The Ripple Effect of Giving: "The Generosity Effect" | Ep 046

Discover how generosity can revolutionize your life and create global impact with Cynthia Kersey, a true guru of giving! 🌍✨

➡️  Meet Cynthia Kersey: Bestselling author, visionary philanthropist, and generosity expert with a 25-year legacy of impact
➡️  Learn how Cynthia has inspired global powerhouses (eBay, Mercedes Benz, Avon) and collaborated with thought leaders (Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, Oprah)
➡️ Explore the Unstoppable Foundation's 5-pillar model that's empowered 500,000+ lives across 23 Kenyan communities
➡️  Get a sneak peek into Cynthia's 3rd upcoming book, "The Generosity Effect"

From boosting personal success to making a global difference, this episode is your guide to harnessing the transformative power of generosity.

🎧 Listen now and join the generosity revolution!
👍 If this episode inspires you, give it a thumbs up
🔔 Subscribe for more life-changing content with world-class game changers
💬 Share your generosity story in the comments - let's inspire each other!

➡️ Chapters
(00:03) - Power of Generosity
(10:42) - The Year of Giving
(15:32) - The Ripple Effect of Generosity
(27:43) - The Impact of Generosity
(36:30) - Feedback and Gratitude

➡️ Highlights
00:05 - 00:40) Unexpected Personal Growth Through Generosity (34 Seconds)
(03:23 - 03:51) Cynthia and Generosity on Show (28 Seconds)
(07:32 - 08:14) Global vs. Local Philanthropy (42 Seconds)
(15:32 - 18:00) The Power of Generosity (148 Seconds)
(22:44 - 23:46) Meeting an Inspiring Hero (62 Seconds)
(26:04 - 27:30) Being a Blessing Through Listening (86 Seconds)
(32:14 - 33:06) Overcoming Scarcity Mentality Through Generosity (52 Seconds)

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Connect with our Hosts:
Stacey: https://www.instagram.com/staceymgrant/
Mark: https://www.instagram.com/mark_lubragge_onair/

➡️ More about the guest: Cynthia Kersey
Website: https://unstoppablefoundation.org/cynthia/
Books: Unstoppable: 45 Powerful Stories of Perseverance and Triumph from People Just Like You, Unstoppable Women: Achieve Any Breakthrough Goal in 30 Days, Be Unstoppable: How to Create the Life You Love (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/be-unstoppable-how-to-create-the-life-you-love_jack-canfield_cynthia-kersey/19752832/#edition=20980542&idiq=43227213)

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*THE OPINIONS OF OUR GUESTS ARE NOT OURS* 
The Gurus & Game Changers Video Podcast  follows the paths of influential leaders from humble beginnings and/or seemingly insurmountable obstacles to where they are now.

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➡️ Thanks for watching:
#Generosity
#CynthiaKersey
#UnstoppableFoundation
#Philanthropy
#Giving
#Gratitude
#PersonalGrowth
#Kindness
#Receiving
#MoralElevation
#Impact
#Community
#Feedback
#Transformation
#Mentorship
#Inspiration
#Obligation
#SmallActs
#RippleEffect
#EmotionalBenefits

Transcript

00:03 - Stacey (Host)
This one brought me out of my current funk. I have to tell you that. So if you guys are listening and you're in a funk, you really want to listen to Cynthia Kersey. 

00:11 - Mark (Host)
Yeah, but you're coming out of your funk in a way that you probably never would have predicted, like the path. 

00:18 - Stacey (Host)
Oh, for sure. 

00:19 - Mark (Host)
Yeah, because the connection she makes is from generosity to improving your life. It's incredible. 

00:26 - Stacey (Host)
Like you look at the title and you're like this is Cynthia Kiersey talking about generosity and you're like, oh okay, you know no. 

00:32 - Mark (Host)
It's so much more. 

00:33 - Stacey (Host)
This is so much more than that Because you'll see that like it will change you if you're generous. 

00:39 - Mark (Host)
Yeah. 

00:39 - Stacey (Host)
And even people who feel like they can't be financially or whatever I mean right. 

