Doing It Anyway

In this episode of Doing It Anyway, I’m opening up about a side of my life I haven’t fully shared online yet.

Over the past few months, I’ve been navigating neurologist appointments, MRIs, blood tests, nerve stimulation testing, medication side effects, PCOS, autoimmune concerns, and trying to understand what’s actually been happening with my body and brain behind the scenes.

I talk about the mental load of health anxiety while still trying to build a business, show up online, chase your goals, maintain relationships, and become the best version of yourself when life feels uncertain.

This episode is for the girls in their 20s who feel like they’re constantly trying to hold it all together while silently battling things nobody else sees. The girls who are ambitious, driven, trying to level up, create their dream life, and take messy action… but are also exhausted, overwhelmed, and figuring things out in real time.

We chat about:
• My neurologist update & diagnosis
• MRI scans, nerve testing & autoimmune investigations
• The side effects of long term medication
• PCOS, hormones & the impact on my mental health
• Health anxiety & spiralling thoughts
• Learning to trust my body again
• What this season has taught me about resilience
• Continuing to build your dream life even when things feel hard

I wanted this episode to feel honest, grounding, and real because healing, growth, confidence, and success are rarely linear.

You do not need to have your entire life figured out to keep moving forward.

Sometimes becoming the best version of yourself looks like showing up scared, overwhelmed, emotional, uncertain… and doing it anyway.

WORK WITH ME:
msha.ke/successwithjess

INSTAGRAM:
@itsjesshugo

If you’ve ever thought “I know what to do… so why can’t I actually stick to it?” this episode is for you.

In today’s Q&A episode of Doing It Anyway, Jess answers the real health, fitness, confidence, food, and consistency struggles women in their 20s are secretly dealing with right now.

From binge eating at night, emotional eating, and all or nothing thinking, to gym anxiety, ADHD routines, PCOS weight loss, relationship weight gain, motivation struggles, consistency, body image, and building healthy habits that actually fit real life.

After asking her audience to anonymously submit the things they genuinely struggle with when it comes to weight loss, food, confidence, routines, and becoming their best self… one theme kept coming up:

“I know what to do… so why can’t I actually do it consistently in my real life?”

This episode feels like one big honest coaching session for the girls who are tired of constantly “starting over,” feeling guilty around food, struggling with motivation, feeling overwhelmed by fitness advice online, and trying to balance work, relationships, social life, health goals, and self-improvement all at once.

Inside this episode:

• Binge eating and feeling out of control around food

• Emotional eating, food guilt, and “starting again Monday”

• Staying consistent with workouts when you’re mentally exhausted

• Gym anxiety and beginner overwhelm

• PCOS, energy, hormones, and sustainable fat loss

• ADHD-friendly routines and simple habits that actually stick

• Relationship weight gain and getting back to feeling like yourself again

• Creating healthy routines that survive real life instead of perfect conditions

• Building confidence, discipline, balance, and becoming your best self without obsession

This episode is for the girls who want balance AND results. The girls who want to feel confident in their body, stop obsessing over food, create healthy routines that actually last, and become the version of themselves they keep dreaming about.

Because healthy habits should support your life, not take over your life.

Have a question or topic you want featured in a future episode? Submit it anonymously here: Question Box

Work with me: msha.ke/successwithjess

Instagram: @itsjesshugo

In this guest episode of Doing It Anyway, we go behind the scenes of what it actually looks like to outgrow comfort, make messy decisions, and choose growth over security in your 20s.

This conversation unpacks the real story of leaving a stable job inside the fitness industry, navigating identity shifts, building a business, and realising when something that once felt “right” no longer aligns with where you’re going.

We talk about:

• Working a “safe” gym job while trying to grow a business on the side
• The moment she realised her job was holding her back from expansion
• Why comfort and security can quietly keep you stuck
• What it really feels like to quit something that still makes sense on paper
• Balancing business, bodybuilding prep, and everyday life pressure
• Identity shifts that happen when you start choosing yourself
• The emotional and practical reality of outgrowing your current season

This episode is for the girl in her 20s who feels that internal pull, knowing she’s meant for more, but feeling scared to let go of what’s familiar.

Because sometimes growth doesn’t look clean or planned.
It looks like choosing yourself before you feel ready.

And doing it anyway.

FIND MY IG & WAYS TO WORK WITH ME HERE

CONNECT WITH TIANA HERE

Ever notice how you can stay consistent for a few weeks… start seeing results… feel more confident in your body… and then suddenly fall off?

This isn’t a lack of discipline. And it’s definitely not because you “just need to try harder.”

