What does it really mean to walk away from everything you've worked for to chase a dream that others don't understand?

In this episode, I'm joined by Charlotte de Wouters, who made the courageous leap from a high-stress legal career to becoming a full-time yoga teacher and breathwork facilitator in Indonesia. We met during our 300-hour yoga teacher training in India, and Charlotte's story perfectly embodies what it means to choose alignment over approval.

For six years, Charlotte was trapped in the perfectionist cycle - working weekends and nights, constantly stressed, and despite helping others as a family lawyer, never feeling truly successful herself. The turning point came at 30 when she had what she calls a "complete freakout moment," realizing she could see exactly how her life would unfold if she stayed on that path.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How Charlotte redefined success from climbing the corporate ladder to waking up excited every single day
• The fear of disappointing family and the beautiful moment when her dad finally understood her path after three years
• Why energy management is more valuable than time management
• The difference between helping others through fighting versus helping them find peace
• How to tune in to your inner voice when the world is constantly offering external answers
• The magic that happens when you trust and do something from your heart

Charlotte's advice to her younger self? Trust. When you're aligned and doing something you love, things unfold almost magically. Her story is proof that sometimes the universe really does conspire to help you when you're living from your heart.

If you've ever felt successful on paper but empty inside, or if you're wrestling with the courage to disappoint others in order to honor yourself, this episode is for you.

Connect with Charlotte: Find her teaching yoga and breathwork in Lombok, Indonesia, or join her online sessions. All details are in her Instagram bio @chachadewou

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicidal ideation, chronic illness, and sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening.

What happens when you've climbed all the ladders, ticked all the boxes, and still feel like success is miles away? This week, we dive deep with coach and hypnotherapist Katrina Burke, whose non-linear journey from heartbreak to healing offers profound insights into what success really means.

After leaving a long-term relationship at 24, expecting her "happily ever after," Katrina found herself in what we now call a situationship for nearly a decade, developing chronic health conditions that left doctors baffled, and eventually hitting rock bottom with suicidal ideation. But rather than staying stuck, she turned her pain into purpose.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• The myth of the "forever point" - why waiting for everything to be perfect is keeping you from happiness now
• Finding stability in chaos - Katrina's approach to creating calm without eliminating life's inevitable storms
• The pendulum swing between masculine survival mode and feminine flow, and how to find center
• Why "heal yourself first" advice might not be as helpful as we think
• Radical personal responsibility - the uncomfortable but transformative practice of examining your role in every situation
• Redefining wealth as well-being rather than just financial accumulation
• The power of specificity in defining what success actually means to you

Katrina's story is a masterclass in resilience, showing us how to transform chaos into wisdom while still having fun along the way. Her refreshingly honest take on healing, business building, and the current state of dating offers hope for anyone feeling stuck between where they are and where they want to be.

Connect with Katrina:

• Instagram: @katrinaburke__
• Facebook: Katrina Burke

If this episode resonated with you, we'd love to hear about it! Email us at [email protected] and don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Lauren Brighton, a London-born change manager whose career journey has been refreshingly non-linear. From creating legacy films to navigating the male-dominated property world, Lauren has embraced being a generalist over a specialist with infectious enthusiasm.

Lauren's story is one of evolution - from prioritising appearance over intellect in early corporate environments to showing up authentically confident in trainers and minimal makeup. She redefines success as "perma happiness" - a bubbling groove where family, friends, career, and wellbeing exist in harmony. With candid honesty, she discusses self-doubt, the challenges of working in unsupportive environments, and the importance of making space for fun in adult life. And yes, we get the delightful story of how she almost ended up on Married at First Sight after a casual office email led to full psychometric testing and studio recordings.


About Lauren Brighton
Lauren started her career at Bucket List Film, creating short documentary films about people's legacies, before moving through various roles in marketing, communications, and property. She's passionate about women's networks in corporate environments and brings her creative background to everything she does - including change management where she applies her "jazz hands" approach to transformation projects. Based in London, she's someone who genuinely knows how to prioritise relationships, wellbeing, and joy alongside professional growth.