00:44 - Mark (Host)
There's always something that she puts it, there's something that what? How did she say it's yours to do, it's yours to do, it's yours to do. 

00:49 - Stacey (Host)
Like even a small blessing, like even just like something you know saying hello to someone, or you know like letting someone cut in front of you in the cold cut line, or to do is not only your path to being more generous, but the whole point of her 25 years of study is that that path makes your life so much better. 

01:09 - Mark (Host)
You can't fathom it until you experience it. 

01:12 - Stacey (Host)
And a story she told support that I mean I know 100 and then, on top of it, she really is generous, she really is on top of it. She walks the talk, she really is and she's given how many millions of dollars to her fund. It's crazy, the Unstoppable Foundation. 

01:28 - Mark (Host)
Yeah, and that was one of her first book. It was a long time ago, right, but it sounds fascinating. Yeah, you said you're going to read that. Unstoppable People, unstoppable People, yeah. 

01:35 - Stacey (Host)
It's 45 people that you've heard of where she helps students in Kenya. 

01:46 - Mark (Host)
It has for many years. And it's funny because I said why Kenya? She's like well, that was mine to do. 

01:52 - Stacey (Host)
You do you, I'll do me. 

01:54 - Mark (Host)
And if we all just did? 

01:56 - Stacey (Host)
Just do. You're going to be better, you're going to feel better, you're going to be happier. I swear you guys. 

02:01 - Mark (Host)
That's good stuff. This is a good one. It's a profound one because it's learnings we never thought we would have. Totally, yeah, all right, enjoy, cynthia Kirsten. 

02:15 - Stacey (Host)
Hi, I'm Stacey. 

02:16 - Mark (Host)
And I am Mark, and this is the Gurus and Game Changers podcast. Hey everybody, Welcome to the show. I have a quick question how generous are you? Do you give as much of your time, your money or even your attention to others as you could be? Maybe, but today's guest, Cynthia Kersey, thinks you could probably do more and you probably should do more, because she understands the profound ways that being generous can help you. You see, she has studied generosity for more than 25 years and she has proven that you being more generous is actually a ticket to a better life for you. How Well prepare yourself? Cynthia has been called one of the world's greatest motivators and she is an expert on all the positive connections that generosity brings, and she's about to bring us one of the greatest gifts ever. Cynthia, welcome to the show, Thank you for joining us. 

03:09 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Oh, my gosh. Very well said, thank you. It makes me. Hey, generosity is the thing I'm most inspired about, so I'm so excited to talk about this and thank you for generously inviting me to be a part of your show. Well, thank you for generously showing up on our show. I really appreciate it. 

03:28 - Stacey (Host)
We're excited about this. So, and I actually understand that you and I, after all the stocking I've done that we talked about earlier, have something in common we're both telemarketers back in the day. 

03:37 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Oh, my goodness Jeez, that's how I started my career. 

03:41 - Stacey (Host)
Yeah, I mean, could you maybe walk us through like the start at Sprint, when you were telemarketing and then getting to the Unstoppable book? We're just going to reel it back, just a minute. 

03:49 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Oh my God, that's such a long time ago. Well, yeah, I was in corporate America and, you know, even though I was good at it, I wasn't inspired by being a telemarketer. I don't know who is Long, long distance and I'd always been inspired by unstoppable stories, people, you know, that had to overcome all sorts of adversity to achieve a goal, a dream, a life that they loved. Yeah, I quit my job, cashed in my entire life, savings downsized our life at that point to write my first book Unstoppable. 

04:20 - Stacey (Host)
That book has been out for 25 years now, I know, and I was reading it and actually like studying it. I was wondering how did you get those stories from those phenomenal 45 people, did you actually? I mean, some of them were not alive, but did you actually? Interview them, or did you just research? 

04:35 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
them. 

04:36 - Stacey (Host)
All of it. Did you get to know? 

04:38 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
You know, what's interesting, too Stacey, is that years ago when I did that book, I had to really work hard to find stories around women. So, believe it or not, most of the stories were around men. So I had to really work hard to find them and then, of course, interview the ones that were still living, and today it's like there's so many incredible stories about all sorts of people, so it's a lot easier now. 