In this episode of Doing It Anyway, we’re breaking down why self sabotage happens right when your fitness journey starts working, and why so many women in their 20s struggle to stay consistent once they begin seeing progress.

Because the truth is, it’s not the start that’s hard… it’s maintaining the result.

We dive into:

• Why you lose motivation after a few “good weeks”
• The small habits that slowly unravel your progress
• How pressure increases when you start seeing results (and why it makes you pull back)

• The identity gap that keeps you stuck in old patterns
• Why maintaining results feels harder than chasing them
• The most common self-sabotage behaviours in fitness and weight loss

You’ll also learn how to break the cycle:

• How to stay consistent even when things are going well
• Why structure matters more than motivation
• How to shorten the gap between slipping up and getting back on track
• The mindset shift that helps you build sustainable results

This episode is for the girl who knows she can start… but keeps falling off before she becomes the version of herself she’s working towards.

Because real progress isn’t about proving you can start.
It’s about becoming someone who knows how to stay.

FIND MY IG & WAYS TO WORK WITH ME HERE

Welcome to a new era of Doing It Anyway, this episode is a real, behind the scenes look at what it actually takes to evolve, rebrand your life, and step into your next level in your 20s.

Because growth isn’t always loud or aesthetic… sometimes it looks like fixing your weaknesses, trying new things that you’re not naturally good at, and letting go of the version of you that no longer fits where you’re going.

In this episode, I’m sharing how the podcast rebrand is really going, what I’m currently working on behind the scenes, and the mindset shifts that are helping me elevate not just my fitness, but my life and business as a whole.

We talk about:

• Strengthening your weaknesses instead of avoiding them (and why this is where real confidence is built)
• Trying new forms of movement like Pilates, mobility work, and training your body differently
• Why removing limitations and doing things “just because” can completely change your identity
• How I’m using my own growth to elevate my online coaching services
• The reality of scheduling, instructors, and building structure into your routine
• Detaching from certain mindsets and gaining perspective on your life
• What I’ve noticed about negative, “salty” energy, and why it has nothing to do with you

This episode is for the girl who knows she’s ready for more, more growth, more confidence, more alignment, but needs to understand what that actually requires.

Because levelling up isn’t about doing more.
It’s about becoming someone different.

FIND MY IG & WAYS TO WORK WITH ME HERE

If you feel like every holiday, birthday, or weekend turns into a cycle of “stay on track”… then “get back on track”… this episode is your wake up call.

Because here’s the truth:
If your routine falls apart every time life gets social. it’s not you, It’s your approach.

In this episode of Doing It Anyway, we’re breaking down why so many women in their 20s feel like they’re constantly starting over with their fitness, weight loss, and routines, especially after events like Easter, Christmas, birthdays, or even just a weekend out.

You’ll learn why the “all or nothing mindset” is keeping you stuck, how fear based fitness messaging has normalised the idea of “falling off track,” and why discipline isn’t actually your problem.

We’re diving into:

• Why you feel guilty around food after social events
• The real reason you keep restarting your fitness journey
• How “stay on track” culture is sabotaging your consistency
• Why your routine only works in perfect conditions (and how to fix it)
• The identity shift that allows you to stay consistent without restriction

This episode is for the girl who is already going to the gym, already trying, already caring, but still feels like she’s never fully “there.”

Because the goal isn’t to be perfect.
It’s to build a routine that actually fits your life, so you never feel like you have to start again.

FIND MY IG & WAYS TO WORK WITH ME HERE

From High School Teacher to Store Owner: The Decision That Changed Everything.

Thinking about a career change or wondering how to start a business while working full time?

In this episode of Doing It Anyway, Jess sits down with entrepreneur Denisa Feng, founder of Hugh & Hyde, to talk about what it really takes to leave a safe career and build something of your own.

Denisa’s journey didn’t start in business. After studying science and working as a high school teacher, she began a small ‘side hustle’ creating personalised gifts at markets and centre pop ups. What started as a passion project quickly grew into something bigger, eventually leading to the opportunity to open a brick and mortar store in the Hills.

But the decision wasn’t simple.

In this conversation, Denisa shares the behind the scenes reality of choosing between a stable career and taking a huge risk, navigating self doubt, learning the “unsexy” side of business, and building a brand that focuses on meaningful gifting and community.

We also dive into the truth behind imposter syndrome, why discomfort isn’t always a sign you’re unqualified, and how to reframe fear as a signal that you're stepping into growth.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between the life you should choose and the one you actually want, this episode will leave you thinking differently about risk, passion, and what’s possible.