Connect with Lauren:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-brighton-49a00257/
Instagram: @llbrighton

Reflection Questions

• Where in your life are you doubting yourself unnecessarily?
• How do you define success beyond traditional markers like salary or job title?
• What would it look like to prioritise fun as consciously as you prioritise work?
• How can you embrace being a generalist in a world that often rewards specialisation?

Lauren's story reminds us that career paths don't have to be linear, that success is individually defined, and that sometimes the most authentic version of ourselves emerges when we stop trying to fit into someone else's definition of professional success. Her journey from self-doubt to self-advocacy shows that confidence isn't about having all the answers - it's about trusting yourself enough to lean into opportunities with passion and commitment.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West sits down with Dr. Sonia Tsukagoshi, a GP practicing in London. Born in the UK to Japanese parents, Sonia has lived an incredibly international life - from surgical training to working in Uganda, Paris, and teaching resilience to young people in Japan.

What makes this conversation so refreshing is Sonia's revolutionary approach to health in a world obsessed with biohacking trends and magic supplements. Sonia has an incredible gift for cutting through the wellness noise and helping people trust their body's own wisdom. She reminds us that our bodies are incredible machines that don't need electrolytes in every glass of water. Her philosophy? Health shouldn't be punishing, and success isn't about external validation - it's about living meaningfully and staying aligned with your own values.

About Dr. Sonia Tsukagoshi

Sonia has headed committees for internationally-minded GPs, represented UK doctors on European boards, and splits her time between London practice and annual teaching trips to Japan, where she helps high-achieving teenagers understand that failure is okay. She's launching a health optimization practice in September 2024, focusing on longevity through ethical, sustainable, and natural approaches.

When she's not debunking wellness myths or helping patients trust their bodies, you'll find Sonia on her yoga mat (she's a qualified teacher), traveling the world, or asking herself the question that guides all her decisions: "What's going to give me the bigger life?"

Connect with Sonia: Instagram: @themidlifehealthcoach Substack: The Midlife Health Coach

Key Takeaways

1. Trust your body's wisdom - Your body is an incredible machine that tells you what it needs if you listen
2. Health shouldn't be punishing - Add joy and connection to your life rather than restricting everything
3. Success is internal - True success means living meaningfully and being aligned with your values
4. Question the trends - Not every wellness fad or supplement is necessary 

Reflection Questions

• Where in your health journey are you seeking external validation instead of trusting yourself?
• How can you add more to your life (joy, friendship, movement) rather than restricting?
• What wellness trends are you following that might not actually serve you?

This conversation is a masterclass in pragmatic wellness and authentic success. Sonia reminds us that the most revolutionary thing we can do is trust ourselves - whether that's trusting our body signals, our gut instincts, or our own definition of what success looks like.

 

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

Episode Overview 

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West reconnects with Lidia Teasca, an architect whose story of resilience will leave you speechless. When corruption in Romania left Lidia working seven days a week for little reward, and her best friend literally emptied their shared office while she was at a meeting, Lidia made a radical choice: pack 19 kilograms into a suitcase, buy a one-way ticket to London (a city she'd never visited), and rebuild her entire life from scratch.

This powerful conversation explores Lidia's remarkable journey from survival mode to choosing joy, the courage it takes to keep saying "I'm not dead yet" when life keeps knocking you down, and why she keeps a colour-coded Excel spreadsheet of her dreams. Lidia shares how she learned that true success isn't about conforming to society's expectations—it's about listening to your inner voice and prioritizing daily joy over external validation.

Connecting with Lidia

Find her on instagram: @lidiasviews; @hotgritandgrace and @hellbluebell 

Reflection Questions

• What would change if you stopped conforming to society's definition of success and listened to your own voice?
• How can you transition from "survival mode" to actively choosing joy in your daily life?
• What dreams are you keeping as wishes instead of turning into actionable plans?
• Where in your life do you need to say "I'm not dead yet" and choose reinvention over resignation?

