it is. Often, it isn’t.

How to choose the right gym in Adelaide (without wasting another 3 months)

By Neven Antic • July 2, 2026
Picking a gym sounds simple. In reality, most adults bounce between:  Big 24/7 gyms where no one knows their name “6week shreds” that leave them wrecked Bootcamps that are fun but random If you actually want adult strength training in Adelaide that gets you stronger and feeling better, here’s a simple filter to choose the right strength training gym in Adelaide.
More Posts

Need Help With Your Fitness or Health?

If you are stuck with your fitness or health and want to change that, then reach out to see if our 21Day KickStarter would be a good fit for you. We have helped 100's of clients improve their health and fitness and would love to find out more about your unique needs.

21-Day Kickstarter