In this episode we talk about:

• Leaving a secure career to start a business

• Turning a side hustle into a brick and mortar store

• The difference between self doubt and imposter syndrome

• What founders actually learn behind the scenes

• Why passion alone isn’t always enough to build a business

• The importance of support systems and relationships when chasing big goals

• Building a team and creating a strong workplace culture

• Balancing ambition with reality when making big life decisions

This episode is perfect for anyone in their 20s-30s navigating career choices, considering entrepreneurship, or trying to figure out what the next chapter of their life could look like.

Sometimes the biggest opportunities appear when you’re not looking for them. The real question is whether you’re willing to back yourself when they do.

Connect with me:

Work with me

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Connect with Denisa:

Instagram: @denisafeng_

LinkedIn: Denisa Feng

Hugh & Hyde: www.hughandhyde.com.au

Ever feel like you’re behind in your 20s… even when you’re actually doing pretty well?

In this episode of Doing It Anyway, I’m having a real, unfiltered life update chat about the pressure to have your life figured out, and why it feels like everyone else is moving faster than you.

We’re talking societal timelines, hustle culture, social media comparison, and how we’ve gone from one “expected path” to feeling like we need to do everything at once.

I also share a recent client story that perfectly highlights how quickly we move the goalpost, going from achieving something huge straight into “okay… but what’s next?” energy.

If you’ve ever struggled to actually stay in a good season without feeling like you should be doing more, this one will hit.

This episode dives into:

• why you feel behind in your 20s (even when you’re not)
• the pressure of having your life figured out
• how social media fuels comparison and timeline anxiety
• the impact of hustle culture on your mindset
• learning to stop rushing your life and actually enjoy where you are

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in comparison, or like you’re constantly chasing the next thing, this is your reminder that you’re allowed to slow down and build a life you actually enjoy living.

You’re not behind.

You’re just being exposed to everything at once.

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjesshugo/

Links

If you’re in your 20s feeling stuck, unfulfilled in your job, or questioning your next move… this episode will change the way you think about starting over.

In this guest episode, I sit down with Mon Riccio (@socialhousesyd) to unpack how she went from working a low paid gym reception job… to building her own social media business with creative freedom, flexible hours, and clients she actually loves working with.

We get real about what it actually takes to build a business in your 20s, the messy middle, the burnout, the self-doubt, and the pressure to “figure it all out.”

This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the behind-the-scenes of doing it anyway.

We talk about:

• How to get into social media management with no experience

• Why building a portfolio matters more than a degree

• The truth about running your own business (no one talks about this)

• Pricing your services + backing yourself (even when people push back)

• Balancing freedom, burnout, and always being “on”

• Why your personal brand doesn’t matter as much as you think (unless it’s strategic)

• Outsourcing content vs doing it yourself

• How to start when you feel lost, behind, or unsure of your next move

If you’ve been waiting to feel “ready” before starting something new… this is your reminder that confidence comes after action, not before it.

This episode will help you stop overthinking and start building a life that actually feels aligned.

Because the girls who get where they want to be?

They’re not the most certain.They’re the ones doing it anyway.

—

Work with me: msha.ke/successwithjess

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjesshugo/

Connect with Mon: @socialhousesyd

If your 2026 goals already feel off track… this is your sign to reset, not give up.

It’s officially been 90 days since January 1st, aka the time most people stop checking in with their goals. In this episode of Doing It Anyway, we’re doing a real, honest 90 day goal check in, and more importantly… a habit reset that actually works for your lifestyle.

Because let’s be honest, you didn’t “fail.”
Your routine just stopped matching your life.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

• How to reset your goals without starting from scratch
• Why “falling off” is normal (and what to do instead)
• The biggest reason your routine isn’t sticking (hint: it’s not discipline)
• How to build a realistic fitness routine for busy girls in their 20s
• Simple habit shifts to stay consistent during winter, busy work weeks & low motivation phases
• How to stop all-or-nothing thinking with food, workouts & your routine
• The truth about goal setting vs real life (and how to adapt without spiralling)

We also get into:

• Navigating busy seasons, social life & still seeing progress
• Why your goals from January might not fit your life anymore

• How to identify self-sabotage patterns (and actually fix them)
• Creating a routine that works even when you’re tired, busy, or unmotivated

If you’ve been feeling like you’ve “lost momentum” with your fitness, routine or life goals… this episode will help you get back on track without burnout, restriction or starting over.

Because you don’t need a new plan.You need a plan that actually fits your life.

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