Doing It Anyway

Jess Hugo
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  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

The podcast for high achieving women who do it anyway. Hosted by Jess Hugo, known for her 20kg transformation and her grounded, no fluff approach to discipline, confidence, and self-trust. This show is about navigating a full life: ambition, identity shifts, relationships, routines, and showing up for yourself when things aren’t perfect. Expect honest conversations about growth, consistency, and becoming the woman who leads her life, not just her schedule. New episodes every Wednesday. Connect with me on IG @itsjesshugo or visit https://msha.ke/successwithjess

  1. 5d ago

    How To Actually Glow Up: The Habits That Changed My Life

    Every few months there’s a new glow up trend telling you the secret to becoming your best self. A new supplement, a new morning routine, a new aesthetic, or a new list of things you “need” to do to finally become the version of yourself you’ve been dreaming about. But when I look back at my biggest glow up, losing 20kg, rebuilding my confidence, changing careers, becoming more comfortable in my own skin, and creating a life that actually feels aligned, almost none of it came from those things. In this episode of Doing It Anyway, I’m sharing the glow up advice I actually agree with and the lessons that genuinely changed my life. Because the biggest transformation wasn’t just physical. It was learning how to trust myself, take action before I felt ready, and stop waiting for confidence to magically appear. We’re talking about what actually creates a real glow-up, including why confidence isn’t something you find, it’s something you build through the promises you keep to yourself. I share why waiting until you feel motivated, confident, or ready can keep you stuck, and how taking small actions creates the evidence that you are capable of becoming the person you want to be. I also talk about the systems and routines that supported my personal growth, from creating structure around my goals to building habits that made becoming my best self feel sustainable instead of overwhelming. Because the things that change your life are usually not the most exciting things you see online. They’re the simple things you consistently do when no one is watching. We’ll dive into why your future self matters, how to think beyond the next few months, and the habits you’re building now that will shape your health, confidence, and lifestyle long term. I share my thoughts on fitness, nutrition, understanding your body, building strength, and moving away from quick fixes towards creating a lifestyle that actually supports you. This episode is for anyone who wants to level up, create their dream life, improve their mindset, build confidence, become healthier, and stop waiting for the “perfect time” to start. Because the biggest glow up isn’t changing how you look. It’s becoming someone who believes in herself enough to do the things that scare her, take up space, and create a life she’s proud of. Work with me: msha.ke/successwithjess Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjesshugo/

    30 min

  2. Jun 23

    Confidence Isn't Something You're Born With

    We hear a lot about confidence, but what if confidence isn't actually the thing you need first? For a long time, I believed confidence was something you either had or you didn't. I thought the confident girls were somehow different; that they were naturally more outgoing, more secure, less self-conscious, and less afraid of being judged. But the older I've gotten, the more I've realised that confidence isn't a personality trait. It's a by-product of keeping promises to yourself, building self-trust, and collecting evidence that you can handle uncomfortable things. In this episode, I'm sharing my thoughts on the relationship between confidence, routine, mental health, and why so many of us feel disconnected from ourselves without fully understanding why. Often, when we're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, unmotivated, or stuck, we assume something is wrong with us. In reality, we've usually drifted away from the habits and routines that help us feel grounded, capable, and like ourselves. We talk about why structure can have such a powerful impact on anxiety, why motivation is one of the least reliable things to build your life around, and how simple things like movement, sleep, nutrition, and meaningful social connection can completely change the way you experience your day-to-day life. I also touch on a side of confidence that doesn't get spoken about enough: the ways we hide when we don't feel good about ourselves. Whether it's avoiding photos, always being the one behind the camera, hiding your body, or convincing yourself you'll start fully living once you've fixed something about yourself, many of us spend years waiting to become confident before allowing ourselves to be seen. The problem is that confidence rarely arrives before action. More often than not, it comes afterwards. Some of the most confident I've ever felt came from doing things I previously would have talked myself out of. Not because the fear disappeared, but because every experience became proof that I was capable of showing up anyway. If you've been feeling disconnected from yourself, struggling to trust yourself, or waiting for confidence before taking action towards the life you want, I think this episode will really resonate with you. In this episode we discuss: • Why confidence is built, not born• The connection between routine and mental health• How structure can reduce anxiety and overwhelm• Why motivation isn't enough for long-term growth• Building self-trust through small daily actions• The hidden ways we avoid being seen• Getting out of survival mode and feeling like yourself again• Creating a life that feels aligned, grounded, and fulfilling Work with me: msha.ke/successwithjess Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjesshugo/