Lidia's story reminds us that no matter how many times life knocks us down, we have the power to rebuild—and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is pack a suitcase and bet on yourself. True success isn't about ticking society's boxes; it's about having the courage to define and pursue your own version of a joyful life.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

From Riot Squad to Yoga Teacher: Clare Muncey's Journey of Radical Self-Discovery

Episode Overview

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Clare Muncey, a former police officer with the Riot Squad who has transitioned into a yoga teacher and social entrepreneur. 

Clare's transformative journey from a high-stress police career to finding peace and purpose through yoga is profoundly inspiring. She shares intimate stories of overcoming personal and professional challenges, navigating the dark moments, and realising the deep, healing power of yoga. Clare emphasises the importance of authentic self-care, consistent practice, and creating safe, inclusive spaces where people can heal, connect, and reignite their inner flame. It's a compelling conversation about transformation, resilience, and redefining what it means to be truly successful on one's own terms.

About Clare Muncey

Clare spent 17 years as a Metropolitan Police officer, working in demanding roles including domestic violence and the riot squad. She first stepped onto a yoga mat seeking solace from her consuming police career, though her practice remained inconsistent for years. What began as a tiny, barely watered seed slowly grew and flourished as Clare pursued training in Greece and India, evolving into a winding, life-changing path.

Today, Clare runs "I am the Storm Yoga" from a beautiful watermill in North Norfolk, UK, where she facilitates heartfelt, intuitive classes. She believes yoga is accessible to all regardless of mental or physical starting points, and that it can bring joy, passion, connection, and the chance to trust and love who we really are. As a social entrepreneur, Clare supports various charities including domestic violence organisations and dog rescue charities, allowing the best versions of ourselves - and our communities - to evolve.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Successful AF

01:35 Meet Clare Muncey: From Riot Squad to Yoga Teacher

01:54 Clare's Journey: Embracing Yoga and Self-Discovery

02:18 Challenges and Transformations

02:44 Building a Yoga Community

03:04 Navigating Personal Struggles

03:41 Clare's First Yoga Class Experience

13:25 Creating a Safe Space for Healing

16:32 Supporting Charities and Future Plans

20:57 The Importance of Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energy

32:28 Defining Success: A Personal Journey

33:55 The Importance of Consistent Practices

36:47 Redefining Success Beyond Wealth

38:10 Breaking Barriers in Yoga

40:10 Embracing Your True Self

42:14 The Power of Disconnecting

45:33 Reclaim Your Flame: Concept and Events

47:07 Advice to My Younger Self

50:22 Navigating Life's Challenges

58:05 Upcoming Projects and Final Thoughts

Connect with Clare:

Instagram: @Iamthestormyoga

https://www.iamthestormyoga.com

Reflection Questions

• What would it look like to redefine success as an "inward journey"?
• How can you create more space in your life for authentic connections?
• What practices help you navigate the "duality of life"?
• Where in your life are you chasing rather than attracting?

This conversation reminds us that no matter where we're starting from, we have the power to completely reimagine our lives. Clare's story is proof that our greatest challenges often become our greatest teachers, and that healing - while not e

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

What if everything you've been told about success is wrong?

This week, host Jess West sits down with her longtime friend Santina Philips, founder of URSUS Fitness in Hong Kong, for a raw and honest conversation about redefining success, building authentic community, and the grit it takes to thrive as a woman in a male-dominated industry.

About Santina Philips

Founder & Director of URSUS Fitness in Hong Kong, Santina has spent the last 10 years building a community around strength, grit, and growth. A passionate coach, personal trainer, and programming expert, she's dedicated to helping others fall in love with training and themselves.

A champion of women's health, Santina has led a women's S & C program for over 4 years, advocating for education, empowerment, and barbell confidence. From strongman athlete to business owner, her journey is raw, real, and packed with lessons in resilience, leadership, and showing up with purpose.

Episode Highlights

🎯 From Languages to Lifting

• How Santina went from studying Russian and German (and nearly dying from peritonitis in Siberia!) to founding one of Hong Kong's most beloved fitness communities
• Why she stepped away from her translation career to follow her passion for strength training
• The early days of driving 5-ton trucks around Hong Kong, dragging 300kg tires for functional fitness classes

💪 Competing at World's Strongest Man

• What drove her to become a strongman athlete and compete on the world stage
• How proving herself physically helped establish credibility in a male-dominated industry
• The moment she pulled a truck on camera (that wasn't even meant for her!)