05:01 - Stacey (Host)
Because at that time you had just come out of just being a working at Sprint. I mean, I know you were very successful there, but like you're in sales, that's right, so like that I love, like I was thinking about that, like that would be like me trying to go find 45 inspirational people that I admire and just call. Did you call them up? 

05:18 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
All of it and when you, when you write about 45, imagine how many you actually reach out to, how much research. I hired a full-time researcher at that point. Um, it was so fun because we were finding people's like, oh my god, you think this person's amazing. This person had no arms and no legs and they were like a pro football player and like it was crazy. You know, there's different types of people. 

05:40
The human spirit is so inspiring and people you know, uh, when you get a purpose, and this is you know one thing that I spirit is so inspiring and people you know. When you get a purpose, and this is, you know, one thing that I think is so important is finding something in your life that's bigger than you are. And you know, for me, right when I wrote my book, you know, I did the whole thing, you know, cashed in my entire life savings to write this book. 18 months after my book came out, I separated from my husband after 20 years and it put me on a whole different trajectory and I feel like it's so important to be able to find a purpose that's bigger than your pain, because it's what gives our life meaning. 

06:21 - Stacey (Host)
I saw that. I saw that you wrote that. And I mean to me I'm just wondering, like you as the person at Sprint then, to go and suddenly interview all these people, like to me you're an unstoppable person, but also, like, how did you come that word unstoppable? Like, yeah, did you just suddenly wake up one night and you're like you know what I want to do? Like I'm really curious about that, Because I feel like I'm in that same sort of situation where I'm reaching for more right now. So and I think so many people are so I'd love your story. 

06:51 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
I had like 18 pages of potential titles and you know, one person who came up with the worked with John Gray on Men Are From Mars, women Are From Venus. He's like I hear you keep saying unstoppable. And one other word. And then I thought, well, what would it be like to have an unstoppable employee? And I interviewed all these people just to get input. And that was it. That was the word. And it's interesting, stacey, that you say that, because I also started writing another book. 

07:20
That's now incorporated in my book, the Generosity Effect, about what's yours to do and what I'm hearing from you is like in your life now, what is yours to do? Because so many people it's so funny people say, well, why are you helping people in Kenya and Africa when there's so many people in your backyard? And it's like it's because it's mine to do, I'm called to do this and it sounds like maybe that's yours to do. You know, yeah, I had a, I did a show and this one very famous person was interviewing me and he's like well, have you done anything with veterans? And I said, well, I haven't. You know, I mean, I love them, but I don't have a lot of connection to them. I said but it sounds like it's yours to do, right, and he's kind of like making me wrong because I wasn't doing that. And I feel and this is the key we all have what is ours to do, that's uniquely ours, and when we bring those gifts to the world, you know it blesses you and it blesses the people that you work with. 

08:29 - Mark (Host)
I just love. That Is that what led to your year of giving. You went through a year of giving. 

08:34 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
I did so it was building up to that. So, basically, so I was still running my unstoppable business right. I was an author and speaker and coaching people on being unstoppable, and my real heart was around generosity. I've always been inspired by giving. Millard Fuller was, you know, the founder of Habitat for Humanity, was an amazing mentor to me, and so I wanted to do the foundation full time. But I'm like how am I going to make money? I'm a single mom. Now, right, how am I going to earn an income? And the economy was terrible at that point. 

09:10
And so I read a book called 29 Gifts by Cammie Walker, and Cammie Walker, when she was, I don't think, early 40s, she had just gotten married, just got back from her honeymoon and she woke up one morning and her arm wouldn't move and into the hospital and she's diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis and it was a very fast onset. So for two years her life is just spiraling and she's in pain and she's depressed, she can't work anymore, she's having a hard time walking. And she called a friend who's a spiritual teacher to her and she was hoping for a pity party and her name is Mabala and she said you know, she calls Mabala and Mabala's like stop, you've got to stop thinking about your problem so much, you're making it worse. And she said I want to recommend that you give away 29 gifts in 29 days. And Kami's like are you serious? What you think just doing a giving a gift's going to make me feel better? And she said I do. And it doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be monetary. It could be a prayer, it could be a kind word, but the key thing is you do it from a place of abundance, right. And so Kammie thought well, it's not going to hurt me. So every day she did something and very quickly her life changed. By the end of those 29 days she's walking again, she made new friends, she's working again. And she said it was like a miracle to her. 