    19 min

  3. Jun 16

    The Small Habits That Instantly Reset My Mood When Life Feels Chaotic

    In this episode of Doing It Anyway, we’re talking about the small, almost unglamorous habits that completely change how life feels when everything feels chaotic, overwhelming, or slightly off track. This isn’t about a full life reset, strict routines, or “become a new person in 30 days” energy. It’s about the tiny things that bring you back to yourself in real time. The habits that don’t take motivation, just awareness, and make the next hour, day, or week feel lighter, clearer, and more like you again. If you’ve been feeling stuck in your routine, low on motivation, constantly scrolling, overthinking everything, or like you keep waiting for a “fresh start” that never really comes, this episode will shift the way you think about self improvement, mindset, and consistency. We go through the small daily habits that quietly regulate your energy and help you feel more grounded, focused, and confident without needing to overhaul your entire life. From protecting your mornings so you’re not instantly pulled into everyone else’s world, to reducing decision fatigue around food and routines, to building self trust through the promises you keep to yourself, this episode is really about learning how to feel good again without making life harder than it needs to be. We also talk about why clarity often comes from movement, not thinking harder, and how creating something to look forward to can completely change your mindset and the way you show up in your life. The real takeaway isn’t the habits themselves. It’s learning what brings you back to yourself when life feels messy, busy, or a little out of alignment, and building a version of self improvement that actually fits into your real life as a woman in your 20s. If you’ve been wanting more confidence, structure, discipline, and ease without burning out or overcomplicating everything, this one will land. Work with meInstagram

    18 min

  4. Jun 9

    Nobody Has Their 20s Figured Out: The Career Advice I Wish I Had in My Early 20s

    In this episode of Doing It Anyway, we’re talking about something almost every woman in her 20s quietly struggles with but rarely says out loud, feeling behind in life, second-guessing your career choices, and wondering if you’re meant to have it all figured out by now. Whether you’ve changed degrees, started working young and felt lost, questioned your career path, or constantly find yourself comparing your timeline to everyone else’s, this episode will completely reframe how you see your 20s. Because the truth is, your 20s are not meant to be a perfectly mapped out career path or a straight line of success. They’re a season of learning through experience, building self trust, and figuring out who you are by actually living, not just planning. We talk about the pressure of uni, early career expectations, comparison culture, and that underlying fear that everyone else is “ahead” while you’re still trying to figure things out. But underneath all of that, there’s a deeper pattern, how insecurity can quietly shape your decisions, hold you back from opportunities, and affect everything from networking to confidence in the workplace. This episode is really about zooming out and realising that nobody actually has their 20s figured out, even if it looks like they do. And more importantly, how confidence isn’t something you magically gain after choosing the “right” path, it’s something you build by trusting yourself while you’re still figuring it out. If you’ve been feeling lost in your career, unsure of your direction, or like you’re constantly behind in life, this conversation will help you feel grounded, less alone, and more willing to take messy action anyway. Because your 20s aren’t about getting everything right, they’re about learning to back yourself while nothing feels fully certain yet. Work with me Instagram

    22 min

  5. Jun 2

    The Truth About My Health Lately (Neurologist Update)

    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

    31 min

  6. May 26

    I Know What To Do… So Why Can’t I Actually Do It?

    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

    37 min

  7. May 19

    I Walked Away From the 'Secure' Job - Here’s Why ft. @tianaleighw

    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 sideThe moment she realised her job was holding her back from expansionWhy comfort and security can quietly keep you stuckWhat it really feels like to quit something that still makes sense on paperBalancing business, bodybuilding prep, and everyday life pressureIdentity shifts that happen when you start choosing yourselfThe emotional and practical reality of outgrowing your current seasonThis 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

    10 min

  8. May 12

    The Self Sabotage Cycle Keeping You Stuck in Your 20s

    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 progressHow pressure increases when you start seeing results (and why it makes you pull back)The identity gap that keeps you stuck in old patternsWhy maintaining results feels harder than chasing themThe most common self-sabotage behaviours in fitness and weight lossYou’ll also learn how to break the cycle: How to stay consistent even when things are going wellWhy structure matters more than motivationHow to shorten the gap between slipping up and getting back on trackThe mindset shift that helps you build sustainable resultsThis 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

    20 min
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About

The podcast for high achieving women who do it anyway. Hosted by Jess Hugo, known for her 20kg transformation and her grounded, no fluff approach to discipline, confidence, and self-trust. This show is about navigating a full life: ambition, identity shifts, relationships, routines, and showing up for yourself when things aren’t perfect. Expect honest conversations about growth, consistency, and becoming the woman who leads her life, not just her schedule. New episodes every Wednesday. Connect with me on IG @itsjesshugo or visit https://msha.ke/successwithjess

Information

  • Creator
    Jess Hugo
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jess Hugo
  • Show Website
    Doing It Anyway

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