Today’s episode is a soulful deep dive into the real, raw, and wildly inspiring world of motherhood, purpose, and presence with my dear friend Kika Chhatrath Gupta — a powerhouse former CNN anchor turned purpose-led entrepreneur, podcaster, and mom of three (including twins!).

Kika is the voice behind That’s Total Mom Sense, a top-ranked parenting podcast that’s featured everyone from Kelly Rowland to Chelsea Clinton. But in this conversation, we go behind the brand — into the quiet inner wisdom, the burnout, the self-doubt, the knowing, and the “get to” moments that have shaped her journey.

We talk about:

• What “Mom Sense” really is — and how to reclaim it
• How to stay connected to your dreams and intuition (even while sleep-deprived)
• The subtle shift from “I have to…” to “I get to…”
• Navigating ambition without abandoning yourself
• How Kika built a media brand and podcast empire with three kids and no full-time help
• Tuning into purpose through meditation, dreams, and vision boards
• Tips for speaking powerfully, building presence, and reclaiming your voice

This one’s for the mamas who’ve ever felt torn between ambition and motherhood, exhaustion and purpose, or survival and soul.

📍 Kika’s warmth, wisdom, and wit will remind you: you’ve got this.

Because you’ve always known.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction

03:17 The Birth of 'Total Mom Sense'

05:42 Understanding and Trusting Mom Sense

08:34 Personal Journey: Overcoming Challenges

16:37 Manifesting Dreams and Vision Boarding

26:14 Balancing Motherhood and Career

31:10 Embracing AI for Productivity

31:43 The Power of Positive Support

32:32 Mastering Communication Skills

36:58 The Importance of Mentorship

44:29 Balancing Life and Work

47:41 Current Inspirations and Recommendations

50:57 Upcoming Projects and Final Thoughts

✨ The Deep Well is open!

Craving more behind-the-scenes stories, personal insights, and personal Q&A with Misha?

Join The Deep Well — her private space for deeper connection, unfiltered wisdom, and real-time support.

🎙️ Join for $10/month: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2384460/subscribe

🎙️ Send your question to Misha: https://www.speakpipe.com/YWLTheDeepWell

Episode Resources:

Connect with Kanika!

@kanikachaddagupta

👩‍💻 Grab the FREE Align & Thrive Workbook!

https://mishavayner.kit.com/1ab67f6044

✉️ Join our FREE email list with insider tips and soul spills!

https://mishavayner.kit.com/600d3fb48a

⭐Leave a 5-star review if you love the podcast!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2384460

Support the show

If you've ever felt like you're at rock bottom—like life has hit you hard, and you're not sure how you’ll ever rise again—this story is going to shift something in you.

This is about resilience in real time. It's about what happens when someone takes the lowest of lows and transforms it into purpose, abundance, and legacy. It's about what’s possible for you, too.

Coss Marte went from solitary confinement… to Saks Fifth Avenue. From running the streets of the Lower East Side… to building two mission-driven empires: ConBody and ConBud.

At just 19 years old, he was running a $5 million drug operation that ultimately landed him behind bars. Today, he’s doing over $7 million in legal cannabis sales—using the very industry that got him incarcerated to create jobs, rewrite narratives, and build generational change.

He founded ConBody, a prison-style fitness bootcamp that has served over 70,000 people and hired more than 100 formerly incarcerated individuals to lead the work. He’s been featured in The New York Times, Men’s Health, CNN, NBC, and over 200 major media outlets. He’s given four TED Talks, authored a book, and continues to break cycles of incarceration by helping others transform their lives too.

With ConBud, he’s flipping the cannabis industry on its head—creating opportunities for people who were once criminalized for the very thing he’s now legally succeeding in.

In this conversation, we explore the deeper layers:

• How do you keep moving forward when it all falls apart?
• Where do you find the strength when everything feels stacked against you?
• And how do you turn your hardest seasons into fuel for something revolutionary?

I feel deeply connected to this story because I was touched firsthand by the power of this mission. I brought Coss into Saks as part of a project I was leading, and that moment ended up being pivotal for both of us. Getting to know him, witnessing his growth, and watching him continue to make such a profound impact moves me, inspires me, and honestly—it just makes me want to hear more.

So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Episode Resources:

Connect with Coss Marte!

@cossmarte

Get your first month FREE at CONBODY

https://conbody.com/

👩‍💻 Grab the FREE Align & Thrive Workbook!

https://mishavayner.kit.com/1ab67f6044

✉️ Join our FREE email list with insider tips and soul spills!

https://mishavayner.kit.com/600d3fb48a

⭐Leave a 5-star review if you love the podcast!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2384460

Connect with Misha:

Facebook

Instagram

Youtube

Substack

Support the show

What if the version of you you’ve been hiding is the one the world’s been waiting for?

In this honest and unfiltered episode, we pull back the curtain on the quiet war with self-doubt—the inner voice that whispers “too much,” “too loud,” “not enough.” Through my own six-month journey of reclaiming my voice in the face of criticism, fear, and the pressure to play small, I share what it really looks like to choose authenticity over approval.

In this episode, we dive into:

✨ What it actually means to stop shrinking and start taking up space ✨ How to navigate fear without letting it run the show ✨ Why your voice is your most powerful tool for liberation and connection ✨ And how authenticity isn’t a destination—it’s a daily choice

If you’ve been biting your tongue, second-guessing your truth, or playing small in spaces that deserve your full presence—this conversation is yours.

Episode Resources:

Connect with Misha!

@mishavayner

👩‍💻 Grab the FREE Align & Thrive Workbook!

https://mishavayner.kit.com/1ab67f6044

✉️ Join our FREE email list with insider tips and soul spills!

https://mishavayner.kit.com/600d3fb48a

⭐Leave a 5-star review if you love the podcast!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2384460