10:42
And I thought about her story and I thought I'm going to do a year of giving. I'm not going to do 29 days of giving. I'm fully leaning into this because I really I wanted to do the foundation full time, but I didn't have the faith to do it Literally that year. And I had four steps to my year of giving. 

11:01
Number one you start with gratitude. When you start with gratitude, what are you grateful for and why You're already receiving the abundance. Right, you're acknowledging the abundance that's already in your life and if you ever have a problem with it. It's kind of crazy when I think about it, but sometimes I'm writing my list and I can't come up with 10 things and I start with the basics. I'm grateful that I have clean water that comes out of that of our faucet. I'm grateful every time I go to Whole Foods and we just have an abundance of food, the beauty, I mean. There's so many things to be grateful for. So then the second thing is to be generous with myself. Fill my cup first. So I always had books on my shelf and, like Michael Singer's book Untethered Soul or my spiritual practice, I would read something. 

11:50
The third step is be generous with others, and this is like looking for how can I enrich another person's life and again, it's not about money. I mean it can be, money is a part of it, and so like, for example, I was in Marina Del Rey this is where I lived and I was having lunch and this woman I met her and she was going to school to be a nurse. She was a waitress and going to school to be a nurse and I was so inspired by her. I gave her a tip that was bigger than my bill bill, and it felt so great. You both know this. And then she sees me when we're walking out. She gives me this big, huge hug and it was just like. I mean, I can almost cry thinking about it. It's like thank you for letting me be a part of your journey. You're blessing me right by being able to bless you. 

12:37
And then the fourth piece, which is as important, is generously receive. And how often, when we get a compliment, do we dismiss it? Oh no, it was nothing. You know, we push away the blessings. I feel like when that people love, is God in action and when people are supporting us, it's part of the circle and if we stop the circle, we're stopping the good that comes to us. So those four steps is what I did every single day for one year. 

13:12
It changed my life and there's three key takeaways. Number one generosity creates heaven on earth. So we're consistently generous, habitually, every day. Guess what you feel better, right? It's like, oh my gosh, I feel so blessed. It's like you're looking for the good, you're seeing how you can be a blessing. You're engaged with strangers. It was like I experienced heaven on earth. Number two is generosity generated the faith that I needed to get out of my comfort zone, leave a successful business to start my foundation. And what happened was I was talking to my dear friend, mary Morrissey I'm like I think it's time and she said I want to help you. And she got other friends together. They supported me for a year so I could start my foundation Again. If I hadn't been willing to receive that, a half a million people would not be impacted by our work with the Unstoppable Foundation. 

14:25
Fantastic was I was speaking at an event in LA about giving and there was this man who was at the speaker table and you know he I. At the end I went back and we were talking. He's like I've never heard anybody talk about generosity that way. You really inspired me and I gave a contribution to your foundation. I'm thinking I like this guy Bottom line, this guy Bottom line. I ended up marrying him. I had a single. I had deeply like. My deepest heartfelt desire was to have a partner that I was in alignment with, that we had the same values. So that year I started my foundation. I met the love of my life and I experienced heaven on earth. So come on, wow, it's like wow. 

15:05 - Mark (Host)
That's a wild ride and I always say. 

15:07 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
I always say I can't guarantee the results you're going to have. You're going to be like mine or like Cammie, but I can promise you this your life will never be the same. When you really lean into, how can I be a blessing to someone else and how can I receive the blessings that are coming to me? And when you live? 

15:27 - Stacey (Host)
that way. There's no better way to live. I do think like it's one thing that people don't know who aren't involved in philanthropy that often is that there's the secret. Is you feel so good? I was working on a number of boards and with nonprofits and like you almost feel like this is really. Am I just doing this? For me, me, like you, almost feel like it's that sort of like a rebound effect, like I know I'm helping others and giving of myself, and maybe financially, but it really feels good yeah it doesn't. 

