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Maisha Narrates

Maisha Taranum

I believe that every chapter of life, whether it’s filled with joy, change, or uncertainty, carries a lesson. Storytelling is my way of holding onto those lessons as reminders for myself and, hopefully, as inspiration for someone else who may be walking a similar path. All my stories are inspired by my intrigued interest in understanding inner psychological with a dash of philosophy.

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  • 25 episodes
  • Avg 10 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S1 · E41
    September 10 · 21 min

    Know Your Dollar Demon 💸😈

    What if your biggest money problem isn’t actually money… but the tiny, dramatic creature making financial decisions from inside your head? In this episode, I introduce the Dollar Demons — the shadow patterns, fears, habits, and inherited beliefs that quietly shape our relationship with wealth. Maybe you’re the Burnout Beast, convinced money has to be earned through exhaustion. The Saving Squirrel, hoarding every acorn because winter might be coming. The Budget Police, issuing yourself a citation every time you enjoy what you earn. The Expense Escapist, who would rather reorganize the spice cabinet than check the credit-card statement. Or maybe you’re the Karma Collector, generously picking up dinner while mentally keeping the receipt. 👀 From the Freeload Princess and Paycheck Prisoner to the Jackpot Junkie, Damsel in Distress, Guilt Gifter, Delegation Diva, Martyr Moth, Legacy Leech, Detour Distracter, Impulsive Buyer, and Rich-Then-Broke Demon, we’re calling the whole chaotic crew out. Because these demons don’t define you. They’re simply old programming trying to protect you. The goal isn’t to destroy your Dollar Demon. It’s to recognize when it grabs the steering wheel, understand what it’s protecting, and calmly remind it: “Thanks for your concern, little one. But I’m the CFO of this story now.” 💣💸✨

  • S1 · E40
    August 28 · 12 min

    Intuition vs. Guilt: Learning to Trust Yourself

    How do you know when guilt is telling you that you’ve done something wrong—and when it’s simply making you question a decision you already knew was right? In this episode, I explore the complicated space between intuition, guilt, shame, and fear through some of the most personal decisions in my life: my father sending his daughters across the world despite everyone’s warnings, my decision to leave a secure job and start over, the guilt of asking my dad to postpone a visit, and the very particular flavor of guilt that comes with motherhood—from daycare to stopping breastfeeding and choosing formula. This episode is about learning to recognize shame, separate guilt from intuition, stop letting worst-case scenarios control the present, and trust the decisions we made with the information we had at the time. Sometimes guilt means we need to make something right. Sometimes it simply means we care deeply. The challenge is learning the difference—and having enough faith in ourselves to take the next right step.

  • S1 · E39
    August 28 · 5 min

    Parenthood Before & After

    Parenthood: Before & After Before becoming a parent, I worried about everything: my career, work-life balance, sleepless nights, daycare, sick days, and how I was supposed to keep a tiny human alive when I could barely cook for myself. Then I became a mother—and realized I had been worrying with the capabilities of a version of me who didn’t exist anymore. Parenthood didn’t shrink my life. It expanded me. It taught me patience, resilience, leadership, better time management, and how to adapt when life refuses to follow the plan. Most importantly, it introduced me to a love so enormous that many of my old fears suddenly felt very small. In this episode, I talk about the difference between imagining parenthood and actually living it—and why we waste so much energy worrying about future challenges without realizing that when life changes, we change too. You don’t have to be ready for every version of your future. Sometimes, you become the person who can handle it when you get there.

  • S1 · E38
    August 28 · 9 min

    Power Couple Mindset

    What It’s Really Like to Be a Power Couple Being a power couple isn’t about looking perfect, having impressive careers, or making more money than average. It’s about becoming stronger together. In this episode, I share what seven years of love, long distance, career moves, parenthood, fights, compromises, and plenty of growing up together have taught me about marriage. From unshakeable trust and brutally clear communication to shared finances, shared responsibilities, gratitude, forgiveness, and learning from our mistakes, this is what “power couple” means inside our home. We’re both ambitious. We’ve built strong careers and a beautiful life together. But our greatest strength isn’t what we’ve accomplished individually—it’s knowing when one of us takes a leap, the other one is there saying, I’ve got you. Because a powerful relationship isn’t one without conflict. It’s one where two people keep choosing to learn, forgive, grow, and build something better together.