🏋️‍♀️ Breaking Barriers as a Female Gym Owner

• Navigating the fitness industry as a young woman in a male-dominated space
• Why she felt she had to work twice as hard to earn respect
• The challenges of being taken seriously 

🌪️ Weathering the Storms

• The breaking point: sitting in a hotel quarantine room, watching sewage flood her gym
• How the pandemic and health scares (including developing celiac disease from stress) forced her to redefine success
• Why she almost walked away—and what kept her going

🔄 Redefining Success

• Her evolution from chasing revenue and expansion to prioritising sustainable happiness
• Why she closed a second location and chose depth over breadth
• How she learned to trust her gut instincts, even when outnumbered in business decisions

👥 Building Community Over Competition

• The transformation from "scary strongman gym" to inclusive strength training community
• Why she pivoted to focus on women's health and functional fitness
• How she created a space where people build friendships for life, not just muscle

Connect with Santina

Personal Instagram: @bamlifts

Business Instagram: @ursusfitness

Online Programming: www.bamsboard.com 

Gym: https://www.ursusfitness.com/

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

What if the promotion you didn't get was actually the universe's way of setting you free?

In this deeply moving episode, Jess sits down with her dear friend Toto Lambert, who went from Team Secretary to one of the youngest female Partners at a leading global real estate agency in just seven years. 

Toto's story is one of courage, vulnerability, and the radical act of putting your health first. Toto has navigated a complex medical condition whilst climbing the corporate ladder, all while wearing the armour of perfectionism.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The moment Toto realised her health was more important than her job title
• Why getting rejected for her "dream" promotion became the catalyst for her transformation
• Her six-month "soulbattical" that changed everything 
• How she's learned to integrate strength with grace, and masculine drive with feminine softness
• The importance of redefining success beyond job titles and salaries

About Toto: Toto is a Partner at The Buying Solution, a leading property buying agency, where she helps individuals and families acquire homes in central and southwest London. Alongside her work within real estate, Toto is a yoga teacher and a qualified nutritional therapist. This portfolio career is a unique and arguably quirky combination, however Toto's calm and reassuring presence, with an ability to truly understand others' needs, is a rare and refreshing sight within a notoriously tricky, male-dominated industry.

Toto's swift rise within a leading global real estate agency, from Team Secretary to one of the company's youngest female Partners in just over seven years, left her "successful" but deeply unfulfilled. In 2023, having spent a decade at the company, Toto embarked on a six month "soulbattical", which led her to India, Sri Lanka and to live her best island-girl life in the Balearics. Those 6 months remain the most transformative and healing months of Toto's life to date and helped her redefine what "success" truly means to her.

You can find Toto teaching yoga in SW London studios, many of which stream their classes online for those further afield. Outside of real estate and off the yoga mat, Toto is a keen tennis player, runner and swimmer.

Connect with Toto: Instagram: @toto.lambert Website: www.totolambert.com

Key Takeaways: This episode is a masterclass in listening to your intuition, even when it's terrifying. Toto's journey reminds us that sometimes the biggest disappointments are actually the universe's way of redirecting us towards our authentic path. Her story of shedding corporate armour whilst maintaining professional success shows us that we don't have to choose between authenticity and achievement - we can have both.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

Episode Summary

This week, Jess sits down with someone truly special - her sister Lily West, an incredibly talented photographer and videographer who's built her dream career through pure determination and creative magic. From struggling with dyslexia in school to shooting single covers displayed on Times Square billboards, Lily's journey is a masterclass in trusting your creative instincts and never giving up on your vision.

What We Cover

The Creative Journey

• How Lily went from hating academia to finding her calling in photography
• The reality of being a creative freelancer: years of financial struggle, knockbacks, and self-doubt
• Why technical skills matter less than you think (spoiler: you can hire an assistant!)