15:54 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
It's okay to acknowledge that. Yeah, right, yeah, not like we're bad, it's like, yeah, it feels fantastic. And when we understand generosity is the most self-centered thing we can do, the self-supporting thing we can do, we're not doing it, it's like I'm not doing it, I'm not giving to you so you give to me. I'm giving out of the abundance, I'm giving out of the blessings, and when we give from that place and we're not attached to it coming back from that person, we're just giving because we feel called to do it, it's ours to do, it's like it makes complete sense and that's how the world, as a matter of fact, I'm going to share a concept. It's called moral elevation. So not only do we sometimes feel high you know helpers high from giving, but just experiencing another person being generous makes us feel inspired and it's this term called moral elevation. 

16:51
And you may have remembered years ago when the guy in Paris there was a baby dangling from an apartment building and this guy who was? He saw what was happening and he scaled the building like spider web, in a minute he climbed up and got that baby down and people were inspired. They put videos on you know the social media, and he even became a citizen in France. But the point is is that people were so inspired by that and you don't have to be super or Spider-Man to evoke moral elevation. You can give up your seat on a bus, you can be kind to another person and when someone witnesses it, it makes them feel better. And I feel like, at this time of our lives when there's so much polarity and so much divisiveness, when you see this person, when you're generous, it breaks down bridges. 

17:51
It's contagious and you actually see each other as beautiful human beings, and I feel like it's a really important way to build a bridge. 

18:00 - Mark (Host)
You know, everybody has their quotes right that they kind of live by, and one I heard in my early 20s that I've never forgotten and it has impacted me ever since. It was give of your substance and not of your surplus, and it was so simply stated and wonderfully stated and it has helped guide me in situations you know I'm gonna give up my substance. I don't want to, or it hurts, or so I'm the guy that says yes a lot right, so give up, give it give of give of your substance, not of your surplus. 

18:30
So if somebody asked you for a dollar and you have $7,000, yeah, it's easy. But if they say, can you give me money, you give them $3,500. 

18:36 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
That's your substance, you're tapping into. 

18:39 - Mark (Host)
I'm curious, as an expert on generosity and the positives that it creates, what are your thoughts on that statement? 

18:47 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Well, I would love to hear if that's a practice for you. How has that impacted your life? 

18:54 - Mark (Host)
How has it impacted my? I don't look at it that way. To be honest with you, I don't. 

18:59
Well, think about it, I mean, but it's small things, it's little things like like to your point, you tip somebody really well, or or if you're, if you're going to give money to someone who has um, is homeless or experiencing homelessness, you, you reach in your pocket, you, whatever you find, you give them the biggest bill. Like that's giving of myself, like that's how I am interpreting it right I we can cut this later, but I enter I um. I started with plan usa child reach. If you're familiar with them, they have, of course I am absolutely. I mean, I imagine you would be right, but I started with Plan USA Child Reach. 

19:30 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
If you're familiar with them, they have. Of course I am. 

19:30 - Mark (Host)
Absolutely. I mean, I imagine you would be right, but I started with them sponsoring children at 24 years old and I've never stopped. But at 24 years old that monthly deduction was my substance. It was a lot right. But then that is the quote that popped into my head and I'm like, damn it, I have to do this Sort of like you said all of a sudden it's like, oh no, I have to do this so, but it doesn't. 

19:56
I don't feel, I don't feel enriched. I feel like it's a duty, right, it's just, it's a human duty. 

20:02 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
I mean, that's really I get it. I totally understand the responsibility. 

20:07 - Mark (Host)
Hey guys, thanks for listening. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review, give us a follow, subscribe, subscribe all those things, all those things. We love it because we read each and every comment and it helps shape the show, so we would appreciate it. 

20:20 - Stacey (Host)
Please, and back to the show. 