  • S1 · E37
    August 28 · 4 min

    The Audacity To Not Settle For “Fine”

    What if the biggest risk in life isn’t failure—but settling for fine? In this episode, I explore the audacity to want more: more from your career, relationships, dreams, finances, and most importantly, yourself. We talk about shedding limiting beliefs, trusting your desires, asking for the raise, owning your accomplishments, setting boundaries, and refusing to shrink just to make other people comfortable. Because believing you deserve more isn’t arrogance. It’s self-worth. And creating an extraordinary life requires more than dreaming—it takes faith, mindset, courage, and the willingness to do the work. Maybe “fine” is fine for some things. Your entire life shouldn’t be one of them.

  • S1 · E36
    August 4 · 17 min

    Becoming Limitless

    What if your imagination isn’t creating your anxiety… but simply practicing it? In this deeply personal episode, I share one of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve experienced: learning that the same imagination that creates our worst fears can also become the greatest tool for creating our future. For years, I rehearsed imaginary arguments, tragic phone calls, and worst-case scenarios, believing I was preparing myself for life. In reality, I was training my body to live in fear. Everything changed when I discovered how to consciously rewrite those mental scripts with gratitude, visualization, and intention. I also share a remarkable experience where meditation unexpectedly relieved years of chronic back pain after countless sessions of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment, leading me to explore the fascinating intersection between science, spirituality, and the incredible intelligence within our own bodies. Then comes the most profound part of the story—a vivid dream about bioluminescent sea creatures, an inner child, and two voices of fear and guilt that tried to convince her the light she witnessed wasn’t real. That dream became one of the clearest messages my subconscious has ever given me about trusting intuition and believing what my heart already knows. In this episode, we explore: * Why your brain rehearses worst-case scenarios—and how to rewrite them. * How visualization changes your emotional state before your circumstances change. * Why gratitude is the fastest way to shift your nervous system. * The surprising connection between biochemistry, quantum imagination, meditation, and infinite possibility. * How dreams can become powerful conversations with your subconscious. * Why healing often begins the moment you stop arguing with your intuition. If you’ve ever felt trapped by overthinking, anxiety, fear, or self-doubt, this episode is an invitation to remember something you’ve always carried within you: Your imagination can either become the prison that keeps you small or the bridge that leads you toward the life you’re meant to create. Because you’re never alone when you’re working on your inner self. It’s time to stop wishing. It’s time to become limitless.

  • S1 · E35
    August 4 · 17 min

    Power of Imagination

    Why Feeling Your Dream Matters More Than Thinking About It What if your imagination isn’t just daydreaming—but the blueprint for your future? In this episode, I explore one of the most powerful ideas I’ve ever put into practice: that we are creating our future every single day through the combination of imagination and emotion. I share how I unknowingly used this principle during some of the most challenging seasons of my life, long before I discovered the teachings behind it. We’ll talk about why thoughts alone aren’t enough, how your feelings become the true signal you send into the world, and why the emotion of already having what you desire can transform the way you experience life. I’ll also share the childhood memory that became my emotional anchor—the feeling of being genuinely lucky—and how reconnecting with that feeling changed the way I approached uncertainty, fear, and even hope. Whether you’re dreaming of a new career, stronger relationships, better health, or simply more peace, this episode is an invitation to stop living toward your dreams and start living from them. Because your imagination isn’t an escape from reality. It may be the place where your future begins.

  • S1 · E34
    August 3 · 18 min

    Dealing with Unfairness

    Life will be unfair. That’s one thing none of us can escape. But what if the event isn’t what keeps us stuck? What if it’s the story we keep replaying afterward? In this episode, I explore how self-pity quietly steals our power, why separating facts from opinions can transform the way we respond to life’s hardest moments, and how changing your self-image changes your reality. Inspired by Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, I share personal stories about overcoming unfairness, trusting instinct over fear, redirecting negative thoughts, and building a mindset that chooses growth instead of victimhood. If you’ve ever felt betrayed, overlooked, or like life keeps handing you the short end of the stick, this episode is for you. Remember: You are the master of your fate. You are the captain of your soul.