The Power of Persistence

• Lily's incredible resilience through years of unpaid work and rejections
• How she manifested her career by literally writing "I'm gonna get paid from my art" in her diary
• The importance of having people who believe in you when you can't afford to believe in yourself

Redefining Success

• Why school metrics don't predict creative success
• How dyslexia and dyscalculia became strengths rather than limitations
• The moment everything changed: from iPhone videos to Times Square billboards

Mental Health & Creativity

• Dealing with anxiety as a creative professional
• The life-changing power of morning journaling
• Why therapy and self-awareness are crucial for sustainable success

The Weird & Wonderful

• University alter ego "Ducky the Diva" and terrible Whitney Houston covers
• The legendary pickled pigeon bingo night
• Why embracing your weird is actually your superpower

Key Takeaways

1. Your "weaknesses" can become your greatest strengths - Lily's struggles with traditional academics led her to find her true calling
2. Persistence pays off - Sometimes you need to show up for years before the breakthrough happens
3. Collaboration over competition - Partner with people whose strengths complement your weaknesses
4. Play is powerful - The most successful creatives never lose their sense of playfulness
5. Mental health matters - Success means nothing if you're not looking after yourself

Resources Mentioned

• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - The creativity bible that changed everything --> https://dauntbooks.co.uk/shop/books/the-artists-way/
• Morning Pages - Three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing every morning
• Megan Rose Lane - Manifestation workshop that kickstarted the journey

You can find Lily on Instagram @lilz_w or check out her business account @squish.agency 

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

 Breaking Free from the Prestige Trap with Chloe Hodge

What if everything you've been told about career success is completely wrong? In this inaugural episode of Successful AF, host Jess West sits down with arts professional Chloe Hodge for a raw, honest conversation about ditching the prestige trap and finding work that actually fulfills you.

Chloe's journey from struggling on £8.55/hour at the Royal Academy to running international arts projects in Ukraine is anything but linear. She shares the brutal truth about working at prestigious institutions, why she turned down high-paying graduate schemes for passion projects, and how a conversation with a stranger at an art opening changed everything.

• Guest Name: Chloe Hodge
• Bio: Program Director running artist projects and architectural heritage restorations in Ukraine during the full-scale invasion. Previously worked across prestigious London institutions including the Royal Academy of Arts. Holds a Master's in Curating from the Royal College of Art.

Episode Outline

1. The £8.55 Decision That Changed Everything
   • Why Chloe chose a part-time, low-paying job at a prestigious institution over lucrative graduate schemes, and how the advice she got whilst working there changed her life 
   • The power of following your instincts over financial security
2. From Prestige to Breakdown: The Museum Years
   • What it's really like working at "dream" institutions
   • Recognizing when success on paper doesn't equal personal fulfilment
   • The danger of attaching your worth to external validation
3. Redefining Success on Your Own Terms
   • How Chloe's definition of success evolved throughout her career
   • The importance of working with people you respect on projects you believe in
4. Breaking the Cycle: From Breakdown to Breakthrough
   • The conversation that gave her permission to leave
   • How to overcome financial barriers in creative industries
   • Building confidence when you don't naturally have high self-esteem
5. Working in a War Zone: Finding Purpose in the Chaos
   • Leading international teams supporting Ukrainian artists
   • How crisis can bring out the best in workplace culture
   • The broken ankle story that taught her to slow down (sort of)

Key Takeaways

• Trust your gut, even when it doesn't make logical sense
• Prestige doesn't equal happiness or fulfillment
• Sometimes you need to experience the "wrong" job to appreciate the right one
• Success is about integrity, supportive relationships, and meaningful work
• Financial barriers are real in creative industries, but not insurmountable
• Don't try to change yourself to fit into the wrong environment

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Jess West
• About the Host: Career & Leadership Coach, helping women rewrite the rules of success without sacrificing their sanity
• Coaching: Find Jess at @compasscoaching.co for one-on-one support

Community & Calls to Action

• Follow the show: @successfulafpod on Instagram for behind-the-scenes content and career insights
• Rate & Review: Help other people find this show by leaving a review 
• Get Coaching Support: Ready to redefine success on your own terms? Connect with Jess at @compasscoaching.co
• Share Your

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @compasscoaching.co

Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com