20:23 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
I also understand, and I would just invite you to kind of think about it because you know it's like, like you know, you know that we feel so great when we do it. So, yes, I hear, um, and I think it is a duty, absolutely, it's like you know, to him who's given a lot. You know much is given, much is required. Let me share a story, though. I'm going to share a story, uh, that I just love, that I think, really reflects the generosity effect, and it's a story about a woman named Hilda, and Hilda, when she was a young girl, her family was able to escape Nazi Germany because a stranger provided them with the money they needed to leave. So she never forgot about how much that gift meant to her and she was looking for a way to be able to give back. And she heard about, for a small monthly be able to give back. And she heard about, for a small monthly contribution, just like you do with plan right, she was able to sponsor a young Kenyan boy to go to school. So Chris Maburu was that little boy. He was, you know, raised in a mud hut, his family were struggling to live on a dollar a day and he knew that. To his mom said you know, to have a better life you've got to have an education. And he studied so hard. But no matter how hard he studied, money was the only thing that was going to keep him in school for his school fees. And he's in and out of school and he held back, found out about him, started to pay his school fees and he he, you know, he thought you know Hilda was thinking like this is a drop in a bucket, right. She didn't understand, kind of like, what you're saying right now. In a way, right, it's like, oh, it's a duty, she wanted to do it. She didn't realize that that completely changed his life and he ended up not only being able to finish high school, he went to college. He was ultimately able to get the resources to go to Harvard Law School. He's now a lawyer, a human rights advocate. He's working with children around the world who have no voice. And he was so inspired by Hilda that he started a scholarship fund in her name to help other kids in his village get this. A thousand kids now have an opportunity to go to school because of Chris Mabour's inspiration from Hilda. 

22:44
And what he did was he decided I've got to meet this woman and he was, like, you know, trying to find her. And he finally found her. She was living in Sweden and she wasn't the woman he thought, like she lived in a simple apartment, a one bedroom apartment. She'd been a teacher. He was envisioning this, you know, really wealthy person. And again she's like oh no, you know, it's like I'm honored, you know, it's like you know. And he said you don't understand, you're my hero and I think we can't solve the whole world's problems, but we can solve those who are in front of us and I acknowledge you, mark, for continuing to support children through plan, it's like you know and I know firsthand through the unstoppable foundation. It's like the power of an education, the power of having your basic needs met, is life changing. 

23:40
So um it's just great that you do that. 

23:45 - Stacey (Host)
Yeah, so what? What do you think would be a way for someone who hasn't necessarily been overly generous in the past or who maybe is like, well, I only have enough money for myself, like, how can I suddenly become a generous person Because I do want to give back somehow? What do you think are some ways, like two or three ways, that someone could change that mindset? 

24:07 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Yeah, so great question. So number one is what you just mentioned is a scarcity mindset. So if they're not generous, like what? If there's so many benefits to generosity and there is, like, it's like you know, a key to mental health greater mental health, greater physical, like even longevity there's, it's like it's proven, there is science around this, and yet people are still stuck, many because they feel like there's not enough. And the truth is, generosity generates more than enough. So I would recommend that you try it. And again, it's not about money. It's like how can you bless another person? I'll give an example. 

24:50
I was speaking at an event and typically when I'm traveling, you know, sometimes I'm actually an introvert and so I kind of like being more quiet. And I got in the Uber and I'm like I am going to, I want to enrich this man's life. So I started engaging with him. I asked him what is he most passionate about? And he said I'm a street performer. And I said, really. He said yeah, I, you know, I, I do. I do Frank Sinatra, johnny Cash, like all these people. And I said, really, would you be willing to perform for me, sing a song? And he did. And he gave me a choice. And I said bring a fire. And he gave me a choice. And I said bring a fire. And so, and I said, can I record it? And he said yes, he starts singing ring of fire. And I'm giggling like a little girl, like I'm just so tickled by his, his demeanor, you know, and afterwards I'm acknowledging him and he had this big, huge smile and what was funny is I'm still talking about that. I raised money that night for my foundation but the thing that really touched me was that human interaction, cause I was like I felt his joy from being acknowledged for his talent and he blessed me. 

26:04
So it's like how can you be a blessing? Maybe it's just listening to someone, asking how they're doing, and shutting your mouth and listening, you know, from a place of curiosity. I mean, being a great listener is one of the best gifts you can give anybody. So for me, I every day as I look at how can I be a blessing to someone else. So maybe it's reaching out to somebody. Maybe it's like it's like Kami Walker, right, she started when she was giving the first day. She reached out to another friend who had multiple sclerosis and her husband was traveling. So it's like what can we do? What is in our field, like what you know comes in to our lives, and I can promise you when you start it, it is habit forming. Hopefully it's habit forming mark. Look, you've been doing it for 20, 24 years. There's a reason you're doing it it's my, it's mine. 