  • S1 · E33
    August 3 · 10 min

    Lion

    The Lion That Didn’t Know It Was a Lion 🦁 A family trip to the zoo turned into an unexpected lesson about human potential. Watching a lion pace endlessly inside its enclosure made me realize something uncomfortable: sometimes our anxiety isn’t a sign that something is wrong with us—it’s a sign that we’re built for more resistance than our current environment demands. In this episode, I explore why restlessness can be the voice of unused instinct, how comfort can quietly dull our greatest gifts, and why the path to discovering who you are isn’t found through thinking harder, but by placing yourself where your strengths are finally required. Maybe you don’t need a new life. Maybe you just need a bigger field to run in. 🦁

  • S1 · E32
    August 3 · 7 min

    Focus on Process, Not Goals

    We all love setting goals. Lose the weight. Get the promotion. Build the business. But what happens after you finally get there? In this episode, I share the personal story of how I lost 35 pounds after pregnancy in one of the most unhealthy ways possible—and why achieving the goal didn’t make me happy or healthy. Drawing lessons from Atomic Habits by James Clear, I explore why goals give us direction, but systems are what create lasting transformation. We’ll talk about building a process you actually enjoy, pairing habits with rewards, taking action before your feelings can talk you out of it, and embracing an agile mindset that improves through small, consistent changes. Because a goal can change your body—but the right process can change your life.

  • S1 · E31
    August 3 · 9 min

    Bedtime Reminders

    Every night, my toddler fights bedtime like it’s a personal attack on his freedom. Watching him cling so fiercely to life made me wonder: when did we stop waking up that excited? In this episode, I share how a simple bedtime battle became a lesson on curiosity, autopilot, and why adulthood doesn’t have to feel repetitive. We’ll talk about the hidden cost of routine, the power of introducing small moments of novelty into everyday life, and how your brain notices only what you train it to see. Maybe you don’t need a new life. Maybe you just need to stop living the same day over and over again. If you’ve been feeling stuck, bored, or like you’re simply checking boxes, this episode is your reminder to wake up a little more like a toddler—curious, present, and excited for what’s next. 🌙🦕

  • S1 · E30
    August 3 · 9 min

    Energy Economic

    Why You’re Not Lazy, You’re Doing the Math What if laziness isn’t a personality flaw, but a survival strategy? In this episode, I explore the idea of energy economics—the invisible equation your brain and body are constantly solving. Drawing lessons from lions that rest before the hunt, zebras that survive through community, and my own experiences with procrastination, difficult conversations, immigration, and burnout, I unpack why we freeze, avoid, or delay certain actions. Maybe you’re not broken. Maybe your nervous system is simply protecting your energy. We’ll talk about why procrastination is often preparation, why burnout is energy bankruptcy, why passion feels effortless, and how breaking life into smaller, manageable pieces changes the math in your favor. If you’ve ever called yourself lazy, this episode might completely change how you see yourself. Because sometimes, the most intelligent thing you can do… is conserve your energy before the next hunt.

  • S1 · E29
    July 30 · 8 min

    The Magic of Deep Work

    In a world where your attention is constantly being bought and sold, learning to focus may be the most valuable skill you can develop. In this episode, I share how Deep Work by Cal Newport transformed the way I approach my career, creativity, and motherhood. From absorbing information in corporate meetings to carving out quiet nighttime hours on my balcony to write, I explore why deep work isn’t just about productivity—it’s about creating meaningful impact. You’ll also hear the inspiring stories of J.K. Rowling finishing Harry Potter in complete isolation and Bill Gates’ famous “Think Weeks,” proving that extraordinary work comes from extraordinary focus. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by distractions, struggled to finish what you start, or wondered where your creativity has gone, this episode is your reminder to reclaim your most valuable asset: your attention. Because in today’s economy, attention is money—and deep work is how you invest it wisely.

  • S1 · E28
    July 30 · 5 min

    Perception is Reality

    What if the biggest obstacle in your life isn’t your circumstances—but the way you see them? In this episode, I share a childhood memory of a giant water tank by the Bay of Bengal that completely changed my understanding of perception. When I returned years later, I was shocked to discover it was actually… tiny. That simple moment became a powerful life lesson: our minds magnify fears, shape our memories, and influence the reality we create. We’ll explore how shifting your perspective can make today’s overwhelming problems feel manageable, help you build better habits, strengthen your relationships, and become the future version of yourself—starting today. Because sometimes, changing your life doesn’t require changing your circumstances. It just requires changing the lens through which you see them. 🎙️ If perception shapes reality, what reality are you creating?