27:03 - Mark (Host)
How did you phrase that? It's yours, mine to do, it's mine to do, yours to do right, that's right. 

27:08 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
And if you're not doing it, you're short circuiting the universe. Right, that's yours to do, just like what I'm doing is mine to do, and if I'm not doing it, there's a gap. So I just acknowledge both of you for being willing to do what's yours to do, because you're doing things I can't reach those children and the people like you are. 

27:32 - Mark (Host)
I'm jealous that you were close with Bob Proctor. I love watching videos of that man. Just his mindset. That's wonderful. 

27:40 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
He was. He was one of my biggest supporters. So basically, um, when I? So when I started, um, my very first philanthropic project happened when my book came out. And I was 18 months after my book came out and my 20-year marriage ended. 

27:56
I talked to Billard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity, and he said when you have a great pain in your life, you need a greater purpose. And he had just gotten back from Nepal and recommended that I build a house for a family in need. And I thought how many houses would I need to build to offset this pain in my life? And I'd never built one house and it was $2,000 a house for a family in Nepal. And I thought, I don't know. Five, no, Ten, no, it wasn't. Until I got to 100 houses. Wow, that was bigger than my pain and I thought I had no idea how to raise the money. I had no idea how to do it. But Bob Proctor was a new friend of mine and I talked to him and he's like I said how am I going to raise this money? He said, oh, Cynthia, it's simple. You just find 10 people to contribute $20,000 each, it's all math Simple to me. 

28:54 - Stacey (Host)
I don't know anybody's got 20,000. 

28:56 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
So what did I do? I'm looking at him, he's in front of me and I took every ounce of courage and I said would you be the first to contribute $20,000? And he told me later he almost like passed out contribute $20,000. 

29:11
And he told me later he almost like passed out because he but what's he going to say? And he said, yes, I'll be the first. And he said that that changed his life because it would put him on a trajectory of giving that he had never been on before and he actually became our biggest supporter. You know they'd contributed a half a million dollars a year to support the foundation and so bob bob was a very, very dear friend and mentor and my biggest advocate for this work. 

29:38 - Stacey (Host)
so, yeah, you had met so many people like like that, like if, like how did you meet? You know the head of habitat for humanity, andity, and Bob Proctor, and you know Jack Canfield I saw you were working with him and Oprah and like how did you just pick up the phone and call them? Was there some sort of a way? That you are a telemarketer yes, yes, we are good at that, yeah so I well, I met Millard. 

30:04 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
I wanted to interview him for my book. So that's how I met him. I met Bob through a mutual friend. My book first came out. His name was Roger Bog. I met Bob through a mutual friend. My book first came out. His name was Roger Boger and he did a call with us. He's like Bob, you need to read this book. So he introduced I'm, you know, being in the industry, right, I'm in the personal development industry. 

30:21
So you go to events. You know I met people. I met Jack at the big Jack and Mark Victor Hansen at the book marketing expo. You just meet people and the thing is and I feel like one of the reasons I've been able to attract really great mentors is because I'm not a know-it-all, I'm willing to listen to their advice. I'm very grateful. I look at how can I be a blessing for them. And because it is, it's a very, it's a beautiful relationship. As a mentor, you know one of how well they're doing and, mark, you probably feel the same way with. You know, when you're supporting a scholarship or whatever it's like, thank you, god for the opportunity to serve and to see how their life is enriched as a result. 

31:20 - Stacey (Host)
Another form of generosity. But I'm curious too, because everyone who's listening sees this, and you're such a phenomenal human being. But I'm wondering. You must have your days when you're you know, like you have a cold today, or like when you're just feeling like down, do you, is it? I have a feeling you're going to say your answer to get out of that hole is generosity right, or is finding your purpose and yeah, a thousand percent. 