  • S1 · E27
    July 30 · 8 min

    The Incurable Loneliness

    Can loneliness ever truly be cured? After spending nearly 15 years trying to solve it, I realized it isn’t a problem to fix—it’s part of being human. In this episode, I share my personal journey through loneliness, moving away from home, building a family, and why even a full life can still leave you feeling unseen. Maybe the goal isn’t to escape loneliness, but to use it—to create, to connect, and to deepen the relationships that matter most. If you’ve ever felt lonely, even surrounded by people, this conversation is for you. 💙

  • S1 · E26
    July 30 · 16 min

    Yin–Yang Within: Balancing Logic and Intuition

    For years, I believed my greatest strength was my logical mind. It helped me build a career, earn degrees, and make “smart” decisions. Then motherhood introduced me to another kind of intelligence—instinct. In this deeply personal episode, I explore the balance between masculine and feminine energy, why logic alone isn’t enough, and how learning to trust my inner knowing completely transformed the way I make decisions. I share stories of motherhood, the eerie accuracy of intuition, a gas station moment I still can’t explain, healing generational patterns of “injured instinct,” and why wisdom often lives in the quiet pause before action. We’ll also talk about why this isn’t just for women. Fathers, leaders, creators, and anyone striving for a more meaningful life can benefit from integrating logic with emotional intelligence. Because true intuition isn’t choosing between your head and your heart—it’s allowing them to work together. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should trust your gut, this episode is your invitation to pause, listen, and rediscover the voice that has been guiding you all along. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why balancing masculine and feminine energy creates inner peace. * How instinct and logic work together to form intuition. * What “injured instinct” is and how it can be passed down through generations. * Why self-sabotage is often your intuition trying to get your attention. * Practical ways to reconnect with your inner knowing in everyday life. Remember: You don’t need to see the entire road ahead. You only need the courage to take the next right step.

  • S1 · E25
    July 30 · 12 min

    5 Seconds to Greatness

    What if the biggest difference between the life you have and the life you want is just five seconds? In this episode, I dive into the simple yet powerful Five-Second Rule by Mel Robbins and how it completely changed the way I approach fear, procrastination, confidence, and even everyday life as a working mom. I share personal stories—from writing down ideas before they disappear, to tackling my own immigration paperwork without a lawyer, to reframing dental anxiety into excitement. We’ll explore why confidence is a skill, why motivation is overrated, why habits—not identity—hold us back, and how tiny actions repeated consistently can create extraordinary results. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like your dreams are “too big,” this episode is your reminder that greatness isn’t built in giant leaps—it’s built five seconds at a time. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Just do it.

  • S1 · E24
    July 30 · 6 min

    We are all wizards

    What if every word you speak is a spell? In this episode, inspired by The Four Agreements and my lifelong love of the wizarding world, I explore how our words have the power to heal or hurt—not only others, but ourselves. I share a personal story about how a few childhood comments shaped my self-worth for years, and how learning the Four Agreements helped me break those old spells. We’ll talk about being impeccable with your words, not taking things personally, letting go of assumptions, and simply doing your best. Because the most powerful magic we possess isn’t a wand—it’s the language we choose every single day. If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, harsh self-talk, or the weight of someone else’s words, this episode is your reminder that you have the power to rewrite your story, one light spell at a time. 🪄✨

  • S1 · E23
    July 30 · 17 min

    The Obvious Secret to Success

    What if the biggest secret to success has been inside your body all along? In this episode, I share how years of cramming, all-nighters, and believing I “worked best under pressure” led to poor results, anxiety, and burnout—and how changing one simple habit transformed the way I learned, worked, and lived. Drawing from my own journey through undergrad and my master’s degree, we explore why our biology is designed for consistency, not chaos, and how small daily actions compound into extraordinary results. We’ll talk about the 80/20 Rule, overcoming procrastination, creating artificial deadlines, and why incremental progress always beats last-minute heroics. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a big goal or trapped in the cycle of procrastination, this episode is a reminder that you don’t have to do everything today. Just take one meaningful step—and then another tomorrow. Because your body already knows the secret to success. Now it’s time for your mind to catch up.

  • S1 · E22
    July 30 · 7 min

    Running With Alphas in Heels 👠💻

    Technology isn’t just for coders—it’s for innovators, problem-solvers, leaders, and dreamers. In this episode, I share my 14-year journey through cloud architecture, cybersecurity, AI, digital transformation, infrastructure, and enterprise technology, and why I’m passionate about bringing more women into tech. We’ll talk about overcoming imposter syndrome, why emotional intelligence is one of your greatest competitive advantages, how AI is changing—but not replacing—our careers, and why every company today is a technology company. If you’re a student, a career changer, or simply wondering whether tech is for you, this episode is your reminder that you belong in the room. And if I can make the leap from biochemistry to technology leadership, so can you. Let’s break barriers, build confidence, and run with the alphas—in heels. 👠

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