31:44 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
But the type of inspiration, uh, giving that's in it that's really generative, is that inspired giving, right, and that's what can change our life. And we all have things where you're giving to your family. Maybe there's sometimes that we're giving out of call it obligation, that's okay. But I'm saying the type that's generative and changes our life is the part that comes from inspiration, love, that. 

32:13 - Mark (Host)
That is the key. What about the people who say I, I just don't have it in me, I or I don't have it, I don't have it to give, I don't have the time I'm? I'm booked out. I don't have the extra money. I I can't even give people my attention, I just. I wake up, I'm exhausted and then I go to bed. 

32:31 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Yeah, no, I understand that no-transcript of what's true. And the truth is their belief system right, it's a scarcity mentality, it's like, oh, I don't have enough. They don't understand the spiritual law and the science of generosity, and generosity generates more. And it is again. It sounds to me like, oh, my God, I don't have enough time on this, and that it sounds to me like they're overwhelmed right With a whole bunch of things maybe they're not even inspired by. So I would just say start easy. 

33:08
It could be a blessing, it could be a prayer. You know, it could be a phone call, it doesn't have to be a lot, but I can promise you, just like how Kami Walker's life changed, you know, know, literally from being depressed, ready to kill herself, and just by the act of giving, in 29 days her life changed. So I would just say stay open is, and to say you don't have it in you is so sad because, wow, wow, they're missing what I was calling you a light. We all have it within ourselves. What is generosity? Generosity is loving kindness. It's what it is, and if we don't have loving kindness in our hearts, that's not a very fulfilling life to live. So it is there. How do you tap into it. You tap into it by sharing it with somebody else. 

34:06 - Mark (Host)
Yeah. 

34:07 - Stacey (Host)
So, cynthia, what is next for you and how can we help you get there? 

34:13 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Well, thank you, that's a very generous question. Well, so a couple of things. First off, I've got my new book. I'm a generosity effect. Um, it's going to be coming out the fourth quarter, um, so I love that. And then, um, you know what we're doing with the foundation. So, um, just like with plan mark you're mentioning, you know we, we work with entire communities. We bring in an entire five pillar model that goes in and partners with communities. It is not a handout, it's a partnership where we're bringing education, access to clean water, health care, nutritious food, training for the parents to generate an income. So if people want to be a part of that, if they want to financially support, they could just go to unstoppablefoundationorg and learn more about what we're doing. And I have to say, I feel like I'm on a mission of really helping people understand how generosity can change their life, their business and the world. 

35:16 - Mark (Host)
Such great advice. Wow, that was awesome. Yeah, we could probably go on for another hour, I know. 

35:22 - Stacey (Host)
I know, I know For sure. I feel so blessed to have this time with you Like it was really wonderful. I feel enlightened and happier. 

35:31 - Mark (Host)
She's going to be more generous to me now. 

35:32 - Stacey (Host)
This is what you do for people right. 

35:34 - Cynthia Kersey (Guest)
Hey, it applies to everything, even husbands, relationships. I mean, honestly, even with my husband, we're like, oh well, that wasn't very generous. I'm thinking I'm not being very generous to him right now. It like informs everything. And when you write a book about the generosity effect, I am aware of how I'm not generous, right, like I notice, wow, that's not being generous and I feel like the awareness and how do we bring more generosity to our relationships can absolutely change them. I mean the Gottmans talk about this. It's like one of the number one keys to a happy, healthy marriage is generosity, loving, kindness. You guys are such a joy. You're both beautiful lights I absolutely see that in both of you and just keep doing bringing your gifts to the world, blessing those who don't get it God, I mean, I wouldn't want to be them. So thank you for everything you do and for bringing me on to share this. I really appreciate you both. Thank you. 

36:30 - Mark (Host)
Cynthia, thank you again and thank you guys for watching. We will see you again in the next episode. 

36:39 - Stacey (Host)
You're still here. You're still listening. Thanks for listening to the Gurus and Game Changers podcast While you're here. If you enjoyed it, please take a minute to rate this episode and leave us a quick review. We want to know what you thought of the show and what you took from it and how it might have helped you. We read and appreciate every comment. Thanks, See